Black Diamonds

Last week, in prayer I saw an image of a black diamond. I didn't realize diamonds came in the color black but as I did some research, I discovered that indeed they do come in black! I also discovered that black diamonds are 1. more tough, and able to withstand more pressure than regular diamonds 2. absorb light instead of just reflect light and 3. are even more valuable than regular diamonds.

In case you are not familiar with the diamond making process, once the diamond is discovered, it is put under intense pressure. To be exact, 725,000 lbs per square inch. Next, the diamond is put through extreme heat 2,200 degrees Fahrenheit. Then the diamond is cut. Real diamonds are also unbreakable. In fact, the Greek meaning of the word diamond is unbreakable.

Black diamonds are made the same way as regular white diamonds but they are even tougher and they absorb light instead of reflecting light. The light doesn't just bounce off of them, the light possesses and takes over them. We are called to become like black diamonds!

Ultimately, as lovers of Jesus, that is what we should want from our life, to be completely taken over and possessed by Jesus! What a privilege to be able to surrender our lives and take up His! How awesome that we can become like Him from the inside out and he exchanges our His life for our crappy life!

On a personal note, the Lord has once again provided Tom and I the opportunity to trust in Him and become more like Him, the most precious of diamonds as we once again lay our life down and take up His!

Tom has had a mass on his tricep for the last year. It has been growing and is now the size of a grapefruit. He kept going to his doctor but his doctor kept reassuring him that is was just a fatty benign tumor. Tom went back yet again and finally got a referral to a surgeon. After tests, it was determined that it is a very rare and aggressive form of a malignant sarcoma.

Now our God is a good and loving Father and he in no way caused this to happen but he did allow it. Tom and I did not see it coming but it is no surprise to our loving Father! Our lives are just as much in his hands now as they were before the diagnosis.

Now, to be honest, we are not thrilled about having to walk through this, just like Jesus was not looking forward to his cross. However, we do not feel shaken and we have peace. We've been through too much and have overcome too much to let this shake us! The Lord has always been faithful to us! His love is steadfast!

I'm reminded of a word the Lord gave me years ago. He showed me a window taped up in a hurricane. This doesn't prevent the window from breaking but it does help it not to shatter. I felt like the Lord said to me that he doesn't promise that when we follow him, our lives won't be broken but if we put our trust in him, our lives won't shatter and fall apart when trials come.

Here is what we are believing for and what you can agree with us in prayer for:

1. That God be glorified through this!
2. Complete healing for Tom!
3. That we will have an even greater testimony of God's goodness and mercy! (All things work for the good of those who love God. - Romans 8:28)

James 1:2-4 - Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.