1.30.2011

Turning Tragedy into Faith!

On Saturday, I was getting my hair colored. The hairstylist was a woman who had married a man who left a religious colony. He had run away at the age of 19 and is now living for God with his family, and are now members of a Christian church. We began to talk about different religions and the subject turned to one of my relatives who had recently been diagnosed with brain cancer. She told me about her husband's cousin who was living in the colony and had also developed a brain tumor years ago. They had told this man there was nothing more that could be done and that he should begin to prepare to die. Being that they were no longer in the colony, my hairstylist and her husband were not allowed in unless they were granted special permission. They asked their family if they could visit him and pray for him. They were told they could come, but they shouldn't pray for him because it would do no good. They went in and saw him and he allowed them to pray for him. They laid hands on him and said only a short little prayer in front of skeptical, onlooking family. After they had left, the man was to have another scan done. When they saw the results, they were amazed to find that the tumor was beginning to shrink and was dissolving into water. As the months passed, the tumor had completely dissolved and he is now completely whole. In complete awe of what just happened, the family began to believe in the power of God and prayer. This life threatening tragedy had been turned into faith.

As I listened to this woman's story, I was reminded that even though we go through trials, God can use what we are going through to bring us or someone else closer to Him. This man was facing death, not just physical death, but eternal death. God allowed him to go through this trial in order to save not just him, but his family. No matter what you are going through today, begin to pray for God to show you His plan for it all. Usually when I go through hard times, there is a great lesson to be learned, not just by me, but those around who are watching. I also want to remind you, that even when we pray our hardest, healing is not always what God has planned. In those moments, we need to continue to pray for peace and understanding and allow God to increase our faith during times of tragedy.

Romans 8:28 "We know that in everything God works for the good of those who love Him. They are the people He called, because that was His plan.

1.23.2011

Making it Through by the skin of God's Teeth!

I love to play those cheesy little computer games. You know the ones where you have to blast the balls, or match the colors. Every time I think I'm about dead, I somehow come out alive and live to fight the next round. Sometimes I breeze right through a level and other times I barely make it by the skin of my teeth; I think I've lost and out of nowhere I make it through.

When I barely squeak through, God reminds me that my life is alot like that. There are moments when life seems like a breeze and everything is going my way. Finances look good, children are healthy, husband has a good job and the weeks fly by. And then there are the times when I feel like I am barely squeaking by. Finances may be very tight, the children are constantly sick and the weeks drag on as if they will never end! God reminds me that He is in charge of it all. He blesses me with hope and strength to stand on my own during the good times and carries me through those rough times. I may feel like I won't make it to that next level in my life, but somehow through the grace of God, I make it! After those times have finished, I look back and stand amazed at how difficult and hard it was for me, and yet miraculously God brought me through.

In Psalm 56:3 it says, "When I am afraid, I will trust in you." At those moments when you feel your heart stop and you feel like you are barely making it through, just drop it all in the lap of God. It's funny how we think we are somehow in control of it all and that we are the ones just squeaking by in life. God knows every part of us and we need to learn to just trust in Him and let him walk beside us at times and carry us at others.

1.14.2011

Keep Going

I had been trying to follow what I felt God wanted me to do. I began by prayer and had several confirmations that I was on the right track. One day, someone began to just verbally attack what I was doing. Afterward, I began to doubt myself and wondered if I was truly doing what God had asked of me. So, I began to pray and ask God to reveal to me what He wanted from me, and if I was going in His direction. A couple of hours later, I was in a store and out of the blue a person I had not seen in awhile appears. They begin to tell me that I was doing a great job and to "keep going". Those two words stuck with me. I had asked God what I should do, and His reply was to "keep going".

When I was thinking of a verse for this blog, my mind kept going back to Mark 10:9 where it says, "Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” Now, I know that in both Matthew and Mark, they are referring to marriage in this statement. But, to me, it also meant the joining of other things, like the joining between God and myself. God had placed a direction in me and we were walking together and no matter what "man" or others may say, I was to keep going together with Him.

In this world full of negativity, people are always trying to tear each other down or be in charge of one another. Sometimes life truly feels like an uphill battle. You may feel at times that you don't understand the path you are heading. If God has placed a goal or direction in your life, I encourage you to "keep going" and let Him lead you. Satan will always try to use others to discourage you from going forward with God's plan, but if you continue in prayer, God will reveal what He wants from you. Remember that if you trust in man it will lead to failure, but, if you trust in God, He will bless it if you only "keep going."

1.09.2011

God loves us!

I know a man whose wife is an alcoholic. I watch this amazing man try to save her. I have never seen a husband work so hard at helping his wife as this man. He has tried everything, and stayed with her through it all. Each time he tells a story, my heart breaks for him, as all he wants is for his wife to feel loved, and to be whole again. He watches over her when she is in need, and he waits for her when she runs away. His love is so great, that there's nothing she could do, or has done, to make him stop loving her.

How much does God love us? So much, that He gave His son to die for us. Now, I would like to think that I'm a pretty Godly person, but when it comes to giving up my children, I don't think I could go through with it. What sacrifice, what amazing love He has for us! I can't even stand to see my children in pain or upset! I'm the type to dive in and save the day and just "fix" it all. But, we couldn't be fixed! We were sinners; we were dying and going to Hell! God did the unthinkable and let His son go through pain and suffering, and Jesus willingly followed to his demise for us!

In Romans 5:8, the Bible says, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." It says "While we were STILL SINNERS". We weren't running around being perfect little angels and doing all the right things. We were still sinners and Christ loved us enough that He was willing to die for us. Now that is true love!

But, you have no idea what I've done? No, I don't, but God does, and He still loves you and has never left you! He watches you and wants to help you when you are in need. He waits for you to return when you have run away. All he wants is for you to feel loved and to be whole again.

1.02.2011

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

This past week, I became very ill. It began with a small sore throat and led to excruciating pain, to where I could no longer swallow, and body aches took over my entire being. I slept for hours at a time and the world around me grew less and less important as I could no longer function. The small amount of time that I was awake, I would pray and ask God to heal me and finding at times that I could hardly bear the pain. I went to the Dr. where they gave me these gigantic pills that took 3 full days to work and as the pain slowly decreased my world came back into focus. I started to live again and forget the pain that had robbed me of my moments just days before.

There's a song called "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus". In this song, it says, "Look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will go strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace." This world is full of pain and suffering. More and more people are getting cancer, suffering from heart attacks and the number of new illnesses are endless. We live day to day wondering what could hit us next and how we would handle the pain that comes with it. But, as hard and painful as it is on this earth, there is a hope. Someday all this pain that consumes us here on earth will be forgotten. We won't remember the sadness of losing that special someone or the heartache that gripped us when someone close to us has become ill. The tears we cry will be gone and the the many things that once consumed our lives will be vanished in an instant. In Revelation 21:14 it says, "He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever."

As long as we are here in this imperfect world there will be pain. We will have to endure hardships. But, we need to "turn our eyes upon Jesus" and let the "things of earth grow strangely dim." As we focus on Him, this life becomes less important and we realize that we are here for just a short time. May we all learn to focus on having Christ in our heart that someday we can join Him and be free from death, sorrow, crying and pain.