Frank & I did trust God in regards to his mother, and thankfully, she is doing much better. She should be out of the hospital on Tuesday. I appreciate chapter 24 because all of us have been through times when life just didn't make sense. I remember a particular time when Tori was in the hospital following her accident, and she had been through a particularly long life-saving operation. Her sister Teresa and I spent the night in the hospital waiting room, along with my granddaughters. Early in the morning, a thief grabbed my purse. I was devastated. I had been through so much already and now all my ID was gone as well as my money. I had been buying hospital food to feed Teresa and the granddaughters. All of the sudden, I had nothing. Life didn't make sense just then. Later in the day, I was on the phone to Frank, explaining what had happened. A stranger overheard my conversation and gave me some money. I asked for his address so I could repay him. He wouldn't give it to me, but his wife finally gave it to me. A week later Frank and I sent him a check for more than he gave me, but he never cashed it. In the midst of my struggle, God sent a generous man to provide my needs. What an awesome God we have! Joel says in this chapter, "He knows how much you can take, and in your times of distress, keep in mind, God is enlarging you. The struggle is giving you strength."
8 comments:
I would really appreciate your input on what your top 10 fears are. I am seeking info for a book I am writing on overcoming fear.
Thank you
Christie Todd
I have a book that touches on fear with some great verses to reference, it is by Stormie O'Martian and the name is "Prayers for Emotional Wholeness." Pages 28-41 deal specifically with fear, and one of them, page 41, is about worn out! I flip and read it when I get fearful. Ps 27:1
Rozan
Everywhere I go, I am finding references to the "Refiner's Fire" lately! I found a 2007 Daily Bread and opened it to: March 23, 2007. I read: Ps 66:10 For You, O, God, have tested us; You have refined us as sliver is refined. On March 31, in the devotional by Henry Blackaby, "Experiencing God Day by Day" the last paragraph: If you are going through a difficult or confusing time, know that your Lord has gone before you and He is present with you. He is fully aware of what you are facing, and He is actively responding to your need. There is nowhwere you can go (the north pole!) that you will not find Christ watiting for you to join Him. Even when you face death (my friend Linda), you can be assured that He has gone before you in triumph. As a child of God, rest in the knowledge that your Savior preceded you, and He will walk with you through each experience in your life. I was reading Joel's Chpt 24 when we drove back from NC last month. To quote Joel: I'm not saying God sends the trouble, but I am saying God will use any adversity you face to take you to a higher level if you'll just do your part and keep standing strong....it's not usually adversities that cause our problems; it's how we respond to our adversities.... If you will handle adversity in the right way, God has promised that He will turn your challenges into stepping-stones for promotion. God wants to do new and unusual things in our lives. He's looking for people to trust with whole hearts, who won't limit HIM! He'll make more out of your life that you've dreamed possible... His plan for your life is so much bigger and so much greater than you can believe! ADVERSITY OFTEN PUSHES US INTO OUR DIVINE DESTINY!(end quote) Adversities as "stepping-stones to promotion? What a concept! I love that! We are a driven people, and here is says Adversity drives us/pushes us? I like his concepts a lot! Now to remember them when I am in the middle of the whirling waters and the flotsam and jetsam are coming toward me!
My top ten fears:
1) harm to my family
2) harm to myself
3) weight gain
4) marital problems
5) financial problems
6) the future
7) gas prices
8) the economy
9) depression
0) computer viruses
I hope that helps, Christie. I checked out your website and liked it a lot.
Rozan, I too like the concept of adversity pushing us to become our best. I liked the part where Joel talked about the two kinds of faith--a delivering faith and a sustaining faith. The delivering faith is when circumstances get better in a hurry, but the sustaining faith is when circumstances take time to change for the better. In both cases, our faith carries us through whatever comes our way. We love to be delivered, but even when things don't change for the better very quickly, God carries us through to victory. We never have to become defeated. Our attitude of faith and gratitude remains in tact with either kind of faith. I found the explanation of the two kinds of faith to be very helpful in my Christian walk.
I love the comment by Keith Green: "It's so hard to see when my eyes are on ME." WOW. Further on, Joel says "You need to sew some seed so God can bring you a harvest." "When you focus on BEING a blessing, God makes sure you are always blessed in abundance." "Love is not love till you give it away." "If it is not meeting a need, turn it into a seed!" "Whatever you give will be given back to you." May I just state that I am loving this book? it has put random, somewhat disconnected thoughts I have had into a memo for me. I was told some time ago that I was one of the most selfish people this person had ever met. Hm. I thought I was, also, because I only wanted 2 children. Period. I thought that I only had enough 'love' for two. I have five. Guess what I found out? Love isn't measured in little boxes, it expands, and grows, isn't kept in a box on a shelf, it just is THERE and more is available. I learned to 'give it away' so to speak. Now I have my children's friends calling me "mom" shortly after they meet me. My children's spouses/girlfriends have been added to the mix. I love them! They are part of my enlarging 'family' of friends and loved ones. I am so glad that God expanded my 'box' in the way He has. I haven't been to Christie's site yet, but I pray constantly for my family, asking for God to protect and bless them. One of my major fears is that I will let someone down, not do something on time, not do my 'job' properly, etc.
Rozan, your comments are so timely b/c the very next section of the book deals with giving. I am loving this book too and finding it such a blessing. I know that whatever struggles I encounter give me strength. I have always found strength through adversity so even though I don't enjoy going through trials, I know that they are actually good for me, and I need to accept "what is". I need to just allow whatever comes my way instead of putting up resistance because it is through adversity that I grow spiritually.
Rozan, if you would like to see Christie Todd's website, go to:
http://www.awakentheheartministries.blogspot.com/
"Adversity is like a strong wind. It tears away from us all but the things that cannot be torn, so that we see ourselves as we really are." ~Arthur Golden.
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