Author: Kathryn Spurgeon

Christian writer and speaker Memory House Publishing

Why do bad things happen?

by Kathryn Spurgeon, posted in Writing

Why do bad things happen in this world? This question has no easy answer, but I found something that helped me understand a little better. See Romans 9:22-25.

What if God, wanting to show his wrath and make his power known . . . (God is angry at evil and has the power to do something -and he wants to !)

He endures with much long-suffering (He doesn’t get rid of evil and endures it, meaning he is really, really patient with evil and has not stomped it out yet)

The objects of his wrath prepared for destruction (God knows who deserves his anger and  has planned for their eventual destruction)

So that (here’s the reason he puts up with evil)

He might make known the riches of his glory to the objects of his mercy . (Why is God so patient? God has a reason for being patient with evil and it is to show his glory to those who need to see His mercy)

whom he had prepared in advance for glory (He already knows ahead of time those who will believe, and he is patient with evil so that more people may see his glory. God is waiting  so that  others may come to know about Him.)

This is my interpretation of the Romans passage.  God WILL destroy evil – whenever He decides  it is the right time.

 

Nigeria

by Kathryn Spurgeon, posted in My Thoughts

Did you hear the people cry? The women and children screamed when the enemy came to their houses at 3 a.m. with machetes. Did you hear them? Read about the violence and cry. Then pray. People, pray hard for the evil to be pushed back and for the goodness of the Lord to reign.

Lagos, Nigeria (CNN) — More than 100 people were dead after an attack Sunday on a predominantly Christian group in central Nigeria, officials said. March 7, 2010 5:47 p.m. EST

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/africa/03/07/nigeria.violence/index.html?eref=igoogle_cnn

Affection

by Kathryn Spurgeon, posted in My Thoughts

I took off my shoes and stepped into the orphanage. Small little black heads surrounded me and tiny faces looked eagerly toward me. Arms reached out and each child begged to be picked up. The Korean babies home in 1972 held one hundred babies up to the age of five.  At six, the children were shipped off to live where they could attend school.

For several months I slept in a room above the children and spent hours with them. All the babies slept on the floor. Some developed boils on their backs from not being turned over.  Others were touched only when a diaper was changed or bottle put into their mouth. Two of the smallest babies were unusually quiet and no one picked the up because they never screamed for attention.

One day measles came to the babies home. A few days later, I entered the room and the two quiet ones were missing. I asked where they had gone. They had died. I was told that when sickness comes, the ones who  have had the least affection die first. Touching and holding are vital to a baby’s survival.

Touch is important to all of us. Remember to touch someone on the shoulder or give them a hug. Let your children feel the warmth of a touch. Jesus knew it was essential, often he touched someone. It is an important way to show  love.

Your Story

by Kathryn Spurgeon, posted in My Thoughts

My life is like a little story. It’s fun to see what will come next. This quote is from the first page of the book, i am not but i know I AM by Louie Giglio.

“Life is the tale of two stories–one finite and frail, the other eternal and enduring. The tiny one–the story of us–is as brief as the blink of an eye. Yet somehow our infatuation with our own little story–and our determination to make it as big as we possibly can–blinds us to the massive God Story that surrounds us on every side.”

He also wrote, “I . . . urge you to exchange the starring role in your small story for a supporting role in our God’s epic adventure.”