STRUGGLES AND OUR AWESOME GOD

    I realize that I have committed to write a blog at least once a month and I have been remiss in writing for the last couple of weeks.  I would say that I have been absent and I ask your forgiveness for not writing a blog.  I have attempted several times to write one, but have found it difficult to write.   It is hard to write a blog, being transparent when you are struggling.  We are not struggling with massive health issues like others (although I just found out that have pneumonia), however our struggle is the one that the enemy knows he can attack us with and it causes our hardest struggle and depression. But we serve an Awesome God and we know that He will take care of us.

    Through all of the struggles I have found myself speaking to many who are struggling and through their struggles, I keep telling them that God has a plan, He says that He will not give us more than we can handle, and He promises to take their situations and do more than they could ask or imagine.  And that through all of this, God just wants us to come to Him. This is through prayer, reading His Word, seeking each other and trusting our Lord to come through. 

    It is amazing how we can give advice and yet not take our own advice.  I am still learning. 

Jeremiah 29:11
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

    This is an amazing verse when you read it as a promise from our Lord.  Just think about this, God has a plan for us to prosper, not to harm us and to give us hope and a future.  A wonderful promise and a guarantee from our Lord!  But a promise that we sometimes, or should I say a lot of the time have a hard time to remember.

    Recently, when talking to a dear brother and friend, he was telling me that their daughter has been diagnosed with a medical problem that will follow her, the rest of her life.  I told him that we must remember that God has a plan and He promises never to give us more than we can handle.  After going back and forth about the plans of God, he told me that “I know we need to thank Him for the hard to swallow stuff.” Amazing lessons of giving the Lord praise in all situations.

    I would like to tell you the story two truly AMAZING GODLY people.  I won’t embarrass them by using their real names, because they are not only amazing but very humble.  So I will just call them John and Marsha. 

    I met John and Marsha some 20 years ago.  At the time of our first meeting, John was a church leader and Marsha was a working Mom and supporter of John.  Over the next 15 years, our paths would cross at meetings and church events. There was nothing really special about our interaction, just basic church stuff.  As this time came and went, little did I know that they would become as intrigue and special to me and my family.  A few years ago, our relationship would take a radical change because of God.  John and Marsha felt God calling them to travel with me and do His work in the Middle East.  That was the beginning of a remarkable road.  I have seen them go through many struggles that would cause many to fall or lose faith. But during the worst bumps in their road, I have seen them gain strength through their walk through Lord.  And through all their bumps, both give honor and praise to the Lord, and they care more about others then themselves.   I remember one time we were doing God’s work and (as most of you know, I tend to burn the candle at both ends) I was basically running on fumes as the mid-week came.  I walked in and Marsha looked at me and told me that I needed to rest, I refused; she told me that I was as white as a ghost, and in her “best motherly voice” told me to go to bed.  It was only 6 pm, but I did. When she moves into the “Mom Mode,” she kinda scares.   I slept for the next 14 hours.  When I awoke, jumping out of bed in a panic; there were John and Marsha, reading their Bibles; telling me all was well and the team was out doing what they were doing. 

    This was the beginning of many times, whether we were serving together overseas, here locally or even just needing encouragement they have been here for us.  They have consistently been more to us than we could ask for, imagine, or even deserve.  And even more important, they are EXAMPLES OF GOD HERE ON EARTH.  Every aspect of their lives are examples of God’s Love and I pray someday I am half the example and servant of God they are.

    The great thing about when we struggle because of life, God is there and He brings people into our lives who teach us the lessons He wants us to learn or remind us of whether they are from remembering to give praise when things are sometimes tough to swallow, or to be examples to others of His Love for us. 

     Thank you again for allowing me to ramble and to speak from my heart.  Please pray for us as we continue to serve the Lord and that He will do immeasurably more than we are asking for or imagine according to His Will.