Not long ago, while worshipping at our church in Sunbury to a song titled, “Jesus, I am yours and you are mine,” I had the following interaction with my Father. I’m reminded that my life is not about happiness, but rather walking with my Father, grateful, meek, yielded… rejoicing…
“I love you, my son…”
“Father, I am yours and you are mine.”
“Your journey will be difficult and confusing.”
“I am yours and you are mine.”
“I will strip away from your life that which you depend on and serve that isn’t me, and it will hurt.”
“Jesus, I am yours and you are mine.”
“You won’t have a place to live or security for your future.”
“I am yours and you are mine.”
“You will live outside of comfort and the familiar.
“Jesus, I am yours and you are mine.”
“I am looking for someone to go to the darkness.
“I am yours and you are mine.”
“You will be misunderstood.”
“Jesus, I am yours and you are mine.”
“You will not feel respected or loved.”
“I am yours and you are mine.”
“You will not understand my ways”.
“Jesus, I am yours and you are mine.”
“You will be rejected and ridiculed.”
“I am yours and you are mine.”
“I will ask for all of you.”
“Jesus, I am yours and you are mine.”
“Your life will not turn out as you expect”
“I am yours and you are mine.”
“You will experience great sadness.”
“Jesus, I am yours and you are mine.”
“You will be lonely, unrecognized.”
“I am yours and you are mine.”
“You will be wounded and scarred.”
“Jesus, I am yours and you are mine.”
“I will ask you to love those ungrateful, who won’t love you in return.”
“I am yours and you are mine.”
“I so dearly love you, my son.”
“Father, I am yours and you are mine.”
This can my attitude one moment and the next it’s all about me and the next…. It’s amazing how many various motives, fears, dreams, intentions, beauty and ugliness are all in there… and yet still so dearly loved and cherished. The Good News that we receive and take to all…
The Kubackis in Angola 
Well I really admire your response as well as that of your family. The way you are stepping out is not easy.
I also wanted to thank you for this quote it really encouraged me.
“In relationship, more conversation is better. And more conversation typically means closer relationship.” My husband is not a big talker but when I engage him in conversation he opens right up. I always felt that maybe I just talked too much even though he tells me I do not and that he feels loved when I converse with him.
I was wondering you remembered the one you wrote about teenagers and what leads them to think they know everything? It was something like it was because they had not made lots of adult decisions therefore had not experienced the consequences. Well it was something like that and I would love to see it again.
Thanks, Beth. I appreciate your thoughts. Perhaps it was, “Why do teens think that they have all the answers and that their parents “don’t understand”? Because they have been sheltered from, and do not yet appreciate, the forces that they will soon confront.”