Most recently I decided to reread some letters that my family, friends and my church body wrote to me before I left for the race. These letters have been super encouraging and they are just a reminder pointing me back to Jesus, but they also let me know that I am loved and missed at home (Sometimes on the race you need to be reminded of that).
One of the last letters that I read was from a great friend who just so happens to be the my pastor’s wife, Jessy Rutherford. Just a lil back story for some of you who don’t know her. When I first met Jessy she terrified me. Don’t ask me why, she just did. I was just so intimated by her. This feeling went away rather quickly when I started sitting next to her in church and had to ask her for a tithe envelope every Sunday. In reality, she’s not intimidating. She gives me spiritual guidance often, and is someone I look up to and love a lot.
So, back to the letter.. I opened it for the first time when I was missing home and felt extra sad. This letter not only had confetti in it, but it had some mad truth in it. I giggled about the confetti and read over this four page letter and thanked God for it. I needed that letter that day. I needed the laughter from getting confetti all over my bed. I needed the truth that it had inside. This letter brought me so much joy! This past week, I needed a reminder from part of the letter, so I pulled it out to reread it.
The end of the letter read:
“I love you more than words can say and I will miss you more than I probably even know, BUT GOD! God is the purpose, the reason, the drive, BUT GOD! When the prickles come, BUT GOD! When the day is long, BUT GOD! When your showers are cold, BUT GOD! When the frogs and bugs are cray, BUT GOD! When 11 months seems like a mistake, BUT GOD! When you question everything, BUT GOD! I know it doesn’t seem like a positive ending, but it is. THE BUT GOD, is the BIGGEST, most POWERFUL, most INSPIRING, most HOPEFUL, most COMFORTING, most PEACEFUL, BIGGEST DEAL there is. BUT GOD, it the reason for all of this, HE is worth it, HE is in control, HE is faithful, HE is good, He is just, HE is…. I Love You.”
I’ve been holding on to the “BUT GOD” phrase for the last two months. It has carried me thus far through the race. Through the good or the bad that happens in my life, I can hold on to God’s Truth, knowing that his faithfulness is unlike any other. Although not all of His promises have been fulfilled to me yet, I know they will be.
Thanks Jessy for the encouraging letter that points me God and reminds me that sometimes life may seem tough, “BUT GOD…” PEACE
XOXO
Heather
