Life in the City of Depression....

Last night on our local news we learned that we are currently living in the 5th most depressing city in America! I can only laugh, because that just does not surprise me in the least bit. Ever since we have moved here, the sadness of this place has struck a chord in me. I am not saying I am depressed, but saying that I have never lived somewhere where there are so many people who are. The people we have come across here have by far the saddest, hardest lives I have ever known.
I often feel out of place to have been raised in a Christian home. At times I have felt bad because my life is too "perfect" and I feel like the people I am trying to counsel feel like I have no idea where they are coming from because of that. Sometimes I find it hard to relate to a people with such deep emotional, physical, and mental hurt. Many times I feel inadequate in my roll as "the Pastor's wife" because of my lack of experience in these hard areas of life. I have never been molested, raped, or beaten by a father, grandfather, brother or husband. I have never suffered with any kind of serious mental or physical illness and neither have my children. There are so many awful things that I have not had to experience because of the presence of the Lord in my life and in the life of my parents and family. I have a husband who loves me and our children and would do anything for us. I have an amazing family on all sides that loves and serves the Lord.
 I am sure that Binghamton is better off than many, many cities, but just hearing that statistic I felt humbled and honored that God would call us, just plain ol' Matt and Barbie, to serve here in this place. Out of all of the cities in the world He hand picked us for Binghamton.. It is today that I am reminded once again at a verse that I would read many times when I first entered the ministry.
"Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;" II Corinthians 3:5...
I am not adequate or able to do anything, but through Christ I am. He will make me sufficient for this ministry and for the people He has called us to serve.
This is such a sad place with such sad people and I am excited to see what all the Lord will use us to do for Him in the future. I thank the Lord for the joy He continues to give our family as we serve Him here. I do get down every once in a while just like the rest of the world, but my joy remains full. The Lord knows exactly where we are and has equipped us with all that we need to serve Him here in Binghamton.