Last week a young mother from our school passed away from cancer and my heart was broken for her husband and three young children! She was an aquaintance of mine and I knew she had suffered much pain in her cancer journey. Her faith and trust in God was astounding to the very end - an example for us all! My heart was so heavy last Monday full of the "why" question that naturally comes after a death like hers. Graciously God reminded me of Matthew 11:6 "Blessed is the one who is not offended by me" and of the widow whose only son died and how Jesus had compassion on her. The comfort of His Word eased my heart and life rolled on when it seemed wrong to be happy.

Then a couple of days later, sitting on the balconey of my hotel room in the Smokies I read Psalm 65.

"Praise is due to You, O God in Zion, and to you shall vows be performed.
O You who hear prayer, to You shall all flesh come.
When iniquities prevail against me, You atone for our transgressions.
Blessed is the one You choose and bring near, to dwell in Your courts!
We shall be satisfied with the goodness in Your house, the holiness of Your temple!

"By awesome deeds You answer us with righteousness, O God of our salvation,
the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas;
the One who by His strength established the mountains, being girded with might;
who stills the roaring seas, the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples,
so that those who dwell at the ends of the earth are in awe of Your signs.
You make the going out of the morning and the evening to shout for joy.

"You visit the earth and water it, You greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water;
You provide their grain, for so you have prepared it.
You water its furrows abundantly, settling its ridges, softening it with showers,
and blessing its growth.
You crown the year with Your bounty; Your wagon tracks overflow with abundance.
The pastures of the wilderness overflow, the hills gird themselves with joy,
the meadows cloth themselves with flocks, the valleys deack themselves with grain,
they shout and sing together for joy."

I know He hears prayer - He has heard mine and answered! I know He forgives sin - He knows all my sin and has forgiven them! And sitting on that balconey I was aware that I had seen His mountains and His seas and my heart rejoiced in the Lord! Though I cannot always understand, He is I AM!