I'm Trying

Have I mentioned that I am loving the E100 Challenge?  When we first began, I signed up for the military spouse edition. It sends me a daily email with the scripture, reflections, and a prayer. In my busy life, it helps me stay in God's word each day. I can read it from my cell phone while waiting in the car, on my iPad during the school day, or I can listen to it from the web page or my audio Bible while I am working.

When I read day 93, 1Peter 1:14-15 (GNT) really stuck out at me.

Be obedient to God, and do not allow your lives to be shaped by those desires you had when you were still ignorant. Instead, be holy in all that you do, just as God who called you is holy.

Let's take a look at these two verses.

First, BE OBEDIENT TO GOD.  Just as we talked about in Sunday school yesterday, that can be so hard, especially if what God is wanting us do is not what fits in "our plans."  Sometimes what He calls us to do isn't easy, or pretty. Regardless, we are commanded to be obedient. My friend Caroline and I were talking about being away from a spouse for a long period of time due to a job, and she asked, "You wouldn't want that would you?"  No, I wouldn't. But if that is what God calls for, then I must be obedient.  Jeff and I have been away from each other due to his civilian job and his army job.  That's just what God has called us to do. So you learn to be obedient. You learn to lean on God and let Him lead and guide you and your decisions.

Second, DO NOT ALLOW YOUR LIVES TO BE SHAPED BY THOSE DESIRES YOU HAD WHEN YOU WERE STILL IGNORANT.  As Christians, we are to be like Christ.  When we surrendered our lives to Him, we gained a new understanding. We were to put away the old and live according to the will of God, according to His word. When we were still ignorant, it is like being a child; we really didn't understand or know better so the things we did were sinful and against God.  But now we do know better. We have the Holy Spirit that lives within us. We are to listen to the Spirit. We are to recognize the things that can shape our lives, that can pull us from living like Christ.

So, that takes us to the third thing, INSTEAD, BE HOLY IN ALL THAT YOU DO, JUST AS GOD WHO CALLED YOU IS HOLY. You see, if we are obedient and we do stay clear of desires of the flesh, then we can live holy (as holy as we can here on earth).  God has called us to a higher purpose: to glorify Him in all we do. We should live our lives as a witness to the love of God, to His Son Jesus Christ.  We should live so that people we see everyday and those who are strangers know that we are set apart, not better, just set apart.  We are sinners. We are no better than anyone else just because we are Christians.  We are just saved from our sins, forgiven. We have a purpose. We have a knowledge that others don't. We have peace, hope, and abundant joy. 

I know that I am not always the best wife, mom, teacher, daughter, friend, or me that I can be.  I let life get to me. I get tired and bogged down. I lose my temper. I don't always let those I love know how much I love them.  I try to find balance, hence the lack of posting on this blog.  I made a promise to God that this blog would be used for His glory. That I would share with you, the world, what He is doing in my life. I would share the weak branches He breaks away, and the fruit He allows to grow.

Through spending time with the Lord, I am becoming more obedient to what He wants in my life. I am controlling my temper better. I am thinking before reacting. I am hopefully showing my love for others more.  He has definitely led me to places where I never expected to be: leading Bible studies, being an army wife, being a leader in my church and school.  He has seen me through difficult times whether physical, financial, or emotional.  God is my rock. He is my everything.  As Carson put it so well last night, "Mama, God made everything. If God wasnt' real, nothing would be real. There would be nothing."

As you journey through this week, Holy Week, I pray that you find a peace that surpasses understanding. I hope that you grow in your relationship with the Lord.  If you don't know Jesus Christ, I pray that He will reveal Himself to you. 

Let us give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! Because of His great mercy He gave us new life by raising Jesus Christ from death. This fills us with a living hope...
1Peter 1:3

Does God Care About Me?

We have completed day two of VBS. Our question of the day was, "Does God Care About Me?" Our Bible verse today was 1 Peter 5:7, "Casting all your care upon Him, for he careth for you."

If ever I saw God care for me, it was today.

This morning, I got a call from my dad that my grandmother had passed away. In that moment, God took care of me. Yes, I hurt, but He let me know it was ok. He assured me she is now where she needs to be, with Him, no longer in pain, never to be sick again. What a blessing and how comforting to know that my grandmother is with Jesus (and back with my Pa)!

I had to make it through VBS this morning before being able to tell Colin about his great-grandmother. I knew he would be hurt. God helped me use the right words to tell him and to comfort him.

This evening, while the big boys were with their Nanny, I decided to head to Target to find something to wear to the funeral home. Upon leaving the store and getting the baby in the car, I hear a man yell, "Ma'am! Ma'am!" Looking around, I saw a man approaching me. He broke the news to me...I had a flat tire. Can you say, "On the brink of total meltdown?" Fighting back tears and between phone calls to Sue and Birbie at home and Jeffrey in South Carolina, I watched as these 3 good Samaritans replaced my flat tire with my cute (NOT) little, lifeless spare tire. They gave me strict instructions on what to do next, and I thanked them over and over again. I couldn't offer them anything other than a thank you.

I very carefully drove next door to Wal-Mart in hopes of getting my flat repaired and returned to its proper spot on my car. I pulled up to the tire center...They had been closed for 50 minutes. I teared up, but was determined not to let this get me.

So I very carefully drove to Speedway to get air in my tire. I pulled up and to my dismay, it cost 75 cents. Remember how I couldn't offer those gentlemen anything? I didn't even have money to buy air. Come on! It is just air? How can you charge for air? So, I grabbed my wallet and my babe in his car seat and managed to get inside. The clerk (probably 17 or 18 years old) asked if I needed help. Boy did I! I asked him if I bought something with my debit card if I could get cash back. He informed me that their debit machines don't allow cash back as an option. You've got to be kidding me. I teared up and said, "I only need 75 cents to put air in my spare tire because my other tire is flat." This kid pulls out his wallet and opens the register. He changes out the dollar and hands it to me. I thanked him over and over again and cried on the way to my car.

I aired up my tire and drove very carefully and slowly back home with my cute (NOT) little tire.

I am moved at how these complete strangers took care of me. They could have went on about their business and denied me 75 cents and sent me to fend for myself. They helped me out and I know God placed them there for me. I am very grateful for these people that I'll never see again.

In the coming days, I will have to cast my cares upon Him still. I will be attending my grandmother's funeral without my husband by my side. I'll be ok though. God will give me strength. Jeffrey will be praying for me. That is all I need.

There are so many other times in my life when God has taken care of me.

I'll never forget when our heat went out the December Jeffrey was in Japan. I cried out to God. I told Him I couldn't take my Colin out in the middle of the night to find a place to stay. He took care of me. Minutes later, the heat was back on and worked long enough to get someone to come look at it the next day.

Last year when I was worried about some tenderness I shouldn't have been having under my arms and around my breasts, I was too scared to see about it. Finally, after praying and handing it over to God, I had a mammogram and ultrasound done. Nothing was found and I haven't had the tenderness since then. It seemed as if all God wanted was for me to trust Him. When I did, He took care of me.

I told my kids at VBS today that no matter what is bothering us, we can tell God about it and trust Him to take care of it. I pray that if you are struggling with something today, whether it is as small as a flat tire or as big as the loss of a loved one, financial issues or marital problems, family concerns or job worries, I pray that you will cast your cares upon Him. He promises He will take care of you.