Have No Fear

Fear is an amazing creature.  Just one small impression from it can keep us from experiencing miraculous events in life. 

I love to ride roller coasters, as you well know.  They get my heart beating just a little faster and help me feel the wind a bit stronger which makes me feel more alive.  They are called thrill rides for a reason.  They bring a thrill to my spirit. 
I have learned through experience that many women and a few men are terrified of them, so much so that no matter what is said to them or how many times it is demonstrated that they are safe, they absolutely refuse to get on them.  I once ran in to two ladies who were considering getting on Wildfire.  For those of you who've never seen or ridden it, it has three loops and one fairly long and swift drop.  One of the ladies was ready to ride after a little encouragement from me, but the other set her jaw and absolutely refused, even after I reminded her that millions of people have ridden it and not one of them has been injured.  (I left out that some had thrown up from the experience.  But that's not fear.  It's motion sickness.)  I don't know if her friend ever actually rode or not, but I have no doubt that she did not.  It saddens me, because it truly is an adventure of a lifetime.

Reading this sentence: 'God doesn't only promise to replace our grief with joy, but to turn it into joy,' made me think about roller coasters again and how they can be compared to life experiences. 
My favorite part of every coaster I've ever ridden is the big drops.

The thrill of falling without worry is awesome.  I have no fear, because I know that when I reach the bottom, I will not hit, but be scooped back up into a new climb.  All is well.  I need to remember this when trials and suffering come my way.  As a child of God, I can never hit rock bottom, because he will always be there before me to scoop me up in His hands and head me back up into a new climb.  So, perhaps rather than holding tightly to the rails as we soar through life, we should instead throw our hands in the air in expectation of His catch, much like when my husband would set one of our little ones on top of the refrigerator and tell them to jump.  They always did, without hesitation, because they knew Daddy would catch them and the thrill it brought caused them to want to do it over and over and over again.

I am not saying that we should never grieve.  Jesus grieved over Jerusalem crying out,  "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing."  Matthew 23:37 

He also wept as He stood in front of Lazarus' tomb - John 11:35 

When I was told my precious daddy had  passed on into heaven last year on the day of my oldest son's wedding, everything seemed surreal.  I was able to make it to the wedding after having a long talk with God about how I felt, but when I walked into the reception hall after the wedding, I saw people, but it didn't register who they were, even though I knew most of them well.  The room started to spin a bit, so I figured I needed to find my husband.  Instead, God led me to one of his brothers who gave me a card.  I opened it and read (I don't remember the exact words, but still have the card and will keep it as long as I can) something like this - Know what this card is for?  When you opened it it read - Me neither.  Then he had written simple words of love and encouragement that made it possible for me to really see the people around me again.  I not only made it through the evening, but God did turn that day into joy.  I now have a wonderful new daughter-in-law that loves my son unconditionally and loves the Lord.  I know where my daddy is and that I will see him again as well.  On that day my grief will be completely turned to joy.  Until then, He has already started the process and that peace that passes all understanding floods my soul.

Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn  while the world rejoices.  You will grieve, but your grief will turn into joy......Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy."  John 16:20-22