S2S Sisters: "Beauty in Suffering" by Linda Miller

Our prayer is that you will be filled with the knowledge of His will, strengthened with all might according to His glorious power. All right, let's get started here, ladies. It's 3 o'clock, and good afternoon to each one of you.

Thank you for joining Strength to Strength Sisters right in the middle of a Saturday here.

I am Doreen Kurtz, and I live in Western Massachusetts. My husband, Joe, and I have six children. We're expecting our seventh here in just a couple of weeks, so we're excited about that. We are part of Disciples Fellowship here in Granby, Massachusetts, and my husband is part of a construction business, and we have started on a new venture here this year with opening a café in Amherst, Massachusetts, which is a college town near us.

So this is stretching us. It's been a leap of faith, but also very exciting, and we are very thankful for help from some very dear friends of ours with getting this started. So I want to make a few comments here in opening, and then I'll introduce our speaker. After the talk today, there will be a question-and-answer session where you can ask or comment on the presentation that Linda will give.

And we would love if you'd turn your video on for this so we can see your face. If that's uncomfortable for you, you may also submit your questions or comments in the chat here on the Zoom meeting.

Linda Miller lives in Stewart Straft, Virginia. She and her husband, Ken, have six children, ages 19 to 31, two daughters and four sons.

Deborah and Matt live in Poland with their grandson, Robin.

David and Grace live in Stewart Straft, Virginia as well. Abigail and Kyler are from New York State. Their son, Jonathan, is in Ireland. Joseph teaches school in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and their youngest son is living at home. So Linda's husband, Ken, is also on the ministry team there at home at Pilgrim Fellowship, and her husband has a heart for missions and also serves on the All Nations Bible Translation team, which is in State College, Pennsylvania.

So it is their desire to see God's kingdom come on earth. And so I would like to have a word of prayer with Linda here before she starts and ask for God's presence to be with her and guide her, and for our hearts to be open to what she has to share today.

So why don't we have a word of prayer, and then Linda, you can take it from there. Let's pray.

Our kind Father in heaven, thank you for this opportunity here today. Lord, we come to you as a group of women that are hungering and thirsting for righteousness. God, we pray that you would abundantly bless this desire in our hearts, and we want to take a moment, Father, to worship you as the King of heaven.

And we thank you and praise you for the ways that your kingdom has come to the earth, and we desire to be women that continue to help this to grow. O God, we pray that you would have mercy on us, bless our hands and our mouths as we are women, New Testament women that plant seeds and tend little plants in our homes and even in the world as we have opportunities. Lord, I pray that your Spirit would descend upon us and that we could be doing your will here until you return. Father, I pray a special blessing on Linda right now. Father, I pray your Spirit would guide her and bless her. Thank you so much that she's been willing to put this time aside to study and give herself to speaking here today.

We just thank you again for all you've done for us, and may you receive the glory that you are so worthy of today in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen.

Well, hello to all my dear sisters. It's interesting to think of all of you in your own places and how we can actually share together and encourage one another. It's exciting. So I have learned a lot by actually just taking time to study into the idea of beauty in suffering.

I know that all of us have suffering in our lives to some degree or other. And recently, I came across this quote that I thought was just so good about beautiful people and what makes them beautiful. Let me read it. It says, "The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern.

Beautiful people do not just happen." This was by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross. It really brought home the fact that beauty, as we know it, is often shaped by hard times and suffering, and that really is God's heart to have His character come through and be formed in us, and it comes through hardship.

So we want to explore this topic of how beauty can actually come forth from suffering. Some things to think about: How can God make something beautiful out of my bad situation? Is there hope in my situation? How can I keep going when it hurts so much? Sometimes we feel the pain is just overwhelming, and we just can't keep going, but God knows about that.

So just briefly looking at beauty, I thought I might as well look it up and see what the dictionary says. This is what I found: Beauty is a combination of qualities such as shape, color, or form that pleases the aesthetic senses, especially the sight.

But you know, beauty is not just appearance, but it's also what people can't see. It's our character, and that's really what God is concerned about, that we reflect His character and that people would see Jesus in us, and that is truly beautiful.

