Sweet Things by Gretchen Miller
It’s your story, Father, so help me tell it well…
Hello blog world. I hope you all are doing well. I am
writing to you from Bloomington, Minnesota—the place I have called home now for
11 years. Abigail approached me about 3 months ago to write a post, and I have
had several ideas swirling around in my head, but nothing was making its way in coherent form on paper. This weekend, God solidified in me what I hope will be
an encouragement to you.
Normandale Community College, and this weekend was the winter retreat. In the
first session together my friend Ben shared his testimony. Ben came to
follow Jesus as a teenager, and at least from my perspective, he was given a
very special gift. Ben shared with us that while he didn’t have full
understanding of who or what he was deciding to follow, he did feel a deep
conviction that God was good, God was real, and God loved him. These
convictions have stayed with him as he has followed Jesus, and they have been
the guide as he wrestles and works through all the ramifications of his
salvation, and what that means for life on planet earth. Wow! What a gift!
I hope you share in Ben’s experience. I hope when you are
confronted with struggles and questions in this life the truth of God’s
existence, His goodness, and His love for you have always been resolved. This
conviction would eliminate any contrary thinking, and allow you to work on
top of that foundation. That is amazing. If by chance, and I feel like there
are a lot of us, you are anything like me these truths have not always been so
easily resolved.
real. Growing up in the faith, it is all I have ever known, so that one has not
been as difficult. But I have most assuredly doubted God’s goodness, and I have
definitely questioned His love for me over the years. Praise be to the Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit- the most patient of teachers, who’s full of grace and
truth! He has walked, and taught, and encouraged, and displayed, and walked,
and re-taught, and encouraged, and displayed, and walked, and re-taught, and
encouraged, and displayed until these truths have been resolved deep down in my
bones: God is real, God is good, and God sure does love me a lot.
If you lived close, I would take the time to share how God
has done this over the years. It would take many, many chats in front of the
fireplace of my home, or sitting on my favorite red Adirondack chairs out
front, or sharing a sweet cinnamon roll treat at my favorite place in
Minneapolis (seriously, so delicious). And the truth is, even then, I probably
couldn’t scratch the surface with how faithful God has been to teach me in my
journey. So today I choose to share one thing He gave me about 10 years ago. It still serves as my reminder how God is so very, very good
and He loves me so very, very much. I like to call them “Sweet Things”.
to me in a season of great doubt in my life. Jamie and I had just moved from
Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania, to Minnesota, believing God had called us to a new
ministry here. The time leading up to the move was difficult, but exhilarating! We were taking a big leap of faith and that was HUGE for me. I did not take risks.
I liked to have control, but in this season, God’s hand was clear, so we stepped out. I remember getting a letter from my sister-in-law recounting to
me the story of the Israelites crossing the Jordan River. She encouraged me by
pointing out God was faithful to his people in parting the waters AFTER the
priests had led the people with that all-important, sometimes-terrifying first
step into the rushing water. I left Pennsylvania ready to see God part the
waters and lead us to our promised land. Something probably
happened in the heavenly realms, but it felt more like the waters picked up momentum, and I was drowning. Great.
Shortly after we moved, I joined a women’s Bible study. I
was one of the younger ladies in the group and we were going to work through
the study Jesus the One and Only by
Beth Moore. Not too far into the study, we were asked to think about how God’s
sovereignty and his sweetness worked together. I had to pause before I answered
that question. I had heard a lot about God being sovereign. God has ultimate
control of all that is, He is supreme. But I had never considered, or even
contemplated him, as sweet. If you think about it, sovereignty without
sweetness (or goodness) is kind of scary. I lived in that place for a long time
with God. He was sovereign, and I was scared. But seeing his sovereignty WITH
goodness is tender, is perfect, is trustworthy…is a perfect Heavenly Father.
blessings God gives to us that speak right to our unique hearts. They undeniably make Him known in ways that are so personal, so intimate, and so
tender to us that only the one “who formed us in our mother’s womb” could know.
They remind me He is present. He is near. I am heard. I am seen. He
is good, and I am loved. Sweet Things are perfectly timed phone calls, text
messages, letters, or cards. Sweet Things show up in a sunrise or a song on the
radio. Sweet Things are gifts at just the moment you need them. Maybe
just as you were beginning to doubt. They all scream God is real, God is
good, God is love.
