Nurtured Faithfulness

"Her trust in God was real and warm and alive, because it had been nurtured through those early years of hardship."

     This quote from Catherine Marshal's book, A Man Called Peter, is one of my favorites. Do you know the moments in which you are so desiring any assurance of the Creators faithfulness? goodness? I've often wondered about how God's hand works in this world, when He is all around us, within us, and up in Heaven, wherever that may be. This book has stilled my heart many times; just reading its pages about this one man whom God "tapped on his shoulder", as he liked to put it, and his wife.
     This quote in particular is about a character who is only mentioned in the beginning chapters of the book, Peter's mother. Peter had the greatest affections for her. She wore a rested heart, and comforted Peter gracefully as they faced hardship together. As a young girl she experienced "dire economic necessity"in which she had developed a strong, willing, and "handspun" faith. She wove fabric, and mended things beautifully and skillfully with her hands that Peter so admired. Some of her fingertips were worn with age and household work, but most of all, because of her love and servanthood.
     I am so impressed with this woman who is hardly mentioned at all in this book, as I am often drawn to the characters whom I know so little of. In the Bible I am drawn to Ruth, the story of her redemption is laid out bare but what of her heart? What of her trials? Her sins? What of her joys? I can imagine that Ruth and Peters Mother were quite similar for they both survived the death of their husbands, were poor, and yet gave everything they had to serving whom they loved. Faithfully feeding, cleaning, nurturing those in the household regardless of their own preferences.
     These women have carried their cross, cast their own lives into the fire for the joy and comfort of another. As a comparing woman myself, how I desire, oh how I desire, am jealous for a faithfulness such as theirs. A faithfulness to my God, my husband, my call of duty... however that continues to unfold. I want to bring a vibrancy of life to my family and friends, those I meet at the grocery and in my classes.
     If you have ever experienced such a person that you feel drawn to be in their presence, not that you have known them for any amount of time, but just their joy, their life is so captivating to you; their beauty wells up and is so much more than beauty, it is a feeling that I imagine being with Christ would thousand fold.
     I guess what I really want to get out to yall is that hardship is key to faithfulness. I've never been inspired or encouraged by a story which had the pleasure of forgoing trials and pain. Though in my own life I try so hard to stay above the waters. It will take more than wonderful lazy afternoons, such as the one I am having this moment, to bring about the faithfulness that I hope to bestow and bring to others. If you have read this, be quick to pray for steadfastness for yourself and for me. (Be on the lookout for an upcoming post on the power of prayer.) I love and accept any offer of focused prayer for myself because countless times I have seen it work, and I so love to see fruit in my own life. As my readers, know I will also pray for you. If you have any comments/questions please share with me!

learning to be warm and alive and real,
Casey