A Rose Among Thorns

What happens when you toss together a middle-class ladies’ man and a dirt-poor chambermaid, telling them that a distant mutual cousin has left them in his will? Sprinkle in some spicy love triangles and tantalizing plot turns and you have the recipe for Gilbert Morris’ latest novel The River Rose!

We enter our story in the bitter winter of 1855, Memphis, Tennessee. The elements are harsher than usual this year, but perhaps even harsher are the winds of circumstance howling in the rosy face of widow, Jeanne Bettencourt. And quite a rose she is – delicate, yet determined; painstakingly honest and a diligent worker; penniless, yet somehow supremely confident. “You’re not like the other chambermaids,” she is often told by hotel patrons who are interested in much more than her room-cleaning abilities. And they’re right. Something about her grace and intelligence seems bizarrely out of place with her lowly lot in life.

But Jeanne’s purity of heart and nearly eternal optimism keep her from paying undue attention to her poverty. Despite the hard times, she is content with the Lord as her strength and trusts Him completely to provide for her and her frail, but joyful six-year-old daughter.

So when Jeanne’s breaking-even lifestyle is interrupted with news that she is part heir to a gorgeous steamboat, it’s obvious that the boat is a gift from above. But she still has a choice to make: sell the boat and buy a cracker box house of her own with the money, or live on board and begin making a living with the steamer through freight runs. To Clint Hardin, her buff and charming co-heir, the decision is simple. Why settle for a mediocre life when you have a chance at the extraordinary?

Neither Jeanne nor Clint could guess that God has much greater plans ahead than either of them ever thought possible for their lives. In the process, the unlikely business duo must each face their own past and decide whether or not they will allow it to affect their future.

All in all, The River Rose was a pretty nice read. I'll give this historical romance four shiny steamboats out of five.




Bonus thoughts (comparison to The River Queen):

Though the books in the Water Wheel series are completely unrelated as far as characters and plot (although there is a minor character with the last name of “Bettencourt” in The River Queen … hmmm.), I had fun noticing the little comparisons and contrasts between the books.

For instance, The River Queen is somewhat of a riches to rags story where a spoiled and selfish aristocratic woman must learn how to make a living for herself and her family. The River Rose on the other hand, centers around a hard-working young woman whose every joy in the world is derived from making her daughter happy. Rather than being merely a blessing in disguise for Jeanne, the steamer that she inherits may as well have been dropped out of the sky by angels.

Julienne, in The River Queen, is highly vain and spends most of her time fussing over her hair and dress. Jeanne, though also strikingly beautiful, is modest and humble and prefers to dress simply even when she no longer has to wear raggy clothes. She is very others-focused and has a heart for the less-fortunate, especially since she knows first-hand what it’s like to have barely a penny in her pocket.

Both women are strong and determined, daring to step out and accomplish a task that society says they can’t. Both are strangely annoyed and easily outraged by the man in their life who cares the most for them.

But what I found most intriguing was their differing views of God and each woman’s journey with Him throughout their individual story.

Julienne began with a nonchalant attitude toward her Creator. She had never really needed Him, in her estimation, and therefore was mostly oblivious to His existence. In losing her worldly goods, however, she was plunged into the realization that life was bigger than her own personal happiness, and she began to seek God for the wisdom and provision to survive the uncharted waters of her life.

When we first meet Jeanne in The River Rose, she possesses an almost uncanny faith in God, perfectly embodying what the Apostle Paul meant when he said “rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice!” Even with the faintest raise in tips or with the appearance of her favorite fruit or tea at the store, Jeanne breathes a silent prayer of thanks to the Father above. Later, she must rediscover her strong relationship with God, having uncovered the jolting truth that she has allowed her gaze to be turned from Him once her life’s circumstances began to blow in a new direction. She must learn that through poverty or prosperous seasons, in sickness or in health, there is never a time when we outgrow our need to love and depend on our God.

I also enjoyed the additional plot twists of this novel. Whereas The River Queen plotted a fairly straight and steady course, The River Rose dug deeper and deeper into its characters, revealing little bits of backstory along the way that keep you reading and wondering what happened that caused Jeanne to be widowed six years before. And before you’re half-way through the book, Gilbert will have you wondering which man in her life Jeanne will end up with after all.

I received a complimentary copy of this book for review from B&H Publishing Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I

am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Something new ... a book review!

