What is Surprising Treasures.com?
I will give you hidden treasures,
riches stored in secret places,
so that you may know that I am the LORD,
the God of Israel, who calls you by your name.
Isaiah 45:3
I used to wonder if God was watching me muck through life. I used to wonder if He was so powerful- why didn’t He help me more. I used to wonder, if I was His child- why didn’t He protect me and exempt me from some suffering.
[Tweet “Then I discovered in the dark, depressing places of life- God’s hidden riches. “]
I found God’s glory permeates every challenge and adventure of life. I discovered not one millisecond of our life is beyond His compassion and grace. I experienced that He stands ready to be my Savior and Partner through this journey.
He delights in taking this “life between the trees” and wrapping our life circumstances and experiences in astonishing wealth for our spiritual growth.
Treasure Hunting might sound exciting! The reality is it takes determination, intentionality, and hard work. If gold or diamonds were just laying on the ground for anyone to pick up, what would they be worth? If sunken treasures were one dive away, what would it’s true value be? If pearls washed up on shore in abundance with every tide, what significance would we place on them?
Treasure, by definition, is something precious that is significant and noteworthy. If something is common and usual, if it is obtained easily, we don’t place high value on it. When we are convinced the treasure we are looking for is rare and priceless, we become obsessed with obtaining that treasure! Consider the Gold Rush; people left their jobs and families to travel across the continent, lived in squalid conditions, just to find some gold nuggets with the hopes of becoming rich beyond their wildest dreams. People enslave their fellow man to mine diamonds. Mankind will cheat, lie, and even kill to aquire worldly treasure.
Well- I’m talking about treasure that is so valuable you could put all the gold, pearls, diamonds, jewels, and silver together- and it wouldn’t begin to touch the value and significance of the treasure God has hidden for us. His treasure is eternal. When you discover it, it can never be taken away from you. Once you find even the smallest fraction of His secret riches, you become compelled to become a lifelong treasure hunter.
This site started out to encourage parents/families who had children with disabilities- and while there is a lot of extra links and helpful information about that, I realized I want to do more than that. I want to pass on the treasure I have discovered in my journey.
Loss- Death- Limitations- Disabilities- Special Needs-
these are just a few of the places to start treasure hunting……
These are common-place experiences in this life(- may I remind us- this very temporary life! )
The more I’ve learned to focus on Jesus-
the more I focus on the brevity of our trials compared to the glorious promise of eternity where all will be made right and good-
the more I flourish and live in His peace and joy now.
Jesus is not only my guide and Way, He is my ultimate Treasure.
I have certainly not experienced it “all” but we all are fellow travelers that live in this fallen world until He has redeemed and restored everything and put it back under His dominion. In the meantime, we can travel this life with assurance and hope, that He does not leave us to find our own way. He does not stand back and watch us “muck” our way through trials and circumstances. He is our ever present Help, our Strong Tower to which we can run, our Abba Father that comforts, our Savior that leads us out of the Cave of Confusion and through the Black Forest. He has gone before us to show us how to joyfully yield to the Falls of Surrender and bravely Dive Deep in the waters below. He is our Shepherd who leads us to Green Pastures, avoid the Quick Sands of Self-Pity, and enjoys the Lakes of Laughter. He is our Guide that takes us through the darkest valleys to the Mountains of Perspective. He is the One who walks with us while we’re living “between the trees.”
Sometimes Miracles Hide!
by Bruce Carrol