God's Refining Fire

Malachi 3:3a - He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver

As I was working on Cassidy's scrapbook yesterday afternoon, I was watching a DVD of a service from my cousin's church in Austin, TX. On this particular week, he had invited a friend of his, Hazel Morris, to come and sing and share a story about what she had experienced only a few weeks prior.

At first, I thought of how she had such a beautiful voice and style. After she sang a couple of songs, she shared her story. I didn't know that what I was about to hear would pierce my heart. I don't think that I will ever forget her.

A few weeks earlier, she had gotten up to watch her two grand babies, like she did most days. That particular day, her two year old granddaughter was more joyful than normal. She explained how they would spend time singing and praising Jesus, but on that day her littlest granddaughter was particularly full of praise.
In the night, that two year old screamed out, waking up her mother and grandmother. By the time her mother got to her she was alive, but stiff. The EMS came and took her to the hospital to attend to her. After their efforts, she passed away.
The doctor's told the family that two miraculous things had happened that night. Because the baby had an aneurysm the size of a walnut, she should have never been able to cry out and she should have never lived long enough to get to the hospital. Hazel, the grandmother, firmly believes that God planned for her to make it to the hospital so that their family could be a testimony to the doctors and nurses that night.
Even though they lost that little girl, they believe that God's plan is perfect. In the waiting room, they sang "Our God is an Awesome God". What a testimony, to walk through the refining fire of God and come out of it reflecting His image.
I've come a long way, but I have so far to go. Trials in our lives are promised by God. I can only hope and pray that some day, when a fiery trials comes my way, that I will come through it with that kind of faith.
I found this story that tells about how silver is refined. Take a minute to read it.