Life's Trials

Early Wednesday morning, January 20, 2010, baby Benjamin Lane Savage was born and went to join his brother Jacob William Savage in Heaven. They have brought so much love into their parents hearts and, of course, Jay and Jen were sad they couldn't spend a lifetime with them here on Earth. These boys have changed the hearts of many. They have brought all those that loved them closer to God and quickly put in order our priorities. They will be missed.

I know that some of you who are sweet enough to follow along with our life have been through devastating losses similar to Jay and Jen. I would value your words of wisdom on how to comfort and support them in this journey of grieving and recovery. If you don't want to comment in public you can email me personally at janasavage@hotmail.com.

Lately it has been brought to my attention that every Christian has trials. And they hurt. Chad and I have found (I'm sure God pointed us there) a church that immediately fit. They started a series on Restart and at the end of the sermon members wrote their life situations on one side of the cardboard and then flipped it over to show how God had Restarted and where they are now. I was amazed at the amount of grief and heartache that so many of the members had gone through but were recovering from. It really sank in that you never know what is going on in someone else's life behind the nice clothes and pretty smile.

After I heard the news of Ben's birth I drove to Birmingham and I turned the radio to the Christian station and instead of music they were airing a sermon on What to do with Trials from the series When Life is Hard by James McDonald. Typically I am not the type of person who would listen to a sermon on the radio however this seemed to fit my situation perfectly. It was based on Hebrews 12 and basically the bible says all Christians are going to get it. Trials are coming your way. God uses trials to discipline us. Not discipline like, you have been bad, but discipline like training. We are to use these discipline life lessons to shape our character.
Hebrews 12:11-13
"No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Therefore, strenghten your feeble armes and weak knees. Make level paths for your feet so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed."

I pray for whatever trial you may be going through or may have already endured. That you will be trained by it and that righteousness and peace is headed your way.