My husband and I make an interesting team. I am a person of ACTION! I see a need, and I want to respond. I see something broken, and I want to fix it... NOW! I remember once, when my sisters and I were kids home “babysitting ourselves,” a log rolled out of the fireplace and set the carpet on fire. While my sisters dithered about in a panic, I dumped out all my Tinker Toys, filled the bucket with water and put out the fire. There is a time for jumping in quick and doing something. That’s my gift.  I’m a jumper inner!

My husband, on the other hand, is the analytical type. He likes to examine the problem from every angle. He wants to gather information about the problem and think about it for a while -- a good, LONG while. I cannot begin to tell you the "intense fellowship" this causes from time to time in our marriage! But, I think we learn from each other. I am thankful for the times he holds me back from rushing in “where angels fear to tread,” when I really don’t have a plan so much as I have a heart to do something. On the other hand, I hope that I prod him a bit when he gets too analytical and poky about making a decision, even though I know he finds me irritating.

Isn’t it true that when we are faced with a problem, we need SO MUCH wisdom to know HOW to respond, WHEN to respond and what resources to use? I have learned that my compassion must be tempered with wisdom, and that my soft heart can be an easy target for a con. I need wisdom to know the right way to help, and discernment to know a legitimate need from a scam.

My husband has learned that if he spends too long analyzing a problem, he may miss an opportunity to do a good thing.

(James 1:5 AMP)  If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him.

(James 1:5 MSG)  If you don't know what you're doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You'll get his help, and won't be condescended to when you ask for it.

Aren’t you glad that God sees the whole picture and knows exactly what is needed? Aren’t you glad that His wisdom is available simply by asking?

Years ago,  I remember sitting in church one Sunday hearing the youth choir cheerfully belting out ---
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow
Because He lives, all fear is gone.
Because I know He holds my future,
And life is worth the living, just because He lives.

It’s a lovely song. Some of you probably know it. I was sitting there thinking, Have these dear, young people any idea what they are singing? They have experienced so little of life. He really DOES hold our futures, but we still are going to go through some stuff.

I had a friend who was a missionary to Cuba. He was incarcerated and questioned -- left alone all night, sitting on a hard chair in a damp, locked room to contemplate the possibility that his life might soon end. He was able to hold on to peace, because he knew Who held his future. Later, he was released, and kicked out of the country.

Another friend of mine has heard bad news from her doctor. She stands strong, smiling and trusting. She truly does know the One holds her future. SHE was comforting ME! She wrote to me, “Who can fathom His ways, Mae? Who can counsel God Who holds our lives dear to Himself? I know that I will have to be reminded of Who HE is as I walk through whatever lies ahead. Ultimately I have to trust Him....Who else do I have?” She is a hero in the faith to me.

In some countries, there are people right now who will be hunted down and killed because they have made the decision to live for the Lord Jesus Christ. They will most likely give their lives for their faith, because Christians do not live very long in those countries. They consider knowing Him worth it all. THAT is faith!

I will never forget the Sunday morning when my husband picked up the phone and was informed that our beautiful, adopted daughter had taken her own life. I was broken. My faith was all I had to strengthen me. My hope and help was only in Him. Words could not comfort me. God alone held me close in my grief. His Spirit knows how to comfort us when life takes a turn we never planned on. We have to reach up to Him in faith.

You see, there is the easy,“lite” faith, that has never faced a trial, and then there is deep, abiding faith that is tried in the furnace of life's tough times. Anything worth anything has got to cost something.

When you read of Job’s sufferings in the Bible, you will see that his wife’s advice was to “Curse God and die.” What a sweet encourager she was, right?  But Job did not curse God. Job said, “Even if He kills me, I will still trust in Him.” That is deep, real faith.

God IS THERE when it hurts so bad you feel that you can’t bear it. God is there. Right there. We have two choices. We can “curse Him and die” — blame Him, run from Him and suffer, bitter and alone. Or, we can cling to Him. We can reach up in faith and trust that He has a plan. We can choose to rest in His love. Life itself is a precious thing, but it comes with no guarantees. I count the Lord Jesus as more precious than anything, and He DOES come with a guarantee! He will never leave me.

(Isaiah 41:10 AMP)  Fear not [there is nothing to fear], for I am with you; do not look around you in terror and be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen and harden you to difficulties, yes, I will help you; yes, I will hold you up and retain you with My [victorious] right hand of rightness and justice.

Have faith in God, my friend. Have faith.