Throughout my life I have struggled to see and believe this reality mostly because of my own preconceived and inaccurate views about who God is. I am convinced the truth is that God is present and active in every aspect of my life experience. Most of us struggle, however,with the notion that a loving God would allow anything bad or painful to befall us. Indeed this is a difficult notion which we must wrestle with. On the other hand it is amazing to me that I would have ever questioned the reality of a God endorsed trial or heartache especially in light of how clearly and plainly it is outlined throughout the Old and New Testament. This theme is so central and so massive to the story God is trying to tell in our lives that we tend to miss it for its enormity. It’s like standing 2 inches away from a very large painting and saying, “what is it, I can’t see what it is.” Being on this journey to a foreign land has beckoned me to step back from the painting for a clearer view. As I begin to move back I am shaken at my core by what I see.