{desiring} redemption

To remain completely real with you, I want to share what my greatest learning has been of late.  

Redemption.  

I am learning more and more that our humanity teaches us that we deserve redemption.  That we are guaranteed that all things that hurt or cause pain will one day be made "right."

In scripture in the book of Joel, one of my very favorite passages tells us that God will restore the years that the locusts have eaten away.  I have CLUNG to this knowledge for many, many years.  It brings such hope.

When we finally decided to post publicly about the pregnancy with Levi, I said the following:

God promises us that He will restore the years that have been taken away :: as you grieved with us last year through the loss of Owen, we would love for you to now celebrate with us the hope of redeemed pain :: due 7.21.13 with a BOY (one year to the day of Owen's due date!) :: humbled, grateful, hopeful.

We firmly believed that Levi was God's redemption for the pain of losing Owen.  We believed that he was a blessing back from the Lord for what was lost.

What I am learning through the tears is this - God will ALWAYS redeem and restore.  He has promised us that.  However, we may not be privy to the evidence.  It is our own selfishness that believes that we must see the good from the bad or the beauty from the ashes.

I must trust that God will restore...even if I am not in the front row.  I desire redemption.  There WILL be redemption.  But, this is about making His name great...this is not about me, or my comfort or need to know.  

We remain humbled, grateful, and hopeful.