During that time just after we moved, God did so many Sweet
Things, and He often used so many sweet people to do it. Each time He would
show up in that way the truth became more and more resolved in me. Each time I
faced a season of doubt it seemed to grow shorter, as I had begun to
accumulate a long record of God’s faithfulness through Sweet Things.
sister-in-law’s battle with cancer, and her eventual passing. Certain lies that
had not surfaced in a while came zooming back to the forefront, but again, God
appeared in Sweet Things. And again, He reminded me He is good and He loves me.
The night I had to say my final earthly goodbye to my sweet sister-in-law was easily the most difficult thing I have EVER done in my entire life. He
brought one of my very dear friends to the hospital to stand beside me
(distract me). The beautiful thing was, there was a lot of family around so I wasn’t thinking about needing anyone else, but God knew more than I did. I needed a good friend. She gave me strength just by her sheer presence. Sweet Thing! I
can’t tell you how sweet it was to have her there. God knew I needed her. He is
sovereign and sweet.
As with any of God’s gifts to us, they are never meant for
us to hoard or keep to ourselves. We are to hold onto them with open hands,
willing to share them with others who may need them. I feel that way about
Sweet Things. Sharing Sweet Things with people, and them sharing theirs with
me only adds to my conviction. God is real, and good, and loves- not just me,
but you. He hears you and He sees you. If you are willing, He will show you His
sovereignty and His sweetness, and He will teach you that He is real, and He is
so good, and He loves you so much.
not my story, it is God’s, and I so want to tell it well. I stand today on
promises and truth I never, ever, ever could have or would have resolved
in my life without His patient love to teach me. Do not lose hope in your
doubt, take it to Jesus. He is the “author and perfector of our faith”, and He will complete what He has
started in you. And that is the sweetest of things.
Much love,
Gretchen
***Gretchen is also the author of “Wide Eyed: A Journal and Guide”. You can order your own copy here. Or enter for a chance to win a FREE copy!
To WIN the book, please share this post on your preferred social media outlet, and comment below:
What is one Sweet Thing Jesus has done for you recently? (Or even a really special Sweet Thing He has done for you in the past!)
The winner will be announced next Monday, February 1. So excited to hear about your amazing Sweet Things!
6 thoughts on “Sweet Things by Gretchen Miller”
Beautiful, Gretchen. So true and well said. 💓
Perfect thing to write about – beautifully said! Praise Him from whom all blessings flow!
One super sweet thing Jesus has done for me recently is through a woman at our church. We are without a washing machine and dryer. I've been going to the laundromat and it can get a bit expensive.
I asked one day if I could come to her house to do laundry. But instead she offered for us to bring our laundry to church and she'd take it home and do it and then bring it to me at my new house. Not only did she do it for us but she folded it as well! It was such a sweet thing that truly made me feel loved and feel the presence of God in this strange season of our life. Moving to a brand new place was hard but we know God has big plans.
Thanks for sharing this! After a week of three kids, 3 and under, with fevers 102-104 degrees my heart felt discouraged and defeated tonight. My youngest lay limp on my chest burning with fever most of the day. But then. I went to open a piece of mail and struggled to rip it with my first attempt. And her tired, sweaty head lifted from my chest and she belly laughed. My sweet, sick 10 month old laughed at my failed attempt to open the mail. And that laugh danced in my ears and made its way to my heart. Such a Sweet Thing, from my little sweet thing. A reminder of love in the midst of pain. A simple squeeze. A true "God hug."
Thanks, ladies, for sharing. I love the simplistic, yet profound way that God has shown himself sweet to you. I am a mom of a 14, 13, and 9 year old now, but as a young mother, I remember so many sweet things in the grocery store, at the laundromat, a kind person in an airport, and the list goes on and on. I feel that is one of the most "Unseen" seasons of life, so I love that you have found God to be present in that place.
This was so good for my heart to read! I'm feeling a bit alone and unnoticed lately but as soon as I read this I was reminded of Gods goodness and love through 'sweet things'. How there are little things in my everyday life that tell me that I'm not alone or forgotten but greatly loved by my Lord.