We, as women, we like beautiful things, and we desire to be beautiful. Peter talks about it, that we should not be so focused on how we look outwardly as far as beauty, but to work on that inner beauty of a meek and quiet spirit. That's always a challenge for me. Thinking about God creating the world in the beginning, He created it beautiful. He created it for us to enjoy. And when He looked around after He created all His things, He said, "It is very good."

He gave us this to live in, but because of sin and evil entering into the world, that beauty was marred, and that's what we have to deal with today. We live in a world that's been marred by sin and evil.

We encounter the curse in the earth. We have to deal with thorns and thistles, pain and grief and sorrow, loss. But God desires to restore the beauty that was lost. We lost it because of sin, and really that's why Jesus came to live among us, to walk with us in our suffering, to redeem that brokenness, to break that power of sin and the power of evil, and to restore the beauty that was marred.

How does He accomplish that? Well, we'll look at a few ways, but of course, thinking about suffering, that is one of the main ways that He is working to restore that beauty.

Let's take a look at suffering. The word suffering is defined as a state of undergoing pain, distress, or hardship. Some words in Scripture that describe suffering are trials, persecutions, humiliation, tribulation, affliction, temptations. And I'm sure we can all think of people in the Scripture who have suffered a lot. Probably our minds go to Job, who suffered so much, and it was a test of his faith, not for any sin that he had committed.

There are many kinds of suffering. There is the physical suffering, where we experience pain and disability and illness and chronic conditions. And there's also the emotional and the mental pain, like trauma, abuse, grief, and loss. There's fear and anxiety, tension in relationships.

I'm sure we've all experienced some to some degree. There are various degrees of suffering. I thought it was interesting to think about this: anything from stubbing your toe, which is painful, or maybe something that's a little more traumatic as an accident, which causes injury, or a chronic illness where you really deal with health issues for a length of time, or something like death of a loved one. So there's varying levels of suffering.

But even in any degree of suffering, I think it's good to remember that God is there. He is wanting to bring healing and wholeness to whatever pain we suffer.

Another point about suffering: everyone suffers. We really can't get away from it, but we can look forward to a perfect world one day when there will be no more suffering. That gives me so much hope. Sometimes it feels like no one else knows how difficult my situation is. My suffering is just something that nobody else knows how badly it is. But we can rest assured there have been others who have suffered very similarly. We all deal with the effects of sin, but just because we live in a sinful world doesn't mean that we are doomed to failure. There is hope because of Jesus. And remember, Jesus was the one who gained power over evil, wickedness, sin, death, and the devil.

And that's where our hope lies.

Another point about suffering: suffering for the Christian does not last forever. Sometimes in the middle of our pain, we think, "Oh, will this ever go away? Or will I always have to deal with this?" No. No. We don't have to suffer forever as a Christian. 2 Corinthians 4 is a reminder of that. There's this verse: "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory."

Can you imagine just suffering for a moment? Sometimes it feels like years and years and years and years, but in perspective to eternity, it will look like just a moment. Keeping that in mind can give us courage to keep holding on to God's hand when times are hard. 1 Peter 5:10, Peter writes, "After you have suffered a little while." Notice how he gives the time frame there: a little while.

The God of all grace will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and settle you. Something for me that was good to remember is this quote: "My painful circumstances will not last one moment longer than God knows is necessary to achieve His eternal purposes in and through my life."

That has given me so much comfort to know that God knows just how long this painful circumstance needs to be in order for His image to be more clearly reflected and formed in my life.

And then another point about suffering: suffering is real. There's times when we just want to kind of deny that it's there or just wish it would go away, but there's no point in minimizing the purpose of God's suffering in whatever hardship we face. I think it's important that we don't just think, "Well, if I don't think about it, it'll go away," because it's not a mind thing, except that our mind needs to be in conformity to Jesus Christ. So suffering is real. We can't just wish it away. We can expect to suffer.

What are some reasons why we suffer? That's the big question that everyone would wish to know the answer to: Why is there suffering? If God is good, why doesn't He just fix up everything so that everything else is good too? Why does there have to be suffering?

