“In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." - 1 Peter 1:6-7

Dear Jesus, I now know that you are not working to deliver to me my own personal definition of happiness. You are working to change me into the image of your perfect son, who loved you and all people perfectly, who trusted you without flaw and could be trusted by every person. Your agenda is to make me into a new person. My agenda has been for you to make me a new life on earth that has no suffering. I know heaven is that place where no one suffers. I don't belong there yet. I belong here in my present suffering in order to learn, grow and bless others who are on the same journey. Make me a wise pilgrim who travels and learns how to follow you. And thank you for redeeming me through the journey of suffering that your own Son took. AMEN

"God does not intend for our lives to be easy. He intends for them to be challenging training grounds where he changes us from what we are to what he always intended us to be."