Psalm 68:1-7 - "You're Still God"

I am so blessed by my weekly grief group with Joyce Wolf. Last night she shared Psalm 68:1-7. This Psalm was written by David as a song of triumph. Verse five in The Passion Translation says God is a Champion Friend to the widows. I can attest to that. He is with me 24/7, encouraging me every step of the way. The wasteland of widowhood is not one I would wish on anyone but it is one I am on. He goes before me and leads me as I allow Him. He empowers me with His Holy Spirit to make decisions in His will. Woo hoo! All I have to do is keep my focus on Him. I cannot allow others or circumstances to take my focus away from Him. This morning I am reminded of the words to a song by Phillips, Craig, & Dean called You're Still God.

I thought I could trust you
Deep down I know I can
I'm so hurt and angry
At this circumstance
Did I miss something somewhere
Did I not pray enough
But with a faith that is shredded
I'll say that I trust

This is exactly how one feels when losing a loved one. There are so many questions as to the 'whys' or 'what could I have done different' but God is still God.

You're still God
When I can't see it
You're still God
When it's hard believing
You're still moving
It doesn't matter
If I know what you're doing or not
You're still God

This is something I had to not only believe but live out especially in those first few weeks after Doc left this earth. God is in control even when it feels like everything is falling apart. He loves us so much and wants to carry us through the 'tough' days. He desires to be our Champion Friend through the wasteland we go through on this earth. As we allow Him to be so, we have the hope of eternity with Him. I read this statement this morning in an email. Our Heavenly Father does not present challenges to us in life because we are weak, they are given to us because we can become stronger as we overcome. Woo hoo, God! I was reminded in group last night that it's ok to cry. It is also ok to laugh. I do not need to feel guilty when I do either. When I was in Ohio, I had many opportunities to laugh and it was nice. Doc would not want me to suppress my laughter. He would want me to embrace it. We laughed a lot together and I know he would want me to enjoy life even though he is no longer here. Last night one of the ladies said something she is doing is creating new traditions. This reminded me of our tradition to go to the waterfront and swing. That tradition is one I continue. I was told by a nurse at the hospital it is important for me to continue to do things that we did together. It definitely is healing to my soul. It allows me to reflect on the past and look to the future.

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the blessings of yesterday and the ones ahead in this day! Thank You for the obedience of Joyce who leads the grief group! Thank You for my friend Kim who put us together! Father, cleanse me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You. May You shine brightly through my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts today in a mighty way. Lord, go before my friend Rick McCartney as he finds out today if the skin graft has worked. May You be his peace. I pray the same for my sisters Linda and Sally as they are going through challenging times. I also pray for our Bible study tonight to be enlightening to all. Thank You Jesus for being My Champion Friend! Amen.