I have been reading the book of Ecclesiastes in my Bible lately. It's interesting I have read the whole Bible but I don't remember much of this book. So it has been like I am reading a new book. I have found many verses that have encouraged me greatly. I want to share with all of you one of these verses and why it encouraged me so. It's found in Ecclesiastes 3:4 and it says:

A time to weep and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn and a time to dance.

Almost two years ago my little brother Luke drowned in our back yard pool. He was dead for thirty minutes, but God brought him back to life. Now because Luke was dead for so long he had a lot of brain damage. He couldn't walk, talk, or do any of the things a normal eighteen month old should be able to do. He stayed in the hospital for five weeks. He's home now and doing well and for more information about little Luke go to howsluke.blogspot.com

Because of this tragedy, our family went through a lot. We all had a lot of pain and sorrow. Over the last two years God has done a lot in my life. He has healed a lot of the hurt and sorrow.

A couple weeks ago I went to a kids camp. At this camp there was a pool just like the one that Luke had drowned in. It was really hard to see this pool especially since I hadn't been near one since the accident. The first day I was okay. But it was the second day when my girls went swimming in it that all of the memories came back. I was struggling. It was hard not to just brake down and weep for the sorrow in my heart. But that morning the Lord had given me a verse it was in Psalms 18 verses 29-30 and it said:

29 For by You I can run against a troop, by my God I can leap over a wall.
30 As for God His way is perfect; The word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to those who trust in Him.

So after my girls had finished swimming I went up to my room and cried, prayed and read this verse again. The Lord is so good. He gave me that verse in the morning because He knew I would need it later that day. On Thrusday I got in that pool and had a blast. God did some major healing in my heart. On the last day of camp I was praying on the floor and was asking to Lord to renew my Joy. I needed a renewed spirit for I was broken and needed God so badly to help me. Well that night the Lord renewed my Joy and a couple of days later He gave me the verse in Ecclesiastes. It was like the Lord was saying to me Amy you were weeping and mourning but now it is your time to laugh and dance.

I would love to know what anyone of you out there in Blogger Land think about the book of Ecclesiastes. Has this book in the Bible impacted your life like it has mine? What are some of your observations? Well comment and let me know.
In Christs Love,
Amy