Faithful Friday: Being Faithful In The Climb
By: Debbie
How’s your week been? Full disclosure: I started the week strong by completing edits to 13 chapters of my book. (not the final ones, mind you, but still) By Wednesday, I had hit a wall-lacking the energy or creativity to do anything. Hence, no blog in the middle of the week. I’m so thankful that I came across that Facebook post introducing the amputee swimmer doll… How cool was that! We do need accurate representations of people with disabilities out there.
In my brief respite from the blog, I finished reading Melanie Dobson’s “The Winter Rose.”; For those unfamiliar with the author, Melanie writes split-time historical novels usually involving World War I or World War II. This novel was no different. In this one, we follow Addie Hoult in her quest to find a living donor for her “father,” Charlie Tonquin, who is dying of a genetic disorder; Charlie wants nothing to do with the search. They figure he doesn’t want to relive his times as a child during the war; In a last-ditch effort to discover a donor, Addie returns to where her father had the happiest memories, Tonquin Lake.
Only then do we realize the significance of weaving Grace Tonquin’s story with Addie’s-as Grace is one of the many people responsible for escorting children over the Pyrenees Mountains in search of freedom during the war.
I won’t spoil the book for those wanting to read it themselves; believe me, I left a lot out on purpose. But I would highly recommend it.
This leads me to the picture at the beginning of this post. Although Grace Tonquin’s story is fictional, the historical background is not. Just thinking about the things Jewish people endured and the sacrifices they made to ensure their families remained safe, I can’t even imagine.
But we are the same, aren’t we?
Now before you scratch your head and say, “Huh?” Please take a moment and think about it. In today’s society, it’s becoming harder and harder for Christians to share the Gospel without fear of being ridiculed or “canceled” on social media.
Jesus warns his disciples – and us- about the growing opposition towards his ministry and those who follow him, saying, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.” (John 15: 18-19 [NIV]).
As beautiful as Earth is, it’s important to remember it’s only a stop on the way to our final destination. As Christians, we belong with Jesus Christ, our Savior. Look at what Ephesians 2:19- 21 says:
“Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.”
As fellow citizens, we must never lose sight of our true purpose- leading others to join us on our climb…