What I’ve learned

I’ve learned so much this past year, but the lesson I cherish most is surprisingly simple: patience

My healthy daughter was injured in an automobile accident in 2010. She now struggles with a brain injury. I have been impatient with her recovery – wanting her to walk and read and reason too quickly after her life-threatening injury – I haven’t been willing to wait on God’s slow and sure work in her Spirit and mine.

My marriage has been tested in the wake of such a life-altering event. The trauma of losing our healthy daughter combined with the relentlessness of caring for a disabled child has added great stress to our relationship. I want our relationship to be easy again– I haven’t been willing to wait for God’s slow and sure work in my husband’s Spirit and mine.

This year, God has performed the slow and sure work of granting me a little bit more patience – and with it has come… a quiet trust, a gentle strength and a more peaceful spirit. I’m less anxious about my daughter’s recovery. And I trust that my marriage will emerge from this trial stronger than it was before. This is God’s great work in me.

God did not work quickly – He works faithfully, steadily and surely.

His Word is a balm to my soul. Why? Because in it, I find Him. He’s shown me His love, His grace and His patience in the pages of His Great Word.

What about you? What has God taught you through His Word this year? (Feel free to leave a comment in the comments section below.)

I hope you have enjoyed my blog through the Bible! Happy 2014!!

6 thoughts on “What I’ve learned”

  1. Thank you, Kathryn, for this year of study. I appreciate your insights and will miss the daily email and devotional. Thank you, too, for your honesty even in today’s post. It is an encouragement to me.

    Like

    Reply

  2. Pingback: Happy 2014! | kathrynJackson

  3. I’ve learned perseverance. Many times I fell behind or was tired of “all the reading”, but I was determined to finish what I started (and my pastor was holding me accountable). As I tried to remain faithful to the challenge, I was reminded of his great faithfulness that never gives up, the never gives in, and never let’s go! Thank you Kathryn!

    Like

    Reply

  4. I’ve learned that you learn different things from the Bible when you read it through “fresh” eyes. They’re older eyes, but they are also from having life-experienced lens. From time to time, I’d notice that I took a whole different meaning from a scripture than I did when I was younger. The word “grace” has hit me square in the face every time you’ve mentioned it, or the Bible speaks of it. I think we’ve all learned grace from you, and we thank you for being a shining example of that. You are special.

    Like

    Reply

Leave a comment