ACTS 17:25
One thing I don’t think about every day when I wake up is the fact that I am still breathing. To most people, breathing each day is taken for granted. But sometimes I wonder whether I have enough air to live one more second. I have suffered from asthma since I was two years old. It is a problem that has influenced my life repeatedly. Having a cold makes it extremely difficult for me to breathe. It feels as though a giant is standing on my chest and just won’t back off. As I lay in the hospital bed, gasping for my next breath, I realize how important breathing is. I wonder, Why can’t I just breathe like normal people? Why do I have to go through the pain, struggle, and fear I face each time I have an asthma attack? As I hear the buzz of the nebulizer and feel the mask on my face, the pain of trying to breathe finally begins to ease and I realize that God is still in control. It can be hard for me to see how something good can come from my lack of breath. Then I remember all of the times God has given me breath again. He knows the pain I have been through, but he has never left me alone. Having asthma makes me see that there are times when I can’t do anything but use my inhaler—which is when I need to rely on God most. I know He is in complete control and has great plans for my life. He does not waste anything.
Stacey Krieger, 16, Nebraska Christian High School, O’Neill, NE
God, I am so glad You are in control! I am thankful that
nothing that happens is out of Your hands.