A Tucson Night

I'm sitting outside on my back porch looking up at the sky. The vast deep blue expanse is powdered with thin, wispy clouds and dotted with bright pinpoints of star light. In the distance I can see the lights of the city spread out across the horizon. The city lights glimmer and twinkle at me, set off by the faint outline of the Catalina Mountains rising behind them. It's beautiful out here. The night air is still damp from an earlier rain but it is cool with a slight breeze that feels wonderful. I'm observing this amazing world we live in and I can see again just how incredible God is. As I look at the sky I can imagine just how enormous this universe is and how minutely small I am in comparison, and yet, God sees me, hears me, knows what I'm going through and is a part of my life. Being outside like this is such a nice reminder that no matter how crazy my life gets, no matter how upset I am, no matter how powerless to change or control things I feel I am, God is still God and He is taking care of me. Being out here, especially at night, always makes me feel closer to God. It's easier to think about things clearly and it's seems easier to hear what God is speaking to me. The past few days have been rough for me. Mostly the things that have been bothering me are things outside my control having to do with people I can't control. I haven't lost my joy and I can still say, just like last week, that God is so good and He is doing so much, but it has been hard to keep looking at all the good things when the bad is so very present. I guess these are the times when you really have to just make a choice to not let situations get to you. You have to keep believing what the truth is, what God says and not look at what is going on around you, especially when it is beyond your control. Of course, there is also the side to it that you help create your own messes and I am starting to see the results of several messes I have made over the past few months. However, it is not the end of the world and thankfully God does forgive us when we screw up and He can work in situations to fix things when we have broken them beyond repair. That is a comforting thought. It is also comforting to know that God is taking care of me and He knows how to stand up for me and fight my battles for me. He knows how to protect me, strengthen me to face any situation, and take care of those who seek to do me harm. I can't tell you how nice it is when I'm having such a hard time to look up and remember that Jesus is right there with me and He is helping me. Being out here in the peace and quiet, surrounded by so much beauty is soothing. I can smile, take necessary deep breaths, soak in the beauty around me, be in awe of my Creator and His handiwork, and be inspired to keep on going in life knowing Jesus is with me every step of the way and He keeps me in perfect peace when my mind is stayed on, confidently leaning on and trusting in Him.