Trust

The Lord has been doing some major changes in our lives, teaching us some deep lessons that I would like to share. Up until June the Lord had been teaching us to trust Him in a very simple way. The bills would come in, they would be paid. He always brought the work in time. Always. Sometimes the very day something was due we would have no way of knowing how to pay it but always before the day was over the money was there to cover it. I finally came to the place of just trusting Him, if an anxious thought arose it quickly was sent away by the realization that God always provided for us. Always. Then June rolled around. We sent out our monthly checks like before and one after the other they were returned because of “Insufficient funds”. No work, no reprieve, nothing. I was totally shocked. How could God allow us to arrive at that kind of trust and then BOOM, drop the bottom out from under us? Had we sinned? Was it a test (for what)? Why??? We waited and struggled to find enough work to put food on the table as well as pay some of the bills and the multiple fees associated with an overdrawn bank account. July, same story. It did not make sense to me, I know God does all things well, but this just did not add up.  The Lord revealed to me that I had become angry with God. That sobered me greatly and made me fall on my face before Him, begging for some sort of understanding, pleading for peace. I went to my husband for help, asking him “why?” his answer was so simple, yet so profound. “Even when we don’t understand, we need to trust the Lord. It is not always going to be easy to trust Him like it has been but we should trust Him even in the hard times. Whenever doubt comes in, take it to the Lord right away.” So I began to pray about that, especially “even in the hard times”. Then the Lord reminded me of Job. WOW! God allowed everything to be taken from Job, even his children, and it was still for God’s glory. Job basically answered the same way I did…paraphrasing... “Why, what have I done? I am innocent.” Yet Elihu rebuked him and his rebuke now stung me as well….

“Behold, in this thou art not just: I will answer thee, that God is greater than man. Why doest thou strive against him? For he giveth not account of any of his matters.” (Job 33:12) and in 34:5. “For Job hath said, I am righteous: and God hath taken away my judgment.” V. 10 “…far be it from God, that he should do wickedness; and from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity.” V.23. “For he will not lay on man more than right; that he should enter into judgment with God.” V.29. “When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble? And when he hideth his face, who then can behold him? Whether it be done against a nation, or against a man only:” vs. 31-32. “Surely it is meet to be said unto God, I have borne chastisement, I will not offend any more: That which I see not teach thou me: if I have done iniquity, I will do no more.”

The Lord is bringing us into a new level of trust. Up until now we trusted that He would provide. Now He wants us to trust Him even if He does not provide. Is our faith conditional? Will we only praise Him when things go our way? Or will we still trust and praise Him when it seems like everything is falling apart and we are faced with losing everything? Our dear Lord Jesus Christ has a plan and purpose in all things that He does and in what He allows to happen. Romans 8:28 says “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Does that mean that everything will go the way we want it to? No. All things work for our good, even what seems “bad” works for our good. God is bringing glory to His name and He has many ways of doing that. If teaching us to praise Him even in the hard times will bring Him more glory, than I rejoice and am very thankful for this deep lesson He is teaching us! Growth is painful, but oh how blessed we are that He is willing to allow us to go through painful times that we can grow through it. Praise Him! Praise our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!!! He is worthy of all praise and honor! Sing to Him, offer a sacrifice of praise, He is worthy! (Hebrews 13:15)

Life!

So much for me posting more often :) Life gets busy and training even one little girl is a great task and responsibility from our Heavenly Father. So the blog can wait...even the dishes can wait if need be, except for the fact that they are part of the training. :) Grace now can stand on a chair beside me and "help" do the dishes, cook, bake, clean. Whatever I am doing I try to include her. It is not always easy and I am by no means doing so all the time or even as much as I would like to, but it really amazes me how much the Lord keeps reminding me..."why are you doing this by yourself?" It also is a great encouragement to see how happy she is when working along side me, she is just bubbling with excitement over being included in real life! Oh how we pray for her that she will come to love and serve our Lord Jesus Christ at an early age, that He would save her and bring much glory to His worthy name through her life! We also pray this for our dear little one who is now due in less than a week!