It's always fun to do something new. To bring a new dimension to something familiar. That being said, I'm pleased to announce that I'll be adding a fresh new angle to my blog. Though I've written a few CD and book reviews in the past, I've generally posted them to sites with a need for that specific content, such as Christianbook.com and NewReleaseTuesday.com, leaving my blog mostly for devotionals.

 Recently, however, I've joined a team of book reviewers for a couple of major blog tours coming up this year. I'll be reviewing several hot-off-the-presses novels from notable Christian authors Gilbert Morris and Davis Bunn. I'll give you the gist of the story, along with spiritual lessons and sneak-peeks of golden truth that you can walk away with at the end of the book. Get ready!

My first review, scheduled for early July, will be on Gilbert Morris' new novel The River Rose. As this is the second book in his Water Wheel series, I decided to read The River Queen first, though each book in the series is meant as a stand-alone. You can read my review of The River Queen below:

“I want to look pretty, I want to have fun, I want to dance. I might even meet some exciting new people!”

 Thus are the words of the fiery Julienne Ashby whose flaming red-gold locks match her haywire temper and headstrong rebellious air. Spoiled by the life of frills and social calls and glamorous living that sprouts from her family’s aristocratic status in the community, Julienne hasn’t a care in the world other than the angst of wondering what over-priced outfit she will wear for her next party.

Along with her tomboy sister who’d rather collect worms than learn geography and her partying brother who spends his days recovering from last night’s hangover, this twenty-three-year-old fashion guru of 1855 refuses to cut back on her extravagant lifestyle, despite their father’s persistent warnings that the family’s financial position is headed downstream fast.

When tragedy strikes and the Ashbys are forced to sell nearly all their possessions, Julienne is thrust into a position of family leadership, discovering untapped potential as a businesswoman and using her stubborn will to keep her family off the street.

Enter the River Queen. Now the owner of the dilapidated little steamboat, Julienne decides that the Queen is their only chance to make a living and regain their dignity.

The long-neglected steamer seems to mirror its primary owner’s soul – strong and steadfast with a potential for great beauty. If only the multiple years’ worth of muck and grime can be scrubbed away. Dallas Bronte, the steamer’s new captain and pilot sees the hidden inner beauty of both. But will Julienne’s pride cause her to turn to a less honorable man to assist her in renovating the Queen? A man who, unlike Dallas Bronte, is not motivated by a love for the Queen and its feisty owner … but simply by a desire to own them.

And will Julienne’s regard for her steamboat and its pilot move from one of frigid necessity to, perhaps, even love?

Through it all, Julienne and Dallas must learn to trust in a God whose power and love they’ve never fully acknowledged, and realize that no matter how bleak a situation, you’re never too filthy for Him to clean up.

Note: In my personal opinion, the book didn't possess the type of edge-of-your-seat, page-turning pull that I'm used to. However, it did bring back some reminiscent memories of the Mandie series, a childhood favorite of mine, as the historical setting and writing style is similar to that of Lois Gladys Leppard (minus the mystery and frequent kidnappings). But for those who enjoy a good, historical romance with a slight Pride and Prejudice feel and solid Biblical values, this book is a perfect read and should be accompanied by a cozy fireplace and a steamy cup of chamomile tea.

The Faith Chronicles Part 1: Faith versus Fear

They rise up around you on every side, choking, suffocating, drowning you. With deadly vengeance they slam you repeatedly beneath their hammering blows. You try to fight, but they are too powerful, and each time one of the mighty waves crash upon your weakened form, you feel another piece of your endurance eroded away and rushed mercilessly into the tempest.

But these are not waves of salt water and foam, and the storm is not one of unrelenting rain and roaring thunder. You may have never found yourself being devoured by the waves of a monstrous sea amidst a dragon-hearted downpour, but these waves are a foe that is all too familiar. Each surging breaker has its own descriptive name – a horrid, devilish name – but there is one that unites them all. Fear.

Like a mighty ocean it engulfs its prey, sinking you into its cold, wet, dripping fangs.

What fear holds you in its grasp? Fear of poverty? Fear of loneliness? Fear of mediocrity? Fear of an unknown future? There is no end to the creative forms fear takes in order to plague us. Worst of all, we seem to be defenseless against its onslaughts.

But are we?

To answer that question, let’s travel back to the scene of an infamous storm on the Sea of Galilee. A storm where fear was rampant and defeat, so thought Jesus’ frazzled disciples, was imminent.

Alone in the middle of the sea, the disciples struggled in vain as their tiny vessel was thrashed by the opposing wind and the menacing jaws of black water that threatened to swallow them whole. Jesus was back at the mountain where they had left Him to pray, and chances are they were really yearning for His presence right about this time.

