I Peter 1:6-7 (NIV) In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

            At some point during my time as a missionary in Mozambique, I began to embrace grief, knowing God was working it together for my good (Rom. 8:20). Perhaps he was working in me a compassion for those who were suffering—not that I always got it right, but God was definitely changing me.

On a good day, I could accept the pain of separation and hardship, cry when I needed to, and then allow the joy God would bring through our trials. The joy was ever present too, all mixed in with the sorrow. I was turned inside out with all my emotions on display for the world to observe.

            Some days God’s presence seemed to permeate everything, and other days it seemed to vanish. As the scripture above says, our faith is “of greater worth than gold,” and trials come to strengthen our faith and to “result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”

            Embracing trials, knowing God is using them for his glory, is not easy. In a way, the embrace is also a release. We accept sorrow and release the results to God. We embrace, and we let go.

The "Grief Is a Wolf" series of pastels will be on display as part of my solo show from March 3 until April 4 at Kore Art Gallery, 942 E. Kentucky St., Louisville, Kentucky 40204. Open Wednesday thru Saturday 11:00 to 6:00, Sunday 12:00 to 4:00. A percentage of sales from the show will go to Kentucky Refugee Ministries.