Day 6- Adversity

"If God sends us on stony paths, he provides strong shoes"- Corrie ten Boom

In thinking about today's theme of Adversity and God seeing you through the toughest of times, I immediately thought back a few years to my nephew, Parker.  Parker was born a few weeks earlier than anticipated and due to circumstances beyond our control, never got the opportunity to take his first breath of life.  When Parker came into our lives through his birth, he was already an angel in heaven.  This was the first time our family had ever encountered such a devasting loss.  It's bothered many of us for years.  Some of us got angry with God.  Some of us questioned God's plan.  All of us wish Parker's outcome had been different.  But let me tell you what I've seen come from this tradegy.

At the time when Parker was born, there was a need that needed to be filled by his parents.  A need to draw them closer to each other so that they could learn to lean on each other in their marriage.  A  need to learn how to trust each other.  A need to support each other.  Their marriage needed growth that only God could provide.  I remember the day when they came over to the house to tell me they were expecting.  I remember the excitement in their eyes and you could see, this baby was such a joy to both of them.  But then, if this baby was such a treasure, why would God take him away?  As Hannah Whitall Smith once said, "Often the trials we mourn are really gateways into the good things we long for".  Each of us has mourned the loss of someone we loved.  We have to struggle with this everyday but out of that struggle, God opens opportunities for us to seek him. 

After we lost Parker, I was afraid for both my brother and sister in law.  And even though I was afraid, I was amazed by their strength.  I knew I never could have held my head so high in such a loss.  But instead of them turning on each other, they turned towards each other.  They grew closer in their marriage and I have to say, I think their marriage is so much stronger today than it was just a few short years ago. 

In Romans 5:3-4 is says, We also have joy with our troubles, because we know that these troubles produce patience.  and patience produces character, and character produces hope.  Whenever I read this verse, I think of Chris and Krystal.  They have experienced trouble, but because of those troubles they became patience and through their patience, they were given hope.  Hope in a small little bundle of joy that was born last October.  Through all their pain God met them and walked them through the next door.  For we all know, when God closes one door, he opens another that he wants us to go through. 

Jackson Allen Johnson was born on October 7, 2011.  A healthy and absolutely beautiful gift from God.  Through perseverance and strength, Chris and Krystal were rewarded.  Because they never gave up on each other and instead turned inward towards each other, God gave them the most prescious gift of all.  Jackson will never understand what a gift he is to his parents.  He'll never be able to comprehend the amount of hope he represents but I can tell you this, he will be showered by so much love by his parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.  He is the proof that when you trust, hope, and have patience, God will provide. 

There was a reason God took Parker from us.  We have to be content in knowing that Parker was part of a plan and that God's plans always prevail.  We have to have faith that God knows what he is doing.  It is not our job to question, but rather to trust.  "We all go through pain and sorrow, but the presence of God, like a warm, comforting blanket, can sheild us and protect us, and allow the deep inner joy to surface, even in the most devastating circumstances"- Barbara Johnson. 

Listen to your father, who gave you life,
and do not despise your mother when she is old.
Buy the truth and do not sell it—
wisdom, instruction and insight as well.
The father of a righteous child has great joy;
a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him.
May your father and mother rejoice;
may she who gave you birth be joyful!  Proverbs 23: 22-25

I hope in writing all of this that I have not upset Chris and Krystal but rather given them the opportunity to see my views on what they've experienced.  Through sorrow, they were blessed.  Our God is a faithful God, always...

Heavenly Father, You are our strength and our refuge.  As we journey through this day, may we know that while we may be troubled or forced to face disappointments and losses, let us always turn to You.  Keep us steady, Lord, and renew in us a right spirit.  Please continue to bless Chris and Krystal with their marriage and watch over Jackson as he begins growing in your light.  Protect them with the shadow of your hand, Lord, so that they may continue to walk the path that you have set before them.  In Your Heavenly Name we pray, Amen.

Day 5- Finding Peace

Ok, Ok, so I'm off schedule and behind a few days on my post.  Thanks to one of my most favorite sister in laws, we won't mention any names, Krystal, who informed me that I needed to get caught back up...here I am.  I do apologize for those of you keeping up that I've been slacking but in my defense, I haven't really been slacking.  I've had 2 Bible studies this week AND I've had to prepare and shop for someone's visit...and I soooo can't wait for them to get here next week!