And just when every ounce of their strength and hope had been drained by their fight with nature – things seemed to get worse. As if they weren’t freaked out enough, they now saw a new reason for terror. For there, hovering and gliding across the choppy waters was what could only be … “a ghost!” After all, what other creature could be so totally unaffected by such a storm?

But breaking through their shouts of panic came a familiar voice. The voice of One more powerful than the howling wind that swirled around them. “Have courage! It is I; do not be afraid.”

Do not be afraid.

Peter was the first to obey that command. While the others were still dazed, still clinging to the mast and gripping the oars, Peter understood Jesus’ meaning. If Jesus could walk unharmed atop the source of their fears and troubles, then surely He would protect His followers as well. At that moment, Peter decided that the safest place to be was not in the flimsy shelter of their ship … but right there next to Jesus.

And so he did the unthinkable. He asked Jesus if he could join Him on the water.

We often pick on Peter for his lack of faith, but we forget what great faith it must have taken for him to step out in the first place. Notice that Peter did not attempt to venture out in his own power. He knew the task was impossible for a mere man to accomplish. But he sought the Lord; he asked permission and simultaneously requested supernatural means to accomplish this feat. His primary focus was on drawing closer to Christ, and his gaze was fixed entirely on his Lord. It didn’t matter to him that men just don’t walk on water. If some of his fellow disciples warned him, “Peter, that’s suicide!” he didn’t care.

He knew that if the Master willed it, he could transcend the very laws of nature.

So out he walked, mesmerized by the Prince of Peace in the midst of raging chaos. He knew he was supernaturally protected. His Lord had called him forward and so he could come.

But, as so often happens in a Christian’s life, Peter’s heavenly gaze faltered and he suddenly found himself examining the “reality” of his circumstances. Worldly truth began to sink in … and so did Peter.

“Hold on a second!” he must have thought, “I’m not supposed to be surviving this!”

And when his focus was turned from Christ to his circumstances, his fears were realized and he lost the power to stand. When he lost sight of the Source of his power, the impossible became impossible once again.

At that moment he could only do one thing – look back to Jesus to save him.

I love what Jesus did next. Scripture says that Jesus immediately grabbed his hand. He didn’t hesitate for awhile and watch Peter go down. “Well, serves ya right for not having enough faith in My power! You need to learn your lesson …”

Ah … no. Jesus immediately rescued him.

But though Jesus wasted no time in pulling Peter out of the inky black waves, that doesn’t mean He wasn’t disappointed. No doubt with sadness in His dark Hebrew eyes and an incredulous shake of His head, He told Peter, "You have so little faith! Why did you doubt?"

The goal had been in sight. Peter had ventured out in faith, literally in deep water (or on it), in a bold move that no one else had dared to try. His troubles started when he let doubt swallow his once-invincible faith.

That’s the biggest problem with fear … it drowns out our faith.

Often we are just like Peter. Just when we feel God’s power the strongest, just when His peace is flowing over us like never before, just when we feel that He has given us a rock-hard faith to walk on … suddenly a split second arrives when we look at everything surrounding us. And then the doubt and fear slowly worm their way to overcoming us. That’s when we must pray for Him to save us and pull us above our circumstances once again.

Jesus never told the disciples, “You have the power. Don’t be afraid.” He said, “It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

“I am here,” He was saying, “I am with you. Place your faith in Me and you will not sink.”

Don’t let fear overtake your faith. Next time you find yourself battling against a bigger-than-life storm, I challenge you to look past it. Ignore the wind. Ignore the life-sucking waves. Ignore the screaming disciples who are beside you in the ship. Look to the only One Who has power to walk above your problems … and Who can enable you to walk beside Him.

Go out to Him. And don’t be afraid.

(Story found in Matthew 14:22-33 and Mark 6:45-51.)

Taking the “Im” from Impossible

Impossible. That may possibly be the best one-word description of Christmas. Nestled among the jolly, twinkling lights and the bright, multi-colored bows and hidden behind every sale banner is a precious gift often overlooked. A gift that could shout but instead it whispers. The brightest gift packaged in the plainest wrapping.

It is the gift of the impossible.

The Christmas season is a time when what shouldn’t be able to happen does happen, when naysayers are silenced if just for a few moments and crazy, illogical, unrealistic dreams become a glimmering reality.