I think we need to remember that we're living in a fallen world, and because of that, there will always be suffering and pain and death because of sin. Another reason why we suffer is as a consequence for my sin. There is that law of sowing and reaping that if I choose to sow to the flesh, I will reap of the flesh. And so I sometimes suffer for my bad choices.

There's also suffering because of other people's bad choices. Sometimes you experience the rippling effect that comes from someone who is not choosing well, and they cause pain for you just because of their bad choices. Other types of effects from people's bad choices would be when we are personally offended, like by misunderstandings or jealousy or things done against me. Maybe there's anger or slander or hatred or maybe actual rejection.

Those are hard times, and they cause us a lot of pain, but it's because of other people's bad choices. And then the other reason that we suffer in this world is for righteousness' sake, such as persecution for our faith because of our belief and following Jesus and standing for the truth.

And interestingly, Peter writes a lot about suffering in 1 and 2 Peter, and it's just really comforting to read over the Scriptures and see what he has to say about suffering. He says, "Think it not strange concerning the fiery trial, which is to try you as some strange thing happened unto you, but rejoice inasmuch as you are partakers of Christ's suffering." So he's saying we shouldn't think it weird that we need to suffer because we follow Jesus, but that we should be willing to do so. 1 Peter 4:16, he ends that section by saying, "Yet if any man suffers a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God on his behalf."

In Matthew 5, we read that we are blessed when we are persecuted because we follow Christ, and we should rejoice. Matthew 5:12, "Rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven." Is there any of you that don't want a great reward in heaven? That just gives me so much courage to continue standing for what is right and following God no matter what the cost.

Another verse from 1 Peter, he actually mentions that our suffering is as if it's our calling, that if we follow Christ, we should just expect it to be part of our calling to suffer. He says, "For even hereinto you were called because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow his steps." That's 1 Peter 2:21.

So suffering is going to be here. We are going to encounter it. And so I think it's so important that we embrace it and see what kind of responses are good responses for us in our suffering. There are many examples in Scriptures of people who suffered, and in all of them, it was a really hard time. And when they encountered God and allowed him to enter into their suffering was when they were able to experience the grace and the healing and the peace that comes.

What are some of our responses to suffering? What are some good ways to respond, and what are some wrong ways to respond? I'd like to look at some of these.

We often wonder, "Well, what can I do to fix my problems? I would just love for it to go away, but maybe there's something I can do to fix it." Well, sometimes there are things we can do, but then other times we just need to draw close to God and see what he wants to make of us and how he wants to sanctify us through these times of suffering.

My mind went to the Serenity Prayer. And as a teenager, the Serenity Prayer was something that really spoke to me, and I'd like to just read it. It reads like this: "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference." And at the time, as I was growing up, that was the part of the prayer that really stood out to me.

There are some things I can't change. There are some things I can change, and those I need to be responsible to change. So possibly in my suffering, there are some things that I am not doing as God wants me to. I'm not following him well. I'm not following in certain areas. And so maybe that is why he's bringing suffering.

So those I need to come to him in repentance for. Those are the types of things I can change. But often in circumstances, I need to just embrace the circumstances that God allows to come and those I can't change. And then wisdom to know the difference, wisdom to know what I'm responsible for changing and what I just need to give up to God and ask for his grace to endure. I was interested in finding that the prayer goes on to say, "God," I'll read it again, "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference, living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time, accepting hardships as a pathway to peace, taking, as he did, as Jesus did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it, trusting that he will make all things right if I surrender to his will, that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with him forever in the next.

Amen." And I really like that last part. It just gives so much hope that as we continue to follow with Christ, he will make us reasonably happy in this life, but extremely happy in the next. Isn't that what's really fulfilling? And then William Law says this about suffering.

He says, "Receive every inward and outward trouble, every disappointment, pain, uneasiness, temptation, darkness, and desolation with both thy hands." Kind of as you would open your hands to receive a gift. He says, "Receive it with both thy hands as a true opportunity and a blessed occasion of dying to self and entering into a fuller fellowship with thy self-denying suffering Savior."

