The first evening of my Journey, I sat down with my Bible to read.  For the past few months, I had been reading a couple of chapters from Psalms each day and highlighting a verse or passage that stuck out to me.

The Psalm for that day was number 49, and God knew that was exactly the chapter that I needed to read.  I had been convicted a few months ago that the thing hindering me from having a “ten” rating in my relationship with God was fear, especially the fear that my brothers might follow in my cousin’s footsteps and make similar mistakes, and thereby sacrifice the wonderful God-given potential that they could otherwise have had in God’s service. Because of that fear, I found myself reacting harshly to my brothers and having a very difficult time loving them as my Lord desired me to. I had surrendered my fears to God and given my brothers to Him in prayer a number of times before, but it was still laying as a heavy burden on my heart.

As I began reading, it was as if I had been reading it for the first time. Portions of the chapter seem to leap off of the page and my eyes filled with tears. “Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil…?,” Psalm 49 said, “None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him: (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:) … But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah.  Be not thou afraid…”

After this new reminder that He was so lovingly looking over those who are so dear to me, I could again freely surrender all of my fears to Him, and trust Him with the future, because I know that He has a bigger purpose in mind than what I can see, and that He will work all things together for good!!

Since coming home, although at times it is still a struggle, I have had a greater freedom to love my brothers and treat them in a Christ-like manner.  I am truly thankful to God for each one of the eight younger brothers that He has blessed me with, and, through God’s grace, I am looking forward to continuing to improve my relationship with each one of them!

I am so very thankful to God for allowing me to have the privilege of going on my Journey to the Heart!!

~  Sarah, II Timothy 2:20-21
June 2008 Girls Journey

This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 27th, 2008 at 8:20 pm and is filed under Living the Journey. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.