Ok, so for Day 5, I want to blog about finding peace.  As you are all aware, I'm a full time stay at home parent.  When the opportunity first presented itself, I was totally freaked.  All the usual questions ran through my head...Would I get bored?  Would I be useful?  What if I don't do "enough"?  And the biggest concern I had is, can we really afford it?  The fact that I don't bring any finances into our household bothers me.  But when I mention this to Chris, he just looks at me like I have four heads and says, that's MY job.  I support the home outside at work, YOU support the home here so that I can feel confident everything is taken care of.  When we first moved to Fort Wayne, I felt wierd being home.  But, I did enjoy the fact that I could clean, do laundry, run errands, and get a good meal together without having to cram it all in between working and all the other choas.  And even once we moved to Savannah, I've still had trouble with the fact that I am a stay at home parent.  I've always questioned if this is where I'm supposed to be.  Is this what God wants.  It's an inner conflict that I struggle with.  It's amazing though, just when you think you've got it figured out, God does a 180 and shows you why you are where you are and what he expects from you.

Yesterday evening is a perfect example of me finding peace with my position in my household and no longer having to justify why on my resume it states, MOM.  Matthew came home from school and just wasn't himself.  He just seemed down, which if you know Matthew, you know this is NOT normal.  So I tried talking with him and after 20 minutes of sitting in the van in the driveway, he finally began opening up.  He's going through some worries and some stresses and it's all part of life.  But the fact that I get the privelage to pick him up everyday from school, gives me the time to sit and just talk with him.  After our talk, Matthew mentioned that he just felt he needed some extra TLC and he wanted to be closer to God.  Of course I replied, to be closer to God, take time to read His Word and pray.  With prayer, he will grant you peace.  I reminded him that God's shoulders are plenty big enough to carry all those worries and concerns so give them up to Him.

These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace.  In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.  John 16:33

God doesn't plan a perfect path for us.  In order to draw closer to him, we must all go through trials and then trust in His perfect will for us.  Matthew took the time yesterday to sit down and help me do the lessons for both my Bible studies.  I have to say, it was fun reading the verses together and then coming up with our answers.  I'm sure my BSF group will find his chicken scratch writing interesting on my answer sheet.  But God works in amazing ways.  Matthew needed some TLC, some healing time and amazingly enough, the verses we were reading had a lot to do with what he was worried over.  I was stunned at how closely all of it tied together and yet, once again, it was God's handiwork healing Matthew through my work and my words.  Isn't God awesome!  And because of that special time Matthew and I shared, he even helped me fix dinner (but secretly, I love love love when he helps).    "In the center of a hurricane there is absolute quiet and peace.  There is no safer place than in the center of the will of God"- Corrie ten Boom.  That statement sums it up, doesn't it?  Matthew had a day filled with swirling winds, gusts of craziness, torrential downpours and then in the middle of all that choas, he found quiet and peace and was able to be healed by the words of God.

So the next time you feel like you're life is a hurricane and you are spinning and swirling out of control, stop for a moment.  Take a deep breath, regroup, and pray. "Prayers guards hearts and minds and causes God to bring peace out of choas" - Beth Moore.  God will speak to you when you need him if you take the time to let him in and allow yourself to draw nearer to Him.  None of us know what's in store for us but I feel 100% certain that the path I am on today is where God wants me.  I'm a mom.  I'm able to be here for the little and the big stuff.  I'm able to have energy for the most important gift God has given me, Matthew.  Am I a millionaire, far from it if you're speaking of my finances but, I'm blessed in a million ways each and everday all because...I get to be a MOM!

Dear Lord, You are the Giver of all things good.  You give me peace when I draw closer to You.  Help me to trust Your will, to follow Your commands, and to accept Your peace today, and forever. Amen

Day 4- Service

If they serve Him obediently, they will end their days in prosperity and their years in happiness.  Job 36:11

Today's post is a little more difficult.  I want you to stop and think how many times you've done something remarkable and loving for someone else.  Now, still thinking about that time, did you boast and want to be admired for your generocity?  Tough to not be boastful at times, isn't it?  As humans, we want people to know when we've been helpful or generous.  We crave the fanfare and the temptation to build ourselves up to others.  But stop and consider this, did Jesus?  When he died on the cross, did he make a point of building himself up?  Absolutely not!  As servants of the Lord, we are to be humbled here on earth.  Lending a helping hand and sharing kindness anonymously is what God wants.  Resist the temptation to be boastful.  In doing so, you will be gloryifying yourself before God, not your fellow man.

The choice is yours: you can lift yourself up here on earth and be humbled in heaven, or vice versa.  Which will you choose?

Do something for someone else today.  When you head out for lunch, leave a bigger tip than normal, or better yet, surprise the person in line behind you by paying for their order.  Offer to stay longer at work so that the single parent can get home earlier today to be with their child.  Give some encouragement to a family member who may need to feel a little extra love.  You never know, once you start doing these random acts of kindness, it may start to feel so good that the mere thought of being boastful about it won't even enter your mind.  As Barbara Johnson once said, "Doing something positive toward another person is a practical approach to feeling good about yourself".  Take a chance, what have you got to lose?


