It is Well

Last night as we were getting ready to say our bedtimes prayers, I suggested we pray for a miracle: that Carson's passport be printed this week.  From everything I've read, it usually takes 2-3 weeks to get a passport printed, so getting it done this week would be truly a miracle.  They agreed!  Now, if this does not happen, we will still praise our Father who is in control of each of these steps and I keep reminding myself, God is good and God is in control.  Some days are harder than others as you can read in the tone of some of my previous posts :)

Today I was remembering the day my dad died.  We are approaching the 5 year anniversary of his death, early morning March 31st.  The day before, he was brought into the emergency room and we took turns going back to see him.  At one point, I was alone in the ER suite with him and the technician who was doing his heart echo test at the time.  He said to me, "No more trials and tribulations."  He knew his life on earth was coming to an end, though he never did admit to me that he was dying.

I am in awe when I think about how past Christians have survived this earthly life with great faith despite great trials.  One of those was the author of one of my favorite hymns, It is Well with My Soul.  This song was written by a man as he sailed over the area of ocean where his four daughters recently perished in a shipwreck.  Only shortly before that tragedy, he lost his great wealth in the Chicago fire.  Yet, he wrote: it is well with my soul.  This is the first verse and chorus of this hymn:

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
--Horatio Spafford, 1873

Father, please help me to always know that it is well with my soul, despite whatever trials and tribulations may come.

Sincerely,
Elizabeth