More From Ann Stewart

I am pleased to let you know that I have been cancer free for the last three years and my deep pink rose is flowering right now. How good is our God!

We live in a very broken world which can be incredibly challenging at times. It is easy to be overwhelmed by the state our world is in with wars, poverty, natural disasters, health issues, the cost of living, the moral decline, discrimination, violence, and the list goes on. As Christians we know that however crazy the world seems God is sovereign and in control. We can trust in God’s promises and faithfulness.

I am encouraged by the fact that God is always good and always at work. During the last cancer-free years there have been ups and downs and life has not always been easy. God never promised us a life without suffering. However, in it all God loves to bless us and shower us with gifts of his grace and mercy.  Sometimes his gifts are the simple blessings of a smile from a stranger or the spontaneous hug from a grandchild. God often blesses me through creation. The feeling of the gentle breeze on my face, the creative detail in a delicate flower, the sound of the birds singing, the beauty of the monarch butterflies that visit my garden, the lapping of the waves on the shore when walking on the beach, a rainbow, and of course a magnificent sunset. And when I lose my keys and I ask for God’s help, he shows me just where they are!

In this Christmas season we are reminded again of the wonder of Jesus entering our world as one of us to reveal to us what the Father is like. What a sacrifice he made in leaving the glory of heaven to be living in the limitations of earth. And the gift of forgiveness as he took the punishment we deserved on the cross and overcoming death for us as he rose from the dead.  Then there is the wonderful gift of the Holy Spirit. His love for us is immeasurable and beyond my comprehension. God enjoys blessing us in small and big ways. I only need to open my eyes enough to slow down to see the blessings and thank God for them. So today may we notice God’s daily blessings and the many ways he smiles on us. May we remember that God is with us and for us. May we thank him and enjoy our good God today.