Don't Let Clouds Get In Your Way

“Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” - Matthew 5:16


I have a confession – one of my all time favorite movies is “Pollyanna,” starring Hayley Mills. I saw it when I growing up, and it left an indelible impression on my young girl’s heart. Pollyanna’s parents taught her to play “THE GLAD GAME” of life and it looked so simple! Just find the good in every situation and take your focus off the bad. Keep your eye on the light.

Pollyanna’s parents were missionaries who died. Pollyanna had to go live with her Aunt that she never knew, and move to a strange town she’d never been to. Now there’s a possible “bad cloud situation” that would be hard to deal with, but Pollyanna knew what to do, because she knew the “Glad Game,” and how to handle life.

In the movie, Pollyanna arrives in town and changes lives wherever she goes. She lights up the life of everyone in the town, by teaching them “The Glad Game.” Then she falls from a high tree and is never supposed to walk again. She stumbles in her faith. Her light goes out briefly. But the people that she touched with “The Glad Game,” return the favor and relight the candle of her soul.

Folks – it doesn’t get any better than that! How simple can it be? LOOK FOR THE GOOD IN EVERY SITUATION and the good will come back to you. Johnny and I been put to the test with this cancer journey. God says He makes everything work together for good if we love Him. We know it’s all about how you choose your handle for tomorrow. One of my favorite quotes is:

“Every tomorrow has two handles. We can take hold of it with the handle of anxiety or the handle of faith.” - Henry Ward Beecher.

Johnny and I have chosen the handle of faith in this current challenge. It has not been an easy path – it has taken grace and we have prayed for courage. Courage does not mean that you are not afraid. It is being afraid and doing it anyway. When we step out in faith, there is always a risk. We have found it is worth the risk. We believe if we fall that God will catch us.

The rewards we have found from doing this have been indescribable. We have discovered the truth of what Paul reveals to us in the bible, that suffering is a great opportunity to show others the reflection of God’s power inside you. When we do it for His sake, our weakness becomes strength and we always triumph.

By turning to God in our “tribulation” we receive comfort from Him, and in turn, are able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort we have received. We now have a purpose driven life. There is a purpose in our battle.

Writing this blog has become a such a blessing to us in so many ways. It has:

1. Enabled me to reach out and touch the world in doing what I love most – writing.
2. Allowed us to inspire others by sharing our faith through our trials.
3. Connected us with hearts all over the country, who shower us with the light of hope and prayers, and inspire us in return, with their cards and letters and packages and calls and emails and visits.

It has humbled us, when we see how God has touched lives through us, for those who are in need of faith. This is the gladness described by an unknown author when we read:

“You can’t light a candle
to show others the way,
Without feeling the warmth
of that bright little ray.
And you cant give a rose
all fragrant with dew,
Without some of its sweetness
remaining on you.”

Whatever storm you face – try to think “What’s GOOD about this? I invite each of you to play “The Glad Game” in your own life. Look with an expectant heart for the good that is to be found in all things. Think on that which is noble, just, pure, lovely and of any good report. Plug in to the goodness of God.

Do all this and God will be with you, and you will be able to handle life with the right handle – the handle of faith. My wish for you is, that your clouds become “ice cream castles in the sky,” that bring you joy and dreams come true, as the dark clouds disappear.

Beautiful Blessings,

Rene