What do you do with the Bumps in life?

Dearest Ones,

I wish I could tell you what a joy and peace there is in abandoning every part of your life to God. Everything that happens is His will for us. Yes, there will be bumps and things that seem impossible to endure. I experienced this two years ago when I came back to our Motherhouse in Aberdeen to live. I was not ready to retire - I still wanted to be more in the active life. But God decided otherwise. I got sick and I needed to come home. Not that I don't like it here, but it wasn't my decision, it was God's. But I have felt peace and contentment. Whatever the future holds for us, our part is peaceful abandonment - there is no greater gift to God. Love and sacrifice are necessary for a life in union with God. There are plenty of opportunities for both in our everyday lives. God is saying to us every minute of the day....surrender...and you will be happy. He is constantly saying, "I want you to be happy. Trust me and all will be well." Anyone who has done any mountain climbing, knows that the bumps are what you climb on. What do you do with the bumps of life? I have read many biographies, and have yet to find a successful person whose life was free from problems and difficulties. You may think they had life easy, but when you get close to them, the road was rocky and bumpy, but it was the bumps that got them to the top. I don't know the difficulties you are going through just now, but I know some of the feelings you have because I have been on this bumpy road myself. You feel like quitting, like giving up. You can't understand why the road doesn't get easier. Why doesn't God remove the bumps? If God did, you might never get to the top - because the bumps are what you climb on. One of the great promises found in Psalm 91 has to do with the stones on our path. "For he shall give his angels charge over you, to keep you in all thy ways. They shall bear you up in their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone." (Psalm 91) God doesn't promise to remove the stones in our path but he does promise to help us climb higher because of the difficulties in life. We complain about them; we kick against them and only hurt ourselves. We try to get rid of them. Some people just stop and go no further. Others give up and turn back. But the child of God does not have to stop or go back; he can use the rocky places in life as stepping-stones to climb higher. Life is not made of paved roads. Some days the birds are singing and the way is wonderful, but sometimes the road is rocky and bumpy. It is the same for everybody. Then what? Complain? Give up? No, that's the time to remember God's promises. But this takes faith. It's much easier to give up. The secret of climbing higher is to look away from yourself to Jesus Christ. He knows where you are, how you feel, and what you can do. Turn it all over to Him and start walking in faith. Listen to the promise in Psalm 91, "He shall call upon me and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble." If anybody faced obstacles on the road of life, it was Jesus. He was born poor, grew up in a little known town, was sold by one of his own friends, called a liar, a glutton and a man in league with the devil. Men twisted his words and yet, He continued to do the will of the Father. He continued to climb to victory and became our Savior! Look to Jesus and keep climbing because the bumps are what you climb on!

Love and prayers,
Sister Francelle