It’s when family members who live states apart forget the cost of travel and make that long but worthwhile trip to see their loved ones. It’s when a child with nothing receives a toy and a hot meal. It’s when selfishness transforms into selflessness and an angry, bitter world, for once, becomes united in a desire for peace.

It’s impossible … but it happens.

It’s when misers find worth in more than cash, and small-town businessmen realize that they really do make a difference. It’s when a dissatisfied, young boy becomes thankful for his family (no matter how imperfect they are) and a grumpy, green mountain recluse discovers that the heart behind Christmas can never be stolen. (Hey, ya gotta love the classics!)

It’s when a childless woman old enough to be a grandma had a son of her own and a young teenager committed to purity was chosen to bear a supernatural child that had no earthly father.

Wait, what? Think about that for a second. Some things are just not physically possible right? When women get to a certain age, they simply are unable to have children. And with young girls who get pregnant … well, it doesn’t happen without a guy’s help.

But in the words of the angel Gabriel, “Nothing is impossible with God.”

You say, “It can’t be true.” But it is.

You say, “It can’t be done.” But God did it.     

He caused two cousins, one too old and one not old enough (a.k.a. not yet married), to each have a son – one son to announce the coming Messiah and one son to be the coming Messiah. Two sons, one miracle. The Christmas miracle.

And it’s because of that miracle – that impossibility becoming possible – that we are able to hope for the impossible in our own lives each year. We can forgive the unforgivable, love the unlovable, and change the unchangeable. Though life is filled with obstacles that cannot be hurdled, we find that we can leap over them after all.

On our own, we can do nothing. On our own, we have limits. But let’s turn back our eyes to that distant day when a baby who “shouldn’t” have been born was born. A child, who “shouldn’t” have survived, escaped the wrath of a raging king. A God who “shouldn’t” love mankind enough to go through the torture of becoming one of us did go through it.

It was then that He placed His greatest gift under history’s Christmas tree – the gift of the impossible.

Mary said to the angel, “How will this happen since I am a virgin?”

The angel said to Mary, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will cover you. For this reason the baby will be holy and will be called the Son of God. Now Elizabeth, your relative, is also pregnant with a son though she is very old. Everyone thought she could not have a baby, but she has been pregnant for six months. God can do anything!” ~ Luke 1:34-37, New Century Version

Outcasts in a Foreign Land

Imagine you are visiting a foreign country. You’ve never been to this land before; you don’t know anything about the terrain or the people or their culture except for one thing. You know that it’s the opposite of your homeland.

Everywhere you go you feel dozens of eyes following your every move. They know with one glance that you are a foreigner. It’s obvious in the way you dress, the way you talk, even the way you eat your lunch. (Um, what are all these extra spoons for anyway?) The people know it, you know it – you are not one of them.

Question: How far would you go to blend in?

Let’s say that many of the natives are passionately prejudiced against your country. Their everyday conversation and jokes are filled with obscene insults about your government and your way of life. You have a problem. You love your country and you know that these people are simply misinformed about the place that you come from.

So you have two options. You can either:

Do your best to talk, dress, and act like the natives of the country you are visiting. This includes denying where you are from and joining in their pronounced hatred for your own country. You also hide or burn everything patriotic that you own. (How embarrassing if the natives caught you with that?)



Or...

You display pride in your country despite the consequences. You don’t try to change who you are, and you are not ashamed. Sure you endure mockery and are the brunt of many a derisive sneer and mean-spirited scoff. But it doesn’t matter because this place is not your home. You come from a better land, a higher land, and you are loyal to that land. And of all those who misunderstand, to any who will listen, you are determined to gently break down their prejudice and tell them what your country is really like.

My Christian friends, how far do you go to blend in to a culture that is not yours? You’ve heard it before ... “you are not of this world.” You are merely visiting. Foreigners in a foreign land. Does the world notice that you are different? It should.

Do you dress differently? “I want women to show their beauty by dressing in appropriate clothes that are modest and respectable…” (1 Timothy 2:9, GW) And appropriate clothing applies to guys too ...

Do you speak differently? “Let no filthy talk come out of your mouths, but only what is good for building up as the need may be. This way you will give grace to those who hear you.” (Ephesians 4:29, ISV)

Do you act differently? “If you belonged to the world, its people would love you. But you don't belong to the world. I have chosen you to leave the world behind, and that is why its people hate you.” (John 15:19, CEV)

All too often we allow the surrounding culture to intimidate us. We squirm under their disapproving glances. They think we’re weird, you can see it in their eyes. They make jokes about us and the things that we believe. Or better phrased, the things they think we believe. They make “being good” sound like a bad thing. They call us freaks and fanatics. (So what? I take it as a compliment. In the words of a popular DC Talk song, “I don’t really care if they label me a Jesus freak; there ain’t no disguising the truth.”)

