Conversations with God

*Jace - you came in so angry today. I try all morning to figure out what's wrong, to no avail. Then we're getting ready for the bus and I tell everyone to show your papers to mom and dad. You burst into tears and shout, "I don't have a dad! He's in jail. Mommy said I don't have a dad anymore." The bell rings, we have to get to buses... Jesus, You are good, and You only do good. Let Your goodness flow now... Sonia - such a beautiful little girl, trapped in a body that is almost completely out of your control. We got through most of the day, then it happened again. Your back arched and you let out a scream as the seizure hit. I stroked your hair as I watched the seconds tick by and sang to you under my breath. Jesus, You are good, and You only do good. Let Your goodness flow now... Jamie - the "demons" in your family have come with you to school. I wrestle with my own temper through the biting, scratching and kicking as I try to teach you t...

Everyone has seasons of sadness. We lose a loved one, a marriage falters, a child leaves home - any of countless things can happen to bring us there. Ecclesiastes even promises us there will be times of both weeping and rejoicing. I was in such a time myself when the Lord said something very interesting to me. He said, "Sow your tears." I had to chew on that a bit. I was focused on my tears. That's ok - God takes notice of them, too (see Ps. 56:8 ). But He said something else: "Sow." So I went to the parable of the sower. The story is told in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. By my 3rd read-through, I was beginning to get it. You know how it goes: "A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path..., on rocky places..., among thorns" (Mt. 13). For whatever reason, this farmer was being careless with his seed. After all, it was only the seed that fell on good soil that bore fruit. "Those who sow with te...