Beauty versus destruction

The lake in northern Minnesota was clear and calm. I stood on the dock watching the sun go down praising God for the beauty around me. It was an act of God that I was at this place, in awe of His creation. I had been swimming earlier enjoying the water with small fish swimming all around me. I had been boating and aahed at the landscapes and homes along the shore. Leaving wasn't even a thought except that I had a real life to get back too.

Two days later I stood on the edge of my friend's backyard that was still filled flood waters. We had many memories of this yard of campfires, picnics, a wedding reception and just plain good times. Now dirty, contaminated water filled the once green grass. This water was not beautiful. The house that once held many friends for games and prayer, laughter and tears had been filled with this ugly water, the basement still is. We gutted it, removing everything. I would not touch this water. I stared at it in disgust wishing it would go away. I wanted to leave.

Beauty versus destruction.

My friends at the lake praise our great and mighty God.
My friends in the flood praise our great and mighty God.

Would you?


Psalm 150:6 Let everything that has breathe praise the Lord.

2 Corinthians 4:7-10
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.  We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;  persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.  We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.

Hope against all odds

Out of a Far Country by Christopher Yuan & Angela Yuan

I talk to so many women who are looking for hope in their marriages and for their wayward children, so I was drawn to Angela Yuan’s story immediately.  She opens the door to her heart and let's us in to see her emptiness, pain, and hopelessness.  

Christopher’s honesty shocks and saddens me and opens my eyes to how so many young people are deceived and looking for happiness in all the wrong places.  He is raw and real as he tells about sex and drugs.   It is shocking just how good destruction can look.

This was not an easy book to read and yet from hopelessness comes hope, from death comes life, from the darkness comes light.  The Yuan’s show that a life turned to God, filled with prayer & patience, will always find Him faithful.  God can and still does the impossible.  An amazing story of one families life restored and revived will give great hope to others.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.