The truth is, people, we are citizens of Heaven, and we have absolutely no reason to be ashamed of that. Why deny your homeland for a country that is not your own?

Romans 12:2 says this: “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” (NLT)

What is God’s will? God’s will is for us to live above the world. Not to stoop to the grime and muck of their way of doing things, not to conform to their customs and standards (or lack thereof), but to think the way He thinks. His opinion is the only one that matters. He is the One who deserves our loyalty.

But loyalty often demands sacrifice by its very practice. Which is exactly what the previous verse in Romans 12 informs us. “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice – the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.” (Romans 12:1, NLT)

Sacrifice. It’s a strong word – a serious word. It bids us to lay on an altar all the things that the citizens of this world cling to and fight for. But really it’s like burning a worthless currency, one that holds no real value but the citizens still insist upon using it.

What is this worthless currency we are called to sacrifice? We sacrifice worldly popularity, our pride, our selfishness, and our fleshly desires. We worship God, not by singing a seven-eleven praise chorus, but by the way we live. The movies we watch, the music we listen to, the way we treat people – all this demonstrates how we truly feel about God and His Word.

You’d think that it would be easy ... sacrificing the need for acceptance. After all, who needs the approval of men when God is on our side? And yet there is that part of us that longs to belong, a nagging yearning that tauntingly whispers, “The people are staring. You should try to be more like them.”

No! Don’t believe it. Don’t blend in. Even if a million eyes are watching you and a million voices are jabbing insults, don’t betray your Heavenly Country. Don’t deny your King. Remember that He endured taunting and staring and insults for your sake.

That’s right, Jesus didn’t back down from the crowd. His final resistance was by far the hardest thing He had ever done, but He refused to conform for one reason: He had an eternal purpose in mind. His reason was you – your redemption. Now your reason is Him – His glorification.

Brothers and sisters, when we feel the perplexed glances and the disapproving sneers and the pressure to be molded into something we’re not meant to be, we must remember that we have an eternal purpose. By living for Christ, we are storing up a currency of real value. Living by the “gold standard” if you will. The people of this realm may not acknowledge our wealth, but one day we’ll find ourselves in our homeland. And when we arrive there, our King’s question will not be, “How well did you adapt?” But more likely, “How closely did you stand by My standards?”

No matter what country we roam in at present, the answer to that question is one we’ll live with for eternity.


“Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.” (1 John 2:15-17, NLT)

Do You Trust Me?




They’ve been discovered. The guards are closing in, swords drawn, determined not to leave the broken-up stone building without prisoners in hand.

There are no escape routes, no back door. Nothing but a large stone-hewn window behind them and a very long drop to the ground.

Impulsively, the young man whips around from the window, hand extended to his female companion. “Do you trust me?”

“What?” The guards are closing in. This doesn’t seem to be the time to discuss the “trust factor” of their relationship.

“Do you trust me?” His words are more urgent this time, his hand reaching farther, nearly begging her to take hold.

Tentatively, her hand slips into his, a puzzled question in her answer. “Yes…?”

“Then jump!”

You may recognize this as a scene from Disney’s Aladdin. If so, you’ll know what happens next. Aladdin and Jasmine leap from the window, plunge through several ragged cloth awnings, and land safely (though a bit roughly) on the sand.

Though simple it may be, that little “trust me” snippet embodies a powerful spiritual analogy. I like to envision this bit of classic movie drama as similar what should happen in the tough spots and back-up-against-the-wall situations of our lives:

Doubts and fears are crowding in around us, determined to take us prisoner. Our circumstances seem hopeless; we see no means of escape. No paths to freedom. And yet, Christ can see our way out. It requires us to take His hand and jump. But first He must ask that fateful question … “Do you trust Me?”

Do we really trust Him enough to jump when doing so appears to be suicide? Do we possess the kind of reckless faith necessary to let Him guide us to the answers that we can’t see?

Let’s borrow from another classic. One of my favorite metaphors for this sort of faith comes from Indiana Jones. On “The Last Crusade” after Indie has passed two of the deadly tests and approaches the final one before reaching the Holy Grail. It looks to be the most challenging test of all – an impassable chasm gapes between him and the lair of the Grail. The edges of the cliff where he stands are deathly smooth and would not permit climbing. He has no rope, no grappling hooks, nothing to help him across.

