Flowers Out of Sorrow

There is sorrow in our church family. A sister in Christ, who has suffered much, lingers near death's door.

Much of the most beautiful life in this world comes out of sorrow. As "fair flowers bloom upon rough stalks," so many of the fairest flowers of human life grow upon the rough stalks of suffering. We see that those who in heaven wear the whitest robes, and sing the loudest songs of victory, are they who have come out of great tribulation. Heaven's highest places are filling, not from earth's homes of glad festivity and tearless joy—but from its chambers of pain; its valleys of struggle where the battle is hard; and its scenes of sorrow, where pale cheeks are wet with tears, and where hearts are broken. The God of the Bible—is the God of the bowed down, whom he lifts up into his strength.

J.R. Miller ~ Grace Gems

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,

and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Psalm 23:6

Image ~  The Rose Garden of Retiro Park in Madreid (Spain)
 by Felipe Gabaldón via Flikr / Wikipedia Commons
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