On the mend....

"Be serious! Be alert! Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour.  Resist him and be firm in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world. Now the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will personally restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little.  The dominion and glory belongs to Him forever. Amen" 1Peter 5:8-11


I started feeling "bad" about three months ago.  Each day it seemed I had less and less energy.  I was short-tempered, grouchy, easily offended, and all I wanted to do was sleep.  It finally got so bad that I went to the doctor for testing.  She found a few things but her biggest concern was that some of my symptoms pointed to my heart as the issue.  Well, long story short, and lots-o-testing later....it was not my heart, but my stomach, and vitamin D were my issues.  It has been a slooooooooooow process but I am beginning to feel normal again. (well, for those of you how know me, know that I will never be "normal" but back to my normal)

During this part of my journey, I got so discouraged.  My house was a disaster, but more importantly so was my heart and mind.  I allowed satan a foothold and he sat up camp.   As our Pastor says satan is still using that same ole tricks he started using way back in Genesis, but they still work, and they work well.  My adversary the devil, knows all to well how to make me feel defeated, forgotten, and overwhelmed.

All throughout this year God has been teaching me about restoration. Restoring joy, restoring strength, restoring faith.  Restoring......that's God's business.  Taking what is broken, discarded, and rejected, and restoring it.  It is a beautiful thing, a process, that until you have been broken, and restored you don't fully understand or appreciate its worth.  This is the first week in months that I have been able to do the work necessary to get my home back in order.  I am now having to remember that it took about three months for it to get this bad, and I am not going to be able to fix it in one day.  Each day I do what I can, ask God to bless my efforts and count my blessings for that day.

I wasn't going to share this because honestly, who likes a whiner?  But today, with fresh eyes I saw a new part of  1Petter 5...knowing that the same sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world.....God reminded me that one of satan's best weapons againist me was to make me feel like I was all alone.  He said I was a failure as a mom, wife, sister, aunt and that I was a burden.  And, I believed him....he knows when and where to strike to cause the most injury.  But today, God reminded me that many who have gone before and who will come behind have struggled with these similar issues.   So I want to encourage you to remember something...Now the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will personally restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little.

 The present is temporary, and whatever struggle you may be facing will NOT last forever.  The temporary has a way of pretending to be bigger than it really is, but God is so good to remind me that this too shall pass. God establishes and strengthens and supports me, He reminds me of truth, that can get drowned out by satan's noise, that He alone sustains me, and loves me with an endless love.....and He loves you the same way.

If we are careful to share our walk honestly and humbly then we point others to Christ.  And that is what this journey is all about, helping others find the one thing that sustains us on our journey..........
Christ........turns out the doctor's first concern was correct....it was a heart issue........I needed to get my heart right and allow God to do what He does best..RESTORE.

God RESTORES WHAT IS BROKEN! 

It is my sincere prayer that this encourages you if your are struggling right now.  Thanks for reading.

Whaaaaaaat?

Today I read something in my quiet time that did not sit well with my soul.  I was actually repulsed, and instantly angered by what I read....

"Lot went out to the men at the entrance, shut the door after him and said "I beg you, my brothers, do not act so wickedly.  Behold, I have two daughters who have not known any man,  Let me bring them out to you and do to them as you please....."(Gensis 19:6-8)

WHAAAAAAAAAT??????????????????????  My immediate thought was "how could a daddy utter those words...." here take my daughters instead of these strangers......"

BUT THEN...God step in and spoke truth into my heart.  He reminded me, that He did EXACTLY that FOR ME.  He looked out into time and saw that people who did not yet know Him, needed Him to intervene, and provide a Savior.  He utter those unthinkable words, "Take My Only Son."  "For God so love the world (you & me) that He GAVE His only Son, that whosoever (anyone) believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16"

I can't imagine laying down the life of one of my children for a stranger.  A stranger that could reject the sacrifice, or say it never happened, or even goes as far to say that my child was crazy or a fake.  That is EXACTLY what is said about Jesus.  People say He is a liar, a lunatic, a fake, and fraud....and I believe it breaks God's heart.  But God in all His love and wisdom knew that there would be some who accepted this gift with humility and awe...and it was worth the cost.

WORTH IT...you, and me.....WORTH IT!  Worth the sacrifice that is unimaginable to my human brain....Worth the pain, rejection, ridicule, ....WORTH IT!

How great is our Father's love for us!  How deep and wide, How UNBELIEVEABLLY AMAZING!

I don't know if I will ever  fully understand this love, but I know each time I seem to get a glimpse of it's depth, I find myself standing with my mouth gapping wide in absolute amazement.  I pray that I will never forget, and never allow myself to not take for granted how AMAZING His LOVE is for me