That really spoke to me as God's whole purpose and how when we respond with open hands, it can be turned into an opportunity and a blessing, a time of just dying to myself more and more. Or instead of receiving it with open hands, we can resist and resent and seek to escape from this hard situation that I'm dealing with. Val and Crystal Yoder, in their book, How to Experience Purpose in Life, say this about hard times: "When we resort to anger, denial, rationalization, hardness, and bitterness, we are unable to receive comfort from the Father God of all comfort."

And it really is closing our heart to grace and enablement to go through hard times. So we can choose to have either an inward focus on me or an outward focus on God and what would he like. An inward focus will say, "Oh, this is so hard. Poor me. How can I ever get through this?"

A God focus is looking to God and saying, "What are you trying to teach me through this? How can my suffering be an opportunity to grow and to bless others? How can I become part of the gift you want to give to other people?" God has a purpose in redeeming our situation.

After all, that's the whole reason Jesus came, because he is good. He comes near and is with us. Remember Jesus' name. Emmanuel means God with us. He's kind and compassionate. He weeps with us and wants to bear our pain.

God can bring peace to our hearts in the midst of our suffering. And as we trust him, we know that he can bring inexpressible goodness out of this terrible badness. And I often think of Joseph in the Bible, how he was treated so unjustly. And it was just one thing after another, and you think, "How can he keep his faith?" But in the whole story, we get to see the end of the picture too, how God really turned so much of it around and made it come out for good. And even his brothers were changed.

It's just amazing and encouraging to see God's overall purpose in the suffering that Joseph went through and how that Joseph, in all that, he never charged God as being unfaithful to him. So the whole purpose of suffering is for our sanctification and holiness. And one author says that we cannot expect to attain holiness and be sanctified except through suffering because God is more interested in our holiness than our immediate happiness.

And so often we would wish for Jesus just to come into our situation and fix it and just be that genie that zaps all the pain away and that just makes things right. But it wouldn't take any faith and trust in him if he would always just fix our problems as soon as we ask.

That's not his goal. His goal is to form his image and to bring holiness to us. Think about Jesus' example when he was on the earth. I really like the passage in Hebrews 2 where it talks about Jesus needing to suffer.

It says in Hebrews 2, here are some verses. Verse 10 says, "For it became him for whom are all things and by whom are all things in bringing many sons unto glory to make the captain of their salvation perfect through suffering." And we know that the sons bringing sons to glory are those of us who are believing in Jesus as sons of God and to make their captain, which is Jesus, perfect through suffering.

So Jesus himself had to endure suffering so that he could bring us into right relationship with him. And through that suffering, he was able to give his life to die, go through death, which we all face, but come out victorious through the resurrection. And so now he has power over death, and we don't have to be fearful of death anymore. Verse 17 in Hebrews 2 says, "Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to suffer them that are tempted."

And so because Jesus suffered, he can now come into our suffering and feel with us and comfort us and help us through and give us the courage to keep holding on to his hand and know that once he has seen that our lives are perfected and sanctified, the suffering will cease. And we can thank him for being that high priest and knowing how it feels to suffer.

Jesus also in the Gospels told his followers to take up their cross, die to self, and follow him. And so we just need to follow his example, as Peter tells us, to embrace the cross of suffering and to let his presence be a comfort and joy even in the midst of pain. And truly, the presence of Jesus with us can bring such joy and peace and rest to us that often our pain seems diminished because he is carrying it with us. His presence is what gives us that courage and hope.

I'm sure some of you were thinking about the hardships that our family went through. And some of you may not know, but I was thinking I would share a few of our personal things that I personal lessons that I learned through our hard times.

Our experience was that my husband, Ken, spent two years in prison in connection with the Lisa Miller Child Custody Case. He was charged with aiding and abetting international parental kidnapping for helping Lisa leave the country with her own daughter.

And if you want to look up more information about the case, you can look on our website that was set up during the time we were going through the court trial and during Ken's imprisonment. The website is millercase.org. There's still a lot of information on that. Even though it's been four years since Ken came home, we are so thankful. And even now, four years later after he's been home again, it often is the case on a Sunday morning when we go to church. We're like, "Oh, thank the Lord we can go to church together," because I remember those times when I needed to go by myself or with the children. It's just a blessing, and we never, never want to forget to be thankful for those times.