Dear Lord, in weak moments, I seek to build myself up by placing myself ahead of others.  But according to Your commands, I am to be a humble servant to those who need my encouragement, my help, and my love. Let me be a woman who follows in the footsteps of Your Son Jesus who taught us by example how to serve others humbly, faithfully, and lovingly.  Amen

Day 3- Be Thankful

One of my favorite quotes is by Mother Teresa, "The best way to show my gratitude to God is to accept everything, even my problems, with joy".  If you think about it, it's hard to be thankful when you feel like your life is upside down and not right side up.  Often times amongst the hussle and bussle of the day, we forget to take a look around and simply acknowledge our blessings and give thanks for them.  Even more so, we tend to have our prayers answered and then not thank the Lord above for seeing us through.  God wants us to be appreciative and thankful for his good works.  Without him, we would be lost.  If you had to make a list of all your blessings, and I mean everything whether it was big or small, how long would your list be?  Here, I'll start....

I am blessed and thankful for the following:

1. My Husband.  He is my best friend, my biggest supporter, my comforter, my protector, my everything.  There is nothing more I'd rather be doing then going through life with him.

2.  My Son.  Matthew is a gift from God.  He's truly remarkable.  I am so blessed to be able to have a healthy child who is able to be invovled in school, church, and sports. 

3.  Our moves.  Yes, we've done a lot of moving the last 2 years but in the end, every single one was a blessing.  In moving to Indiana I was able to be closer to my Grandparents and I loved that time I was able to spend with them.  I was able to make new friends and get introduced to BSF.  With our move to Georgia, I've grown and become more independent.  I'm not scared anymore of living away from family.  I've got my big girl panties on and I love the area we are living in.  Savannah has southern hospitality and I love being part of it!

4. My health.  I'm lucky enough to have a clean bill of health.  Other people within my family have not had that privelage but I'm blessed to be healthy, happy, and strong so that I can support those who need it within the family.

5. My Life.  Ok so my life hasn't always been what I thought it would be but honestly, if I changed any one detail, I wouldn't be living the life I am today.  With every trial comes the celebration of overcoming it.  Okay so my first marriage wasn't a success but I did walk away from it WITH a success, Matthew.  Without having gone through that marriage, I never would have had that perfect gift of a blessed son.  And because of that failed marriage, I became stronger and more independent than I was.  I learned to stand up for myself and that is one of the traits my husband loves about me now.  Chris loves that I don't go down without a fight.  Through every speedbump, God has blessed me with another reward.  Isn't it marvelous to see God's  handiwork?

Matthew with new cross necklace on

Now of course, my list could go on and on and on and on and on and on and on but what would your list look like?  What things in your life are you truly thankful for?  Can you stop for a moment today during your busy life to just say Thank You to the Lord above?  Matthew received a very special birthday gift from his grandparents yesterday.  It was a cross necklace with Matthew's favorite Bible verse engraved on it.  This verse is one that Matthew can spit out on a dime.  It's HIS verse.  It's what he lives life by. 

And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.  Colossians 3:17

That one verse sums it up don't you think?  In whatever you do, give thanks.  "God is worthy of our praise and is pleased when we come before Him with thanksgiving", Shirley Dobson.  For everything that God does for us, won't you take a moment to just thank Him for all that you are, all that you have, and all that is yet to come?  So many of us have so much to be thankful for.  And ALL of us are truly, truly blessed.


Heavenly Father, Your gifts are greater than I can imagine.  May I live each day with thanksgiving in my heart and praise on my lips.  Thank You for the many blessings you have bestowed upon my life.  Let my life be a testimony to Your love and grace.  Amen.

Day 2- Love from Above

Have you ever loved something so great that your heart ached when it was gone?  Imagine how great you felt when you were experiencing that love.  Now, think about the love that Christ has for you.  Does it even compare to what you can feel?  No, not by a long shot.  The love we feel doesn't even come close to the love that Christ has for us.  That love stems from his death on the cross.  And just like a Father, Christ loves us unconditionally.  Even with all our faults and our imperfections that love is never ending. 

"The love of Christ is a fierce thing.  It can take the picture you have of yourself and burn it in the fire of his loving eyes, replacing it with a true masterpiece"- Sheila Walsh

What if you could take that immense love that Christ has for you and spread it around?  What if you could walk everyday knowing that you are sharing that same fire and passion that Chris shares for you?  Do you realize that once you accept Jesus Christ as your Savior, you are filled with the light and love of God.  It is our duty, our responsibility, and God's expectation that we share that love with others. 

No one has greater love than this, that someone would lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13

Christ has already made the ultimate sacrifice, his compassion never ends.  Elisabeth Elliot once said, "It is when we come to the Lord in our nothingness, our powerlessness and our helplessness that He then enables us to love in a way which, without Him, would be absolutely impossible".