It seems to be a plummet to certain death. Or … a “leap of faith.”

He has to make a decision. He has to trust his father’s clues. So he grits his teeth, closes his eyes, steps out … and finds that he’s still standing. How is it possible? Standing on air? No. For something he did not see is supporting him. A nearly invisible bridge of smooth, flat rock stretches before him to his destination. It is perfectly camouflaged to create the illusion that it does not exist.

Did Indiana’s “leap of faith” create the bridge? No, it was always there. All he had to do was trust in what he could not see, and what appeared to be the most difficult test turned out to be the easiest and simplest of all.

There’s something utterly invigorating about walking in faith down a road you can’t see. It’s like free-falling from an airplane, knowing that your parachute will be there to carry you harmlessly to the ground. It’s like bungee jumping off a cliff, trusting that the cord that supports you will not break.

It’s knowing that God can always see the path ahead, even when it appears invisible to you.

Many of you probably know Proverbs 3:5-6, one of the best “trust Me” passages in Scripture, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

Many times in your walk with God it may seem like He’s asking you to step off a cliff, to leap from the “safety” of your limited understanding into the unknown, to do something that seems crazy and impossible. But if you’ll relinquish your fears and just place your faith in the trustworthiness of His character, you’ll find yourself standing on a path that you couldn’t see. Crooked paths will become straight. Bridges will appear in thin air.

All you have to do is close your eyes, grit your teeth, and hold His hand.

“With perfect peace You will protect those whose minds cannot be changed, because they trust You. Trust the LORD always, because the LORD, the LORD alone, is an everlasting rock.” ~ Isaiah 26:3-4 (God’s Word)

It's Who He Is

Sometimes God just blows your mind. That’s one of my favorite things about Him. So many events have transpired in my life recently that were clearly the workings of His hand … it’s made my head spin just trying to wrap my tiny brain around it all.

 But one primary thought – a simple phrase – seems to encompass all of my musings as of late. It’s a glorious phrase as old and true as sunsets are beautiful.

“God is faithful.”

What does it mean for God to be faithful? Definition: “worthy of trust; keeping one’s promise; loyal.” These are a few definitions of the word “faithful.” Our God fulfills all of these and so much more.

He is worthy of our trust; He keeps His promises.

Last year I learned a great deal about trusting my Master. He taught me the sweetness of letting go, of refusing to rely on my own plans and choosing instead to lean on Him. He has stayed by my side even when I questioned deep down what He was up to. He has removed roadblocks and cleared the brush from my path, revealing the sunlight ahead.

He has answered prayers.

Yes, He is faithful. Even when our faith wanes, He remains faithful.

Does He have any reason to be faithful to me? Is He under any oath to bless me or binding contract that demands He must be ever loyal in the relationship I have with Him?

I have done nothing deserving of His faithfulness. Just like His eternal, sacrificing love, His faithfulness is unconditional.

It breaks my heart to think that so many people treat such a loyal, loving God as if He’s cheated them. They get upset with Him. They blame Him for the hardships in their lives. They tell themselves, “God’s never done anything for me.”

Oh really? More likely they have never done anything for Him.

What makes them so deserving of the blessings they claim God is not giving them? What have they done to earn the life of pain-free happiness that they expect Him to dish out? Being the antithesis of loyal and true to Him, how can they demand that He dissolve all their problems and smooth every rocky mess that they’ve created?

And yet He does not give up on them. Though they have spit in His face, He refuses to abandon them. Though they have slandered Him by claiming that He is harsh and unfair, He has remained more faithful than they could ever imagine. He wants to be their Lord, their Guide. Their Master. He wants to light their way onto the path that He has chosen for them. A path that leads away from the death-road they chose for themselves and into unending life through Him. If only they will swallow their pride and realize that He doesn’t owe them anything.

He doesn’t owe us anything … but He offers us everything if we will simply trust Him.

That is ultimate faithfulness.

I think I’ve realized that although God doesn’t owe me anything – He doesn’t have to answer my prayers or speak to my heart or light my path – He does these things anyway because … well why does He do it?

I guess I’ll never know the answer other than that it’s part of His unconditional love and faithfulness. Just one of the defining aspects which makes Him the unbelievably amazing God that He is.

“If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.” ~ II Timothy 2:13

"Know therefore that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments.” ~ Deuteronomy 7:9