Gloria's Birthday and a question

Today is my friend Gloria's birthday. She is the one in the picture from a previous post. Today she turned 29 years old! She has three children, Claudia who is 12, Rocio and Boo-ga. Gloria is a light in the darkness for her family and for everyone in the colonia where we work. Their family has little, but Gloria always seems to have joy regardless of circumstances.

I was hoping to bring her a cake to today so she could celebrate with her family because she is always thinking of others. I didn't have much time, but just felt that I was supposed to bring her a cake even if I couldn't stay and visit for very long because of the way that she has welcomed me here in Fresnillo and makes me feel like family. I didn't have much time. So I went to the store, drove as far as I could on pavement and then began walking super fast on the dirt road, looking really weird, carrying a cake in the middle of the colonia. Let me add that cumulus clouds were filling the sky and I was praying so hard that God would hold off the rain until I arrived at her house and that Gloria would be home. I almost decided not to go, but continued on accepting the possibility of ruining the cake and getting covered in mud.

I made it to Gloria's house just fine, the rain holding off, and she welcomed me with a huge smile. Now, here comes my question.....

What would you do or what would your thoughts and attitude be if your husband had been unable to find a job for two months now and a couple days ago the gas for the stove went out and you had gone back to the days of cooking over a fire and weren't sure what you were going to eat from one day to the next? Would you praise the Lord? Would you believe in a God that loves you?

Continue reading after you have an answer to that question and put yourself in the family of Gloria with three children.

Gloria started telling me how she this IS her situation Her next words were..."But we have never gone a day without food. We have a roof over our head. I imagine that Christ suffered more than I will in this life. In fact, I believe He did. He died unjustly because of us. My suffering and worrying is nothing compared to Christ." And these words that she spoke to me are the attitude of her heart. She was starting to get frustrated, getting worried about how they were going to eat this week, but she instead she chose to dwell on Christ and in his sacrifice and hope that he gives us. To dwell on the sacrifice of His death that he suffered because of our sin. And if you could only see the house that Gloria lives in...imagine the worst house you have ever seen in the states and then think less of a house than that. Really puts things into perspective.

God used my conversation with Gloria today to speak to my heart. We can claim Matthew 6:25-33 as a promise. God's word is truth and hope for those who believe. I cannot describe in words the way that God works, but I believe in His Sovereignty and that He walks along with us daily, empowering us to walk through whatever storm may come our way.


Matthew 6:25-33
25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life[b]?

28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.