If someone were to ask me that question today, I would probably say "Good, how are you?" The pat response that I hate and yet take part in almost everyday.

Because, what I'd really want to say is that I'm tired. I'm frustrated and disappointed in myself. I'm emotional. I'm tired of having to make decisions that I don't want to make. I'm tired of life not making sense. And I want God to reveal his plan to me. Now. Why can't everything just be easy?

But, what I'd also like to say is that I'm thankful for friends that keep me grounded when I have minor meltdowns. I'm glad that when I am going through times of beating myself up and feeling rather crappy about life, I have friends who aren't in that place. Because, let's be honest, if we all felt like crap at the same time, we would never have anyone to lift us up and encourage us in a way to break free from the depression that can try to set in.

And so, how am I doing? I'm OK. I'm learning to trust God and I'm trying really hard to allow the Holy Spirit to invade every part of my life - even those parts that I've been trying to handle on my own and have subsequently become frustrated and felt lost. I'm learning to live with a "victorious limp" (to quote Brennan Manning in the Ragamuffin Gospel).

I love it when I see a prayers answered. Prayers you (and others) have been really devoting yourselves to for an extended amount of time and then God answers and it is so clear that he has been working all along. You definitely go through the emotions of getting frustrated along the way, wondering about the Lord's timing when he doesn't necessarily answer when you want, but the end result is extended patience and a deeper faith in the Lord and trust in his plan. If only we had that perspective all the time - even while living through the seeming "unanswered" prayers.