Guest Post from Patiently Enduring - Seasoned With Salt

I would like to introduce a wonderful women full of God's spirit and grace.  Her name is Patiently Enduring and she is my sister.  Below is a post from her new blog Grace to Endure.   She also has a website she maintains called Loved and Forgiven. She would love for you to come and check her out.

Seasoned With Salt -
Life throws many challenges our way. I was reflecting on my own life earlier today. Compared to many, I have to admit I have had a pretty good life. It has not, however been without its share of challenges. As I have grown more spiritually, I have recognized those challenges as more opportunities to trust the God that I claim to serve. What I mean is this. For some of us we never really know how much we really love the Lord until we go through trials. Something that forces us to fall on our knees, through up our hands to Him surrendering every ounce of our being.
There have been many situations in my adult life that have done just that. Much of the circumstances have been beyond my control, but nevertheless still difficult to endure...without the Lord's help. The past 3 years He has proven to me the same scriptures that I have been reading since I was younger. Reading them through the eyes of a person that is thankful to the Lord for the gift of eternal life He has given me, but what I like to call...Unseasoned. Its one thing to read about the promises of walking with the Lord, but it is something totally different to watch your life as you see those promises coming to pass.

We are told that we are the Salt of the Earth....the way I look at it is that the more experiences you have to trust God, the saltier you will be (I guess that sounds funny) The example I use when I'm talking to someone about the Why question is about the summer I had a Multiple Sclerosis flareup with caused me to suffer complete paralysis from the waist down. My neurologist did not think that I would walk again (Praise the Lord I am walking now...it truly is a miracle!). Think about it for a minute. If I am witnessing to someone that has suffered paralysis, is recovering, etc. Who is better to share with them? Someone who has been shielded from that specific malady, or someone that has walked in the shoes? That experience made me a little saltier and believe it or not, the Lord did allow my path to cross with people who are walking in those shoes. I feel blessed to have been given the gift to share God's love with them...regardless of the challenges I had to face to get there.

When I am feeling overwhelmed with challenges I am facing, I remind myself of this verse. I am being conformed to the image of Christ. Whatever it takes to get me to that point, I know it is for the best.

James 1:2-4

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Colossians 4:6

Let your conversation be full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you know how to answer everyone.