Count It All Joy

June 2, 2026

While I've been recuperating from surgery, my mind has been percolating on a few things. I believe the Lord has shown me a truth that I'd like to share with you.

In the last two months, my family has been through, and is still going through, several undesirable, bad, heart-wrenching, faith-challenging circumstances or trials. I'm going to keep it simple and go with "bad."

At the same time, there have been several good, wonderful, faith-inspiring, heart-warming blessings. Again, to keep it simple, I'm using "good."

I began to ponder why we consider some circumstances as good and others bad when we are admonished in Romans 8:28:

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

If God is working all things and not some things, then shouldn't all things be considered good? For a Christian, is there really any bad thing? Don't be too quick to answer.

I know we consider many circumstances bad in the sense of how the world and our flesh view them. But are we to be viewing things through worldly/fleshly lenses or with our spiritual lenses?

James tells us in James 1:2-4:

"Consider it pure joy, my beloved, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

We must remember what is of primary importance to our Heavenly Father - the heart, which represents the innermost being, the soul and spirit of a person.

In studying the ministry of Christ on earth, I am more convinced than ever that when the Healer said “your faith has made you whole,” our Lord was speaking of the inward being of the person. Healing of whatever ailed the one coming to the Healer was secondary to the new life that awakened within each one. At that moment, healed or not, each one would have rejoiced and given thanks because the old was dead and the new had burst forth.

In thinking this through, the Lord led me to Daniel 3. You know the story…Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego wouldn’t bow to the idol, Nabu, which King Nebuchadnezzar had made from gold. So they were thrown into a blazing furnace so hot that the heat killed the ones throwing them in. Nebuchadnezzar looks in and sees four men, not three.

Of course, this is a very shortened version of the story. If you are not familiar, you can read the whole of it in Daniel 3. For now, I’d like to dig into a few things so perhaps, together, we can silence the percolating. (Trust me, it will connect with the bad/good circumstance quandary mentioned earlier.)

I’d like to insert here a few verses for us to bookmark.

Job 23:10 “But he knows the way I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.”

Malachi 3:2b-3 “For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them as gold and silver.”

Proverbs 25:4 “Remove the dross from the silver, and out comes the material for the silversmith”

Now back to our three Hebrews ….

We need to go back a little further in the book of Daniel to gain some understanding concerning these three. Babylon had captured Israel because the Israelites had turned away from God. Many were taken captive and led away to be slaves in Babylon. The strongest, brightest, prettiest, etc. were chosen for special duties. Among these were four Hebrew young men: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. The latter three became Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (their Babylonian names)

These young men were stripped, at least outwardly, of everything that made them Hebrews. They were given new names, told what to eat (though this is another story), given Babylonian robes, training and teaching, and now told to bow down to a Babylonian idol.

They tell the King that whether Jehovah saves them or not, they will not bow to another god. They were completely surrendered to YHWH. Babylon had tried to remake these young men. By appearances, it would seem that Babylon had succeeded in changing these men. But Babylon couldn’t change their hearts.

When they are thrown into the furnace, and the King looks in, he sees four men, not three. However, scripture never says that Shadrach, Meshach, or Abednego saw the fourth man. The King has our boys pulled out of the furnace - only three went in, and only three came out.

Scripture says that the ropes that bound them were burned away, but other than that, they didn’t even smell like they had been roasting marshmallows.

Here’s where my mind went and how it all connects.

The fire didn’t burn our three men; it just burned the ties to the world that bound them. They didn’t need to see the fourth man in the fire because they already believed he was with them. Only the lost King needed to see the fourth man.

That fire didn’t consume them; however, it burned the dross or ropes and freed them. The fire enabled our three Hebrews to show the King the one true God, or, as Nebuchadnezzar says, “the one shines as if he is the son of gods.”

Oh, how I pray we see the truth and connection here.

The refiner’s fire only burns away the dross, dearly beloved; it burns off what hinders the lost from seeing “the fourth man.” (Please know what I mean here) It enables Christ to be showcased in and through us.

