Three Things I Know

The other day at church Lloyd, my pastor, asked us to make a list of the things we know “for sure.” Enlightened, I recalled our return from Honduras when I had understood that I knew so little for sure. In those early weeks we were grieving the loss of our home, our identity, our sons, our livelihood. I sometimes repeated this refrain in the recesses of my heart: I know so little for sure, like 3 things. 

1. Jesus is the Son of God.
2. He died on a cross for my sins and arose from the grave.
3. He’s coming back one day for me, His bride.

I looked at this as the glass half empty. I only know three things for sure. 

As Lloyd preached, the fruit of the last four years caught my eye. Knowing three things for sure is more like a glass half full. I KNOW THESE THREE FOR SURE. As we traversed the next few years of grief, these three things lay on the ground before me like living stone steps. Put your foot here. Avoid that mud. Walk in this place. Balance. Yes. Forward. Now, the other foot. OK. You can take another step.

The truth on the ground before me, solid and unmoving, outlined a path forward out of the ruins. 

Gratitude wells up in my soul. Lord, Thank you for giving me 3 things to wrap my decimated life around. I look back on that time now with hope and trust. At the time, though, I had very little hope and I had almost no trust. I had ONLY the three stones beckoning me forward. 

Whenever I have this word - ONLY - in combination with Jesus, I have an abundance.