God In Our Midst.

I believe that the present suffering is nothing compared to the coming glory that is going to be revealed to us. Romans 8:18

I am at an age when bad news seems to come my way all too frequently. My father moved to a skilled nursing facility last fall, and mom is fighting loneliness without Dad at the house. My brother-in-law suffers from chronic pain from injuries he sustained when hit by a car years ago. My best friend and a work colleague are living with cancer. Another work friend died of lung cancer last fall. And the world news gets grimmer every day from terrorism, to war, to global warming. Some days it’s overwhelming and I can’t help but question why people suffer, and where God is in all this misery.

Then, in the midst of all this, I witness a beautiful sun rise on the way to work. I think of all the magnificent natural places we’ve visited, such as the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone. I observe people reaching out to each other in kindness. I see my son’s smiling, sometimes ornery face; my son who keeps me laughing. I see my husband who still tells me I’m beautiful after 25 years of marriage. I think of my sister who loves me just as I am and tells me what I need to hear.

In all these things and people, I see the face of God and my hope and faith are restored. I don’t know why people suffer, but I know that God is with us in the good times and the bad, in our healthy days and our dying days and until the end of time.

Kim Peck
Walking the Road

Kim works for the Community Blood Center. She lives in Overland Park with husband Roger and son Colin. Find a place to donate blood at esavealivenow.