Endurance for the Journey, Featured

“But Sir,” Gideon replied,
“if the Lord is with us,
why has all this happened to us?
Where are all his wonders that our fathers
told us about when they said,
‘did not the Lord bring us out of Egypt?’
But now the Lord has abandoned us
and put us in the hand of Midian.”
JUDGES 6:13 (NIV)



Gideon was asking why. So did I. When Dave had cancer, he accepted what was happening – at least for the most part – and had very little need to ask why.


I, on the other hand, was troubled because I didn’t understand why things were the way they were. I didn’t know why we were suffering – especially when people told us that because we were Christians, we shouldn’t be suffering.


My suffering led me on a path of discovery that forever changed my life and deepened my faith. Like a tree in drought, I was forced to sink my roots down deep to find water. And I found it in the Scripture. The truths and promises in the pages of the Bible set me free!


Be confident of this: You are on the right path when you put your trust in God and His Word!



“But blessed are those who trust in the Lord
and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.
They are like trees planted along a riverbank,
with roots that reach deep into the water.
Such trees are not bothered by the heat
or worried by long months of drought.
Their leaves stay green,
and they never stop producing fruit.
JEREMIAH 17:7-8 (NLT)



On the journey with you,
Jan Dravecky

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Endurance for the Journey, Featured

The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord;
they forgot the Lord their God
and served the Baals and the Asherahs.
JUDGES 3:7 (NLT)



I used to think idols were only those wood and stone images people in heathen countries worshiped. Then I started doing a little investigating. Ouch! D.L. Moody wrote, “Whatever you love more than God is your idol.”


Dave and I discovered through our suffering that we had several idols in our lives that frequently challenged God for supremacy. Dave wrestled with physical strength and athletic talent. I did battle with the idols of intellectual prowess and a “superwoman” mentality.


When the bottom fell out and suffering exposed the true condition of our hearts, we quickly discovered both the presence and limitations of our idols.They didn’t rescue us, provide comfort for us or love us unconditionally. In fact, they caused us more pain because they replaced the only One who can rescue, comfort and love us. I’ve often wondered if and when our idols would have been exposed … were it not for that season of trials and testing.



Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges
come at you from all sides.
You know that under pressure,
your faith-life is forced into the open
and shows its true colors.
So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely.
Let it do its work
so you become mature and well-developed,
not deficient in any way.
JAMES 1:2-4 (THE MESSAGE)



On the journey with you,
Jan Dravecky

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