So some things that have really that I have learned and am still learning in hard times. One thing was to humbly accept help. And with Ken gone as the father and husband in the home, there was no one to really support me and the family. Our older boys did a bit of that, but our church really pitched in and said, "We'll designate so much every month that we'll give you just for household expenses and support." That meant so much. And then there were many, many other close friends who supported us. In fact, there was one couple from out west somewhere that every month would send us a check for $50. You could almost bank on it.

The first of the month would be a check for $50. I've never met them, but it was just such a blessing how they wanted to reach out and support us. So financial support was great and also prayer support.

We got so much mail and so many cards and letters from people, from close friends and from people that we didn't know. Mail time was often a highlight of the day. We would have a lot of cards and letters to open because it just was an outpouring of love and support from many people who were standing by us during this time.

Also, during this time, the physical presence of friends who came over to pray with me specifically, or people brought in meals or brought a box of groceries, or it was just various ways that people were reaching out to us during that time.

One thing I really appreciated was since the boys, our younger boys, didn't have their dad at home, some of the men from church would at times do something with our boys, just do a man thing or take them out for ice cream or something just to show that they cared.

Another thing that we learned is that we needed to be grateful.

It would have been easy to sit back and say, "Oh, poor me. Daddy's gone. What are we going to do?" It's just so hard. But if we practice gratitude, it's amazing how it affected our attitude. And instead of thinking about our situation and the hardship we were going through, it's looking for ways that we can be thankful and things that were a real blessing. And one of the first things that came to our minds was, "Well, just because he is in prison two hours away, he's not dead and gone. We can talk to him. We can visit with him." And it was just such a blessing when we realized that we still can be back and forth and communicate.

In fact, we were privileged to be able to visit him once a week, two-hour drive one way, and we could sit face to face for about three hours. It was such a blessing. And one of the biggest blessings going into prison and visiting was that often there would be other people visiting their family and inmates at the same time. And so different times we would meet up as we were going into visit. So we got to minister in that way as well. But what I was going to say is a real blessing that came to me as I was interacting with some of these other families who were visiting.

I was free from any guilt that my husband would have carried because I knew he had stood for the truth, and that was why he was in prison instead of having done something wicked that would have deserved that kind of a prison term. So I just felt so grateful that he had a clear conscience and that he was taking opportunities to minister to the men that he was interacting with. So gratefulness was a big thing, counting our blessings and finding things that we could be grateful for and trying not to focus so much on things we didn't have as to all the things we did have. Also, I found a greater dependence on God. There were day-to-day decisions and plans and things that I would have asked Ken about.

And in fact, we could be in touch with each other. Often, Ken would call once a day, and often he would even email once a day. So we did have some communication, but I would always need to kind of keep in mind the questions I wanted to ask him so that when he called, I would be able to ask what I needed to know. But I just found that this time without Ken here at home made me depend on God a lot more. And during lonely times, I needed to turn to God. And it was a way that I found that his grace just poured into my life when I was willing to just draw close to God during that time.

I also noticed that our family grew closer.

We had young boys at home at the time. The youngest was 13 and then on up like 16 and 18 and maybe 24, I think. And it was a real bonding time because they drew together and supported each other. And without a father figure in the home, we had to come up with some alternative ways of functioning as a family without a man around. So the boys stepped up to the plate, and whoever was the oldest one at the table when we were having a meal would be in charge of saying grace. And so we found ways that allowed the boys to step up and take charge and practice leadership. So in that way, it was a growing experience for them too.

And then another thing, we found that when we were willing to share with others and bless others instead of just hoarding all this that was poured out on us because of our hardship, it was a way of being a channel for God. As he blessed us, we could then bless others. And I found it interesting. There were various ladies that I was in communication with because they as well had their husband in prison or were going through those kind of hardships as well. And we could give each other encouragement and feel with each other in that situation.

Another way that we took the opportunity to turn hardship into a blessing during the time that Ken was in prison, his mother passed away, and that was very hard for him. And also, our two oldest children got married within that two-year time. There was no permission given for Ken to have a leave to come to the wedding.

