School of Temptation

Do you ever wonder why temptation doesn't just flee? Why do we have to continually choose to stand against it?

Judges 3:1&2 tells us "These are the nations (temptations) that the Lord left in the land to test those Israelites who had not experienced the wars of Canaan.  He did this to teach warfare to generations of Israelites who had no experience in battle."

As a mom, I pray all the time that my children (spouse and self too) would be "easily entreated."  You see, I don't like trials and I don't want to go through them.  I just want to hear the Lord's voice and stay on His best path for my life to bring fruit to His kingdom.

The Israelites had a pattern, called the "sin cycle" that went something like this:

1.  The generation that saw His rescuing hand worshipped Him and kept His commands.
2.  The next generation, who didn't have that first hand knowledge, started to compromise.
3.  They started intermingling and worshipping other gods.
4.  God sent His punishment, usually in the form of an oppressor, to subdue them.
5.  They cried out to the real God for help and God sent them a rescuer.
6.  That generation followed Him.  Repeat cycle.

God, in His wisdom knows our human nature.  If our lives were easy, battle free, we too would grow complacent in our determination to set ourselves apart for Him.  Likewise, when we go through trials, our children see first hand how we handle it.  They see us on our knees and in the Word. They see us seeking His face.  Then they see His deliverance! Our children are learning the art of warfare, which they will pass on to their children, and so on.

God's plan is for us to be sharp, persistent and victorious. The trials will continue in the life, until we enter in to His final rest for us, but they are purposeful and He promises (1 Cor 10:13) He will not give us more than we can handle.

Wait on the Lord!

There are times in the life of a believer, when we face circumstances that are harsh, unfair, brutal, stretching, and... (fill in your adjective here.)  We can pray and fast and beg God to move mountains, but not hear or see any movement on the horizon. Our human nature, in order to free us from this discomfort, wants to rush in, take control, and find an immediate solution to ease the pain.

If we move in our flesh, like Abraham and Sarah did with Ishmael, there will be consequences that could be even more heinous than the original trial. "The flesh profits nothing, but CAN produce something," a pastor recently shared. 

1 Corinthians 3 talks about works, done in our own strength, being burned up like wood, hay and stubble.  The only works that remain are those done in accordance with His will. Wait on Him! His way is the good way. Wait on Him!

Sometimes His silence is Him working something out in us. While you are in His waiting room, ask Him to move the mountains in your heart, so you can be ready for the answer He is bringing your way.  Lay yourself at His altar and allow Him to do the deeper work. Remember that He is faithful, even when we are faithless. Wait on Him! 

This Was One of Those Weeks!

SO... this week has been a DOOZIE! I mean a certifiable Category 5 hurricane that came out of NO where! There are those moments in your life where so many random, difficult things violently bombard you at the same time, that you KNOW it is the devil.  Even the secular genius would say it's statistically impossible!  The devil has over played his hand!

This was one of those weeks!  The question is ... how do I respond? What does the Lord want of me?  Thankfully the He left me some directions.  (Literally, a stranger walked up to me and gave me this verse!)

1 Peter 4:12 &13 says "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed."

How I go through these trials reveals where my trust is.   God uses all things, even my response in trials, for His glory.  He wants me to be victorious as I walk through the fiery trial.

Practically speaking for me it looks like this:

1.  I am trying to capture every thought.  If it doesn't bring glory to Him, I don't entertain it.
2.  I look for Him in the circumstance.  He is with me in it. I need only look to see evidence. (Like the stranger giving me this verse!)
3.  I pray not to sin in it.  I may suffer deeply and want to defend myself, but my situation pales in comparison to what my Lord suffered for me.  I want to be blameless before Him.
4.  I trust Him to fight the battle.  My hope is in Him and not in circumstance or man. These battles are spiritual battles and will be won in the spirit realm, by my Defender.  
5.  I remember that I am His, and it is His responsibility to take care of me. I am in the best Hands ever...Hands that have scars in the palms that prove His love for me!
6.  I remember what my husband told me once, when I was whining about being very pregnant..."This too shall pass."  Ha!  Our Lord allows me to go through trials, but He NEVER leaves me in them.  He will bring me safely to the other side and I will look more like Him :)
7. I am praising Him in the middle of the trials, because He is ALWAYS worthy to be praised!  

Whatever you are facing, giants, storms, nay sayers, doubt... PRAISE HIM... HE IS FAITHFUL!

"If you have faith even as a mustard seed... nothing will be impossible for you." 

Matthew 17:20

Many of us want to go "all in" with the Lord.  We sing songs about "going deeper" and pray "Here I am, Lord.  Send me."  Our hearts are willing, but sometimes, as Paul says, "our flesh is weak."  When we are faced with situations that seem insurmountable, or at the very least perplexing, our natural focus falls directly to the challenges, or injustice of the situation.  We feel stunned, anxious and unsettled!

