But God

Those two words change everything. Echoed in Ephesians 2, they lay the cornerstone for how Christians ought to view all of creation.

Our world is filled with so much brokenness, dissension, evil, and hatred that it can be hard to find these words amidst the darkness of sin. But God's presence and word is a light that shines bright in the darkness so that all may see it in abundance. But God's light is pure and powerful, allowing nothing but beauty, grace, and truth to live inside its perfection. But God freely shines this light daily amidst the darkness, inviting us into it moment by moment. "Yet you don't know my story; you don't know the things I've done." But God does. We live in the lie that no one sees or understands the broken shards of pain that cut deep into the recesses of our soul. But God does. But God knows all of us through and through. But God knew that we would reject Him, that we would break his heart, that we would be the reason he sent his son to die. BUT GOD being rich in mercy, adopted us as sons and daughters to live through Christ! To be co-heirs with his righteous and blameless son, who gently and lowly intercedes for us moment by moment to our Father.

Yes, we suffer. Yes, we cry. Yes, life is so heavy sometimes we feel as if we're numbly crushed day in and day out. But God knitted us in our mother's womb and set our paths of purpose before our first breath, knowing it would be hard. But God causes all of it to work together for those who love him. Therefore live knowing that you are a sinner and sufferer, but God is lovingly bringing you to his heart, his nail-scarred hands holding yours every step of the way. These are the words that define all creation and the words I have chosen to write my story, But God.