{{item.title | uppercase}}

{{item.authdes}}

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33 (NLT)

This time of year seems to be filled with so many things to accomplish. There are parties to give and others to attend, shopping to do, scheduling of holiday time with family, travel plans, and so much more. Whew!! Tension builds and on many days my “widow brain” just can’t handle all of it!

So, when I just want to forget it all and try to relax, I find my self clicking through the channels to find one of those movies! I am sure you all know what I am talking about. The ones that run back-to-back every night and all week-end long. Ones that you don’t mind seeing only once, but maybe even two or three times!

I find I can get very wrapped up in the stories and can experience all the emotions from laughter to tears. I may be looking for simple entertainment, but I find theses movies also offer an escape – an escape from reality and a way to release my own emotions! A chance to let the tears flow and hide the real reason. Even though I can relate to many of them, the stories that are portrayed are not “real” but “make believe”. They may contain some of the struggles of life, but you can be sure they will “always” turn out OK and have a “happy ending”!

The last evening my husband and I watched TV together, I tuned in to one of those movies after he had watched some of his favorite programs. With almost half of it to go, and of course the most important half, he decided to go on to bed. His comment was, “You can stay up and watch the rest of the movie – but I can already tell you, it will turn out OK.”

The movie that night did have a happy ending, it did turn out OK. However, the next morning when I woke to find that my husband had made his unexpected journey to heaven in his sleep, I was sure “our” story did not turn out OK! In the many years we shared together, we experienced the ups and downs of life, so, as we approached our “golden years”, why couldn’t our story have a “happy” ending like all those movies?

If I really believe (and I do) the movies are “make believe” then I must dismiss those thoughts from my mind and replace them with the truth from God’s word. He tells us in John 16:33 there will be troubles in this world, but that they are temporary, preparing us for an eternal glory.

Our peace is not in the absence of strife or troubles, but in Jesus and what He has done to make our future sure!

Even though our story may not be as I wanted it, it does have a happy ending it does have a happy ending. I know that my husband no longer has to face the trials and struggles of this life on Earth. I know he is in Heaven with our Lord and Savior and I will join him one day.

I may not know when my part of our story on earth will be complete. I know there will continue to be trials as long as I am here, but I know He is preparing a place for me in Heaven and that He will take care of me until He calls me home.

Lord, I know the trials experienced here on Earth are only temporary. I pray for the peace only You can give, a peace that passes all my understanding! Help me put my trust in You alone. Amen