“Karen’s Notes!

Insights from a Glory-Bound Lady”

Selected Notes

Volume 9 Number 16 “What a Great Reminder! No Why, But What?”

April 22nd, 2026   Post # 417

As Karen’s illness grew greater, her words became fewer. But her family and I can testify that her trust in the Lord became even stronger and her confidence in God’s sovereignty grew deeper. This week, rather than going to her Bible study journal, I am actually holding her Bible and looking at a text that blessed her heart and life. She wrote only three words in the margin. However! These words bless me and remind me of the importance of having a Biblical perspective. These three words demonstrate the precious and powerful impact that knowing Who God is really results in blessings even in the most difficult of circumstances.

Let me share the text with you. It is from Habakkuk 3:17-18. “Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: (then she underlined the next verse) Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.”

Habakkuk lists the six things in verse 17 that were absolutely essential in the economic life of Israel at the time of his writing. He states with profound faith that even if all these six things failed, he would, by faith, REJOICE IN THE LORD AND JOY IN THE GOD OF HIS SALVATION.

Karen wrote: “Despite all difficulty.”

Just a heartfelt word from Mike: These three simple words were not written by a lady on vacation. They were not written by a lady in whose life everything was going according to her wishes and plans. “Despite all difficulty” was written by a lady who knew that the cancer was spreading, and the chemotherapy was no longer working. Her sickness was so hard on her physically. She knew that she was dying, and yet with great effort she picked up a pen and beside the underlined verse, “Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation” she wrote “Despite all difficulty!”

I saw it lived out in her life. She didn’t enjoy the cancer, but she found great joy in knowing the Lord and trusting Him each day. Every day presented opportunities to intentionally choose to trust, and from that came gentle, sweet joy. It can be true for us as well if we know Christ as our Savior and trust Him even in the hard times.

So many of my friends are going through difficult times right now. I can testify that whatever you are facing, trust the Lord, really trust Him. In the midst of the difficulty, He gives joy and blessing. So the three words for you and me today will be “Despite all difficulty.”