I have been "nesting" for several weeks now, changing things around in our home with my husbands help....I should rephrase that... Patrick changes things around while I point where I would like them to go. :) He is so wonderful and uncomplaining about my sudden ideas, and usually refines them to a better way of managing our space, or comes up with his own. I am truly blessed to be married to such a great man! We are so excited as we wait to meet our little boy or girl, though I am somewhat nervous about the labor since Grace's was so long. Yet I know the Lord will give me the strength for whatever He allows, I just cannot dwell on it too much, just trust in Him who does all things well.

Grace loves babies! Every morning she has to greet her three baby dolls with squeals of delight and exclamations of "baby! baby!" She cares for them so lovingly, rocking, singing and changing them. We really look forward to how she will be with her little brother or sister, it will be such fun to watch! I have to run, but here are a few random pictures.....

Snap Shots of our Life

Hello everyone it sure has been a long time since I have written anything on here! I do not have much time but want to make a short update...During the past (almost) year my husband stopped building sheds since the company he was working for began to short us large amounts on his paychecks. We started a company as a family hauling all over the US and added many new States to our "been there" list. Lately the Lord has led us to do more local hauls as Grace is growing quickly and it is very hard for her to take long trips now that she is mobile. Though in the past few weeks people have been calling us from all over wanting things hauled and we end up making more than when we were looking for things to ship! We have taken note of the fact that this has happened only after we each (separately) "let go" of our ideas of what God wanted us to do and just let the Lord show us day by day what to do next. We are overcome with the peace He has given us now! No longer are we saying "we need to pay these bills so we have to look for shipments that will meet our needs". We just say "what should we do Lord?" and everything is met without all the worry and stress! I am so thankful that He is so patient and has brought us to this point. Thank you Lord Jesus!!! Our God is faithful and delights to care for His sheep.
 We are much closer to moving our mobile home to our property! I can hardly wait for that! and..... We are expecting a new little one the beginning of October!!!! We are so excited and praising our Lord Jesus for His great blessings on us! I love being a Mommy...no I said that wrong... I LOVE being a Mommy!! There are so many challenges and we are learning so much as Grace grows and learns, I wish I had time to share what the Lord has been teaching us. Our lives seen to be a whirlwind of activity and I am so grateful to our Lord for the quite times He gives us to seek Him. I could not survive otherwise, He is everything we need and indeed everything we have. Praise Him!!!

I must go now but here are some pictures recapping the year:

A visit to Wisconsin in October! We were able to share the gospel at the Bayfield Apple Fest

Grace's first time at Lake Superior

Enjoying time together! :)

Grace and Nana!

Playing with Grandpa!

With Daddy on the skid loader :)

October 26th Grace is 7 months old!

While visiting with family in Colorado Springs, CO in December, they took us to see "The Garden of the Gods" It has a strange name but what a wonderful place to see the beautiful creation of our God!

Patrick and I at the "Balanced Rock"!

Grace on the military tank :)

This tank is the reason we were out West. We hauled it from Ohio to Idaho. It was quite the adventure!

Patrick and Grace in Yellowstone National Park!

We did not realize that they close Yellowstone to "tired" vehicles in the winter until we got there and did not get to see much before a park ranger told us we had to leave. It was beautiful though!

On our way back home we stopped to visit my family again! :) Here is Uncle Michael playing the piano with Grace :)

Lifting a skid loader out of our truck in Indiana

Skipping ahead a few months...March 10th 2012... Grace in Birmingham, AL enjoying the warm sunshine

We hauled this load of flooring down there

Not so sure about being bare foot on the ground :)

The warm weather spoiled us, it was so beautiful!

Patrick and Grace :)

Back home again, Grace is showing off her teeth :)

She absolutely loves to read!

Grace's Birthday! March 26, 2012  It is so hard to believe she is one year old! Can you tell she is enjoying her balloon?! :)

Best of all Grandpa and Nana were able to make it down for her big day! Thank you Lord Jesus!

Grandpa points our something of interest

:)

Too much fun!

Grace was eating it up!

Ready for work around the house :)

Reading with Daddy :)

We love you so much!!!

So hard to say goodbye

Here we are hiking at Mohican Sate Park April 1st

At the Dam

That is all for now I hope to update more often... May our dear Lord Jesus be glorified in all that we do and say! Praise Him forever!