Yes, there will be times along the journey that you may stop and question if Christ still loves you.  The road will become bumpy, long, and humbling but you will never be alone.  Jesus will never betray you.  As many of you know, in September of 2009, my family's life took a drastic change.  Chris and I ended up walking down the path of unemployment.  We put our house on the market knowing we could not afford the mortgage.  And as Chris' job search continued for months, we began to lose sight of the light at the end of the tunnel.  Yet, through Christ's love for us, we were never alone.  Christ wrapped his arms around as and in our helplessness, carried us through the darkest time in our lives.  Christ never stop loving us even though we were questioning his motives.  He never left us even though we strayed away from him.  Through everything we went through, we were loved, unconditionally by our Heavenly Father.  Who can separate us from the love of Christ?  Can affliction or anquish or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?...No, in all these things we are more than victorious through Him who loved us.  Romans 8:35,37.  Christ saw Chris and I through the anquish to a new path to Indiana.  There is absolutely nothing that can separate you from the love Christ has for you.

Remember this the next time you are questioning Christ's love for you. The next time you feel abandoned by God. The next time you are at a crossroads and the path is dark, scary, and unknown. Remember that Christ is with you. Remember that he loves you unconditionally. Remember that He is the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. (John 10:11). You'll come through whatever trials you are suffering even stronger and filled even more with Christ's love. Chris and I did. Chris and I look back on the past few years and know that the only reason we made it through was because of the love Christ has for us and because of that, we will remain faithful sheep to our shepherd

.

Dear Jesus,
I praise You for Your love, a love that never ends.  I will remember this always and share this love with those around me.  Thank you for loving me unconditionally even though I have fallen short, you have never left me.  I praise You today, tomorrow, and for eternity. Amen

Day 1 of the 100 Day Challenge....

For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God's gift - not from works, so that no one can boast.  Ephesians 2:8-9

Have you heard the great news?  Christ died for you, YOU.  Anything and everything we could possibly fear, worry about, be angry over, absolutely everything has been dealt with at the cross already by Christ's death for YOU.  Do you ever wonder why?  Do you ever feel that you aren't worthy enough?


I have news for you...God knows you are worthy enough for his Grace.  He gives this gift freely.

Romans 3:23 states...For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

Just focus on that scripture for a second.  For ALL have sinned.  ALL fall short of the glory of God.  But God has enough grace and love for each of us to justify our sins by sacrificing his only Son.  How remarkable.  Could you sacrifice your son for eternal life for all?  I couldn't.  I am blessed to have a son who is healthy, happy, smart, and tenderhearted.  If I were asked to sacrifice him, I just couldn't.  He is the love of my life, the sunshine in my day.  To have to live a day without him would be horrific.  But God did that for you and for me.  Regardless of our shortcomings or our imperfections, God still loves us enough to make the ultimate sacrifice.  And because of that sacrifice, we have received an unlimited amount of blessings and gifts.  Accepting Christ into your heart, your home, your daily life is all God asks in return. 

Matthew and I recently had a conversation driving home from Blitz about God never giving up on us.  As Matthew learned, God never Quits on Me so I can never Quit on God.  That's it.  That's all we need to know.  God didn't quit when he planned all along to sacrifice his Son for You.  And God expects us not to quit on him.  And when we don't quit, we are blessed with an abundance. 

"God is the giver, and we are the receivers.  And His richest gifts are bestowed not upon those who do the greatest things, but upon those who accept His abundance and His grace."- Hannah Whitall Smith

When we are at our weakest, God is at his greatest.  But God are the two strongest words in the Bible.  But God can see you through.  But God will give you eternal salvation.  But God offers his unending grace to us through his Son, Jesus Christ.

Dear Lord, You have offered Your grace freely through your Son.  I praise You for that priceless gift.  Let us share that good news with a world that desperately needs His peace, His abundance, His love, and His eternal salvation.  In your name we pray.  Amen

The 100 Day Challenge.....

With every new year comes resolutions we say and are not able to keep.  By March, we are usually already regretting the resolutions we've made.  Well, instead of the normal resolutions of losing weight, being a better mom, being a giving person, cooking healthier meals, I've come up with a  new one.  Let's just say that it was given to me through a pop on the head by the Holy Spirit.

The 100 Day Challenge (and no, this isn't 100 days of weightloss!)

100 Days of Blogging Words from God
100 Days of Grace from Heaven above
100 Days of Me, my computer, and my Bible.  100 Days.  So let's see, that puts us at April 17, 2012.  The week after Easter.  But let's be honest, as I'm sure there will be a few days, especially weekends, where I may not be able to sit down and focus on this blog, so for safety's sake, let's take this challenge all the way to April 29, 2012.

January 9th through April 29th.  It's on!!!

So, are you up for the challenge to read each day looking for something that God may be saying to you through my words?  Are you willing to think about the words I write and challenge yourself to live in the light of God?

100 Days...and so the journey begins.....