So he did all he could to celebrate the wedding with his friends in prison. They had special food. He was able to tell about what a Christian wedding actually looks like. And it was just a real good time. Plus, he was able to call during the time of the wedding and the reception and actually talk to the bride and groom during the reception and talk to some of the guests. So that just made it feel like he was connected. He also took opportunity to have a gift made for each of our children who got married in prison and had it sent out so that it could be given to them. And it was personalized. He had one of his friends do beadwork and make a nice plaque for them.

So it was a challenge to find ways to rejoice in our situation, even though it was not what we would have chosen. And it's just such a blessing when you see God pouring out his grace in those times.

So beauty, how does beauty come out of suffering? Well, it comes as we draw close to Christ, as we embrace what he gives us and allow his grace to flow through us. It gives us joy in the midst of pain. It gives us hope so we can persevere to the end. And Jesus' presence in our pain will carry us through. I'd like to close with a quote by Andrew Murray. A friend sent us this early on. It's what Andrew Murray says, how he responds to sufferings and trials.

This is what he says, "In times of trouble, say, first, God brought me here. It is by his will I am in this straight place in that I rest. Next, he will keep me in his love and give me grace in this trial to behave as his child.

Then he will make the trial a blessing, teaching me lessons he intends me to learn, working in me the grace he means to bestow. Last, in his good time, he can bring me out again. How and when he knows. So I am here by God's appointment in his keeping under his training for his time.

And that gave me so much courage that God knows. And in his time, he will bring me out." Thank you. Thank you very much, Linda, for sharing. It was a blessing. It's time for our question and answer session here, ladies.

I'm going to first share a couple of things that I wrote down here while Linda was talking. And you all can be ready with your questions and comments then.

I have two things here.

Linda said in the beginning of her talk, I think maybe this was a quote. I'm not sure. "My suffering will not last a moment longer than is necessary for him to be clearly seen in us," something like that.

So that's so beautiful. But I just think that attitude that comes through that quote comes with a beautiful understanding of how much God loves us.

And that's really, really beautiful. The other thing that challenged me is to ask myself this question, "In suffering, am I following well?" And yeah, wow, just something that I think I needed to hear today for sure.

Okay. Anybody else? Feel free to speak up here. And if you like, you can turn your video on while you're speaking.

So maybe a question just to get us started thinking here. We live in a society that is very much about me. That is, it's portrayed to us through advertisements, through everything. The world around us, it's all about you. You get to have your food the way you want it. It's all about making me happy.

And I wonder sometimes if that doesn't affect us more than, as Christians, more than what we think. And what are some ways that we are going to great lengths to avoid suffering when we should be embracing it instead? There's a drug for this sickness, and there's a resource for this problem, and there's counselors for this. And when do we just need to sit back and watch God work?

There are definitely times when we need to take action and do what we can. And we do have medical options when there is illness. That reminds me, I mean, I can get a prescription if I need it. But maybe I should also consider those things I can't do to fix my problem.

Maybe that's where we need a lot of wisdom to know the difference between things we can change or things we just need to embrace and allow God to work through us. I don't know. It's probably a situation-by-situation type of a thing to consider. But I think, too, we get so wrapped up in my preferences and my comfort, and I don't feel well, so I take a pill or whatever. Well, maybe, but what is the root cause? I mean, maybe it's because I'm not disciplined.

And maybe there are things I need to actually change in my habits. Of course, that could be very minor.

But when we try to live a comfortable life just so we don't face persecution, I think we need to consider, "What does God want me to do? How can I best follow him and stand for truth no matter what?" Because God is not mostly concerned about my comfort and happiness as he is about my holiness.

So do you have any more comments or ideas about that, Lynelle? Well, I think just that quote there, I think sometimes maybe we personally can stand in the way of that holiness being worked in our own lives just because there are so many resources around us. And I know there are things that happen that are outside of our control that cause suffering, and I'm not talking about those.

But I think in my own life, I can come to a mindset of avoiding suffering so much where I think I actually need to focus on embracing the beauty that comes through the suffering.

