Life comes at you fast.

It hit me like a ton of bricks.

—

Both describe the way I feel right now.

All happening within a 24 hour period.

I am not going to use this as an opportunity to complain, because I know I am not experiencing half of the difficulties some people are undergoing at this moment.

But I would like to use this as an opportunity to vent/get it out of my system/etc.

I would also like to realign my focus. I know I can ultimately trust Christ to strengthen me to perseverance through these trials. At the end of this post, I will write a prayer I found in the Valley of Vision. It fits my circumstances perfectly.

—

Apart from the usual difficulties of the week (a.k.a. COLLEGE) – staying up till 3 am studying; getting stuck in traffic and arriving to class 30 minutes late; planning a film shoot on campus, bringing all the necessities…and then finding out the camcorder is completely dead (after a FULL charge!); having car trouble, after repairing it the weekend before….

Friendships are wonderful relationships to have. I know none of them are perfect.

Sure, I need to grow and mature…so I’m not claiming perfection (or ANYTHING CLOSE)!! But slander is a terrible thing to do to a friend….

—

Basically, the last 24 hours were meant to be a lesson in trust. I am OBVIOUSLY totally incapable of controlling my circumstances!

Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

Refuge

O LORD,

Whose power is infinite and wisdom infallible,

Order things that they may neither hinder, nor discourage me,
nor prove obstacles to the progress of thy cause;
Stand between me and all strife, that no evil befall,
no sin corrupt my gifts, zeal, attainments;
May I follow duty and not any foolish device of my own;
Permit me not to labour at work which thou wilt not bless,
that I may serve thee without disgrace or debt;
Let me dwell in thy most secret place under thy shadow,

where is safe impenetrable protection from

the arrow that flieth by day,
the pestilence that walketh in darkness,
the strife of tongues,
the malice of ill-will,
the hurt of unkind talk,
the snares of company,
the perils of youth,
the temptations of middle life,
the mournings of old age,
the fear of dath.

I am entirely dependent upon thee for support,
counsel, consolation.
Uphold me by thy free Spirit,
and may I not think it enough to be preserved
from falling,
but may I always go forward, always abounding
in the work thou givest me to do.
Strengthen me by thy Spirit in my inner self
for every purpose of my Christian life.

All my jewels I give to the shadow of the safety
that is in thee –
my name anew in Christ,
my body, soul, talents, character,
my success, wife, children, friends, work,
my present, my future, my end.

Take them, they are thine, and I am thine, now and for ever.

(from Valley of Vision)