Finding Rest

A piece of our lives ... a look into what is going on here... it's not easy.

Scott has been unemployed now for a year. The Lord has been ever so faithful, that doesn't mean it hasn't been hard. We have been tested, but our prayer is that we prove faithful to the ONE who is always faithful. Easier said than done!

We have seen the hand of God move in our lives miraculously, stepping up to the plate "in the nick of time". Not many people experience God, and His miracles the way Scott and I have and continue to. We have seen Him provide through anonymous checks, through family, friends, and fellow brothers and sisters in the Lord. We have seen God use believers and non-believers... it truly is amazing.

To be utterly real... the last week I have been very stressed out and overwhelmed. I have felt as if the weight of the world is on my shoulders, since I am the one that is working at the moment. I have had more poeple forget their appointments this week than I have the whole time I have been doing hair.What does that mean for us???? That means I have to put a lot of groceries back at the check out line... that means getting milk, eggs and cereal and nothing else.

I have never really worried about money before until this last week... when I was told what we have in our checking account, and knowing this is the first of the month... mortgage is due, power bills, water bills and other such things... all due and we can't make ONE of them.

My feathers have been rustled, my world has been rocked, my heart has sunk into my chest, and I have questioned... Lord, where are you?

You say you take care of your children... we are you children, where are you?
You promise you will never leave or forsake us... where are you?
You say that you petition the father for us... where are you?

Why is it that we can get rocked so easily? I wish it weren't that way... but there is a reason for everything. There is!

Scott was pulled aside by a friend, and is now starting a job today painting a house... PRAISE GOD! coincidence that it was "in the nick of time"... I don't think so!

Can it get any better? ..... YUP!

Yesterday, our pastor spoke on fear... man was it powerful and did it hit a heart string. That is where I have been living the last week, in fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of what is to come of us, fear of what to tell the kids... just plain F.E.A.R.

I walked away from the service with more peace, and took away some great thoughts from Pastor Andrew.

~Fear prevents us from living in the joy God intended for us.
~What is unknown to us God already knows... He has already been there. We don't have to fear the unknown because we know who we are following.
~Where He leads is good... not always safe or secure... but good.
~Fear gives us the opportunity to walk in courage and bravery.

I can say that up until last week I had been walking in courage and bravery... but when it came to rock bottom for me... my hands, legs and whole body were trembling with fear. What pops into my mind... the scripture "perfect love casts out fear"... guess who is perfect love??? the LORD JESUS... and I wasn't holding on to HIM last week. I confess, I wasn't... I was living in fear.

As always... HE was trying to get my attention... He was whispering, and I wasn't listening for His voice... I was allowing for the enemies voice to become louder and drown it out. The Lord was saying to me... DO NOT FEAR... I AM WITH YOU! DO NOT BE AFRAID, I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD. WHEN THE WATERS RISE I WILL NOT LET YOU DROWN AND BE OVERTAKEN.

So I am more at peace with our situation... I have been put back in my place... HE IS IN CONTROL... HE IS HERE, HE DOES TAKE CARE OF HIS CHILDREN!

As I sat down to read this afternoon as the kids were napping... this is what I read...
Take time and read through this... God knew exactly what I needed to hear... to confirm what I had been dealing with and what Pastor Andrew spoke on this last week.

My Utmost for His Highest
Oswald Chambers
The Teaching of Adversity
"In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" (John 16:33)

The typical view of the Christian life is that if means being delivered from all adversity. But it actually means being delivered in adversity, which is something very different. "He who dewlls in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling..." (Psalm 91:1-10) the place where you are at one with God.

If you are a child of God, you will certainly encounter adversities, but Jesus says you should not be surprised when they come. "In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." He is saying, "There is nothing for you to fear." The same people who refused to talk about their adversities before they were saved often complain and worry after being born again because they have the wrong idea of what it means to live the life of a saint.

God does not give us overcoming life- He gives us life as we overcome. The strain of life is what builds our strength. If there is no strain, there will be no strength. Are you asking God to give you life, liberty, and joy? He cannot, unless you are willing to accept the strain. And once you face the strain, you will immediately get the strength. Overcome you own timidity and take the first step. Then God will give you nourishment- "To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life..." (rev. 2:7). If you completely give of yourself physically, you become exhausted. But when you give of yourself spiritually, you get more strength. God never gives us strength for tomorrow,m or for the next hour, but only for the strain of the moment. Our temptation is to face adversity from the standpoint of our own commonsense. But a saint can "be of good cheer" even when seemingly defeated by adversities, because victory is absurdly impossible to everyone, except God.

JUST WHAT I NEEDED TO HEAR...
Then I read Psalm 91...
"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty...."
please read the rest of the chapter... it was totally God speaking to my heart and I hope He uses it to speak to yours as well...

I am finding rest in the shadow of the Almighty. It is peaceful here, it is joyful here, there is NO fear here... it is pure rest.

Pray through this Psalm, you will find rest and you will know just how much he loves you.

#181-206
~calm in the midst of a storm~
~rest in the midst of things unsettled~
~HIS faithfulness~
~His consistency when I am inconsistent~
~His gentle whispers~
~reminders that I am not in control~
~His good and perfect plan~
~His deliverance~
~His salvation~
~finding rest in His shadow~
~His refuge~
~perfect love that casts out fear~
~quiet times with my Lord~



~school~
~schedules~
~steak on the grill~
~mashed potatoes~
~gardens even when they are dying~
~dirty children~
~workouts with my mom~
~intercessory prayer~
~hard times~
~little money~
~loving in the midst~
~my hard working husband~