And that's really the only way the beauty can come out is if we embrace the suffering and allow it to do its work.

There's really no shortcut in this process if we follow the way Jesus demonstrated it for us.

Yeah, thank you for that.

Linda, I was curious if in your experience with Ken's imprisonment and stuff, when Ken was making those initial choices to help Lisa, did you all know the cost that should be counted? Did you have an understanding of what the implications might be?

There was not a lot of time to think about the implications, but yes, there was definite consideration given to what might be the cost. But from a standpoint of being right there in the midst of it, there's no way to know what the actual cost was.

And that is something that God, by his all-knowing love, keeps from us. I wonder if we would have been able to move ahead step by step, walking in his grace, if we would have known how long it would take and what all would happen. But step by step, he guides us, and his grace is there when we need it. He doesn't give us more than what his grace can carry us through. So yeah, there definitely would have been some things we would have thought of as a cost. But of course, it was not whether it was worth it or not. It was the right thing to do.

Sure.

Yeah, that's sort of what I was thinking when I asked that question, is at times it seems like we have this choice to make in front of us. And later when we look back, you can almost be overwhelmed by his mercy and that he doesn't show you the whole picture. That is very true. Yes.

Yes. He loves us so much that he doesn't overload us. Yeah. Yeah.

Linda, maybe you have a couple of book recommendations. Two that came in on chat is one by Elizabeth Elliott called Suffering Is Never for Nothing. And then also another one by L.B. Kuhlman, Streams in the Desert, which is a morning and evening devotional. But maybe you have some others that you would like to add to that.

Yes, I would, actually.

Ironically, when I mentioned this topic to my daughter, she said, "Oh, Mom, you need to read this book." Well, I didn't nearly get through it, but what I read was really helpful. That is a book entitled This Beautiful Truth by Sarah Clarkson.

Other books that were very helpful to me was a section in the book, How to Experience Purpose in Life by Val and Crystal Yoder. You have such a good picture of God's overarching love and purpose and how to walk with him through hard times. And also the book, Journey into God by John Copeland, talks about God's characteristics. And that's not anything that I touched about in this talk, but that really plays into how we view God and how we view his working in the world. Journey into God is a really good book.

And then also, Lies Women Believe by Nancy Demoss. There are so many things that we tell ourselves that aren't true. Like, "This shouldn't be happening to me. I shouldn't need to suffer," or, "This is never going to go away.

I've had enough. I can't take anymore," those kind of questions. And she has some really, really good sections on answering those questions of suffering and difficulty, how to face and deal with it, and how to just draw close to God in all that. So those would just be a few that I found very helpful. And then one that also was recommended to me about how we view persecution is The Insanity of God by Nick Ripken. That is a moving story. I've not near read through it, but the parts that I have read have been very challenging.

So we are happy to tell you, ladies, that next month on May 7th, Christina Baer will share her testimony of her years before she found her joy in Jesus Christ. She is from Alberta. And so we'll look forward to that on May 7th at the same time, 3 o'clock Eastern time.

So maybe, Linda, you could close with prayer yet, and then we'll end this Zoom meeting. Thank you all so much for joining today.

Go ahead, Linda. All right. Let's pray. Our Father God, you are so loving. You are all-powerful, and yet you have come to us in our pain, our suffering, our hardship, and difficulty. You have shown us how to walk the road of suffering.

I pray that you would just pour your grace into our lives, each one of us, in whatever means that we need it to go through the difficulties and the pain and the hardships that we are dealing with. Lord, I pray that you would carry us in your arms and that you would just guide us so that your image can be made more clearly seen through us to the world. After all, you want us to be your hands and feet to get your message out to the lost around us. O God, I just pray that your Spirit would guide us, that you would give us the wisdom we need to know how we need to walk with you, how we need to repent and just embrace the difficult times that you bring because you want to form yourself more clearly in our hearts.

Thank you for this time together. I pray your blessing, special blessing on each one who is seeking to walk with you. Guide us further, Lord, in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen.

Thank you very much, Linda. We really appreciate it. Thank you. We'll see you all next month. Blessings. Walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing him, being fruitful in every good work.