All Things Work Together 14 November 2001 Dear Sisters This week, my dear husband, Andre has had to work nights. Although he is self employed and works at home, on this occasion, he has had to travel into town each evening to work on a mezzanine floor for a commercial laundry. This involves him working from a crane, welding huge beams of iron together. Although this project has been something we knew he had to do, and plan for, now that the time is here and he is away from home at night, it is totally different to what I expected. To be honest with you, I didn't really know what to expect. The last time my husband was away from me was when he had to do his National Service in the army on the South West African border. Now I know that many of you dear sisters have to endure much loneliness as your husbands travel or work nights and are away from home for longer than you would like. Oh, please be encouraged. I believe that the Lord allows different situations in our lives so that we can learn compassion for others. Only when we experience can we understand another's hurt, fear, anxiety. I believe I am in that place right now. I may have told you that a friend of mine often says "Praise the Lord". She declares this in good times and bad. I could never understand how she could praise the Lord during such terrible circumstances of her life. Oh, but now I do! Now I understand that the Lord allows us good times and bad to teach us something special. All to His glory. He loves us like His only child and there is always something special, just for us. "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose" Romans 8:28 To some of you, our new experience of being apart may be 'old hat', even though you may have never been fond of your husband working away or working at night. I am learning this. I am appreciating. I am recognising yet another reason to be grateful. Perhaps further along, should the Lord will, I could encourage another to keep her chin up and press on. On the other side of the coin, most of you have not had my life experiences ~ yet! Perhaps you will. We cannot ever know, can we? And yet, may we always remember that ......... "If God be for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8:31. Oh, and we certainly KNOW that He is for us. Even in our darkest hours, we KNOW this. We may not always 'feel' His presence, but we KNOW He is there. He is on our side! And with this thought in mind, may it forever be super-glued to our hearts: "Praise the Lord!" Let's hear it. "Praise His holy, holy name!" Love, Helen |