That’s why there are no “bad” circumstances or trials. That’s why we can count it all joy. That’s why we can give thanks in all things (BTW); this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.

Are you scratching your head asking “why”?

Because, dearly beloved, it’s all good! It starts out good, it is good, and it finishes for good.

Now, our feelings may not be quite on board with it all being good at first. Quite honestly, mine have been on a roller coaster here lately. But that’s okay. We are called to mourn with those who mourn. We can be happy, and we can be sad. Feelings are God-given. They just can’t rule the roost.

Now you know where I’ve been percolating. I’m positive God will continue to act within me according to his good purpose and teach new things as I run my race.

May you be blessed

All to His Glory

Teri Lyn

How Are You Waiting?

April 28, 2026

I’m sitting on my back porch listening to the birds sing their praises. The sun is out and the smell of newness after the rain is wafting through the air.

I’m trying to pray. I say, trying, because my mind is a whirl. Our family is in the throes of a potential medical crisis.

My mind went to my precious Stetson. I believe God showed me or taught me an important lesson this morning. I pray I can put my thoughts into words. Perhaps we all need to hear this word from our loving Heavenly Father.

In the mornings, I enjoy sitting on my back porch, reading God’s Word, drinking my coffee, singing praises to my King. Bilbo always wants to come out with me. Stetson comes with me as well… except in the mornings.

Stetson stays in the bed…waiting. He’s waiting on Tori to bring him breakfast. He waits quietly. Anticipating the good that will surely come.

The Lord asked me, “How are you waiting?”

Oh, how those words struck me. How am I waiting? It will be 7-10 days before we have the results of today’s procedure. All my being wants to know the results yesterday.

Am I waiting in anticipation of the good, or am I anxiously waiting? I desire to pray in the will of God. However, my will and God’s will might be at odds. What I desire as “good” may not be the same “good” God will do.

God wants communion with us. He desires we know him more. He focuses on the heart while we tend to focus on the tangible. His time is not ours. We want immediate while God seeks the everlasting.

Oh Lord, may I wait in anticipation of the good. The everlasting good you desire for me, for all of us. May my desire match yours for me. May I seek to know you more even when it is not my way but yours. May I be able to say, “It is well with my soul simply because my Lord lives.”

Until that time, Lord,

“Make it well with my soul. I need a peace only heaven knows. Jesus, sit and cry with me. Whatever my lot, you are still my God.”(Mercy Me)

All to His Glory

Teri Lyn

A Sovereign or Sufficient Lord?

February 14, 2025

This week has been extremely stressful for me. Not going into too much detail— I was faced with having to do medical testing that might have resulted in my family and I having to make some very complex decisions. Leading up to this week, God really showed me that miracles come in many forms. When we pray for a miracle, what are we truly desiring from God? Do we want him to just answer the prayer in the way we want things done? Or are we willing to submit our desires to him, thus taking on His desires for us? I’ve often said that I would never trade what I’ve learned from my God for immunity from the medical issues I’ve faced in my life. However, leading up to this week, I questioned that. Was my faith not strong enough to believe that God could heal me? By saying that, was I giving God an out in the event He didn’t heal me so that He wouldn’t look bad? (Like God needs me to defend him, right?) In studying the scriptures, I began to realize that God does miracles for different reasons. I realized that God answers our prayers in order to show who He is and His glory, His love for us, and for us to learn more about Him. Sometimes we don’t see a miracle because we’re expecting our prayer to be answered exactly how we want it. God will, and can, do this. He does do this. He meets that need in order to show forth his sovereignty. However, sometimes he wants to show us his sufficiency. When he shows off this sufficiency, it enables us to experience His unconditional love, His goodness, and causes our faith, trust, and knowledge of Him to be strengthened in who He is/ who we are in Him. So while I’m very thankful when he shows forth his sovereignty by giving us a miracle, I’m also so grateful for his sufficiency. This sufficiency is what enables me to walk each day with absolute faith and trust in my Savior. 

All to His Glory

Teri Lyn