I want to encourage you to look for Him in the middle of the circumstances.  He is Sovereign and NOTHING takes Him by surprise. Ask what He wants you to learn from being in the trial?  Once you see there is a purpose for the trial, know that it will pass.  God never leaves His children in the trial. He always brings them through.

Whatever He is calling you to do, He will equip you and He will deliver you to the other side! Rely on Him!

The task ahead of you is never as great as the power behind you!

I Will Always Remember...

I think I will always remember the day I took my sweet little princess to the pediatric cardiologist. We left the office praising God for his amazing work in her life. Although she has several small holes in the bottom area of her heart, she is a strong, healthy, vibrant little girl. We are so thankful!

As I shared a little while back, however, it was also the same day that we discovered that my husband had a heart problem called atrial fibrillation. From there we had  a series of doctor appointments, second opinions, medications, medical advice, and lots and lots of waiting. We were waiting to see which step to take next. Would God miraculously heal my hubby or would we need medical intervention?

I will never forget the look on my husband’s face when he told me the A-Fib diagnosis was confirmed by an EKG. More than that, however, what he said will be ingrained in my mind forever. It was if the Holy Spirit took hold of him and calmed his fears. The fear on his face melted away and was replaced by a firm resolve to hold on to his sovereign Creator. After battling with his own emotions of fear, he looked at me and said, “I am convinced that I have probably had this for a long time. Although the doctors are just discovering it, God knew the whole time. He is the one who has sustained me this far, and He will continue to sustain me.”

Following his lead, I decided to run with that peace that he was experiencing. In such a strange way it made such complete sense. There was no need to worry because I was not in control anyway, but GOD was always and will always be in control. It is a scary, but completely liberating feeling when we fully comprehend how “out-of-control” we really are, yet how in control God is.

I will not sit here and tell you that this process of spiritual refinement and growth through trials has been easy. It has not been (and it still isn’t), but God has been faithful to add to my character and my faith.

 I am so thrilled to inform you that after much discussion and prayer and discussion and more prayer, we decided that my husband would have a procedure called cardioversion to reset the rhythm of his heart…and it worked!!! PRAISE OUR GREAT GOD!!!

I look back and I am amazed at God’s faithfulness. I am grateful for his healing, and at the same time I find myself being thankful for the fruit—patience, peace, faithfulness, goodness, love, joy, gentleness, and more that HE has produced in our lives as we decided to trust HIM.

Ladies, I just want to encourage you to do three simple things in the midst of any trial you are facing—BIG or small:

1. Pray—this is your lifeline to the living, true God. It is your way to communicate your heart, feelings, concerns, frustrations, fears, and emotions to the God of the universe…and he will NEVER turn you away. Don’t be afraid to be honest with God; he knows what you are thinking anyway. He can perfectly handle anything you are feeling, and he wants you to cast your cares upon Him.

2. Read the Word—this is God’s way of speaking back to you. When the voices of doubt and fear try to crowd our thoughts, we can push them out with the TRUTH of God’s word. I often find that God’s word does away with a lot of grey in my life and makes things very plain for me—black and white. God’s word also provides me with comfort, strength, guidance, and peace when I need it. All I have to do is invest time in reading it and letting it sink deep into my heart and mind.

3. Serve others and pray for them in their distress. I often find that taking the attention off of myself and praying and serving someone else refreshes my soul in ways I can not explain. It gives me something good and trustworthy to do while I wait.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, you are faithful and true. You are with us even until the ends of the earth. When life gets tough and trials come our way, help us to hold firmly to our relationship with you. May we rest in your arms, delight in your truth, and hide in the shadow of your wings. Thank you that you are faithful to meet us right where we are. You never turn us away. You always have time for us. For YOU, we are eternally grateful and thankful.

In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonian 5:16-18

Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall. Psalm 55:22

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7

Surrender

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” Romans 12:12

The same day we heard good news from our daughter’s cardiologist was the same day we found out some startling news in regards to my husband’s heart. If you have been tracking my Monday blogspot on this wonderful site, then you may know that our family is going through a “pruning season”. Our faith is being tested and challenged tremendously. Yet through it all, God has been faithful to grant us HIS peace in the midst of the storm. God has even challenged us to look for ways to bless others and share the Good News of salvation in the midst of the all the craziness.

Today’s blog is simple: it is based on the principles found in Romans 12, where Paul challenges believers to be living sacrifices for God. A textbook definition of sacrifice states, “the surrender or destruction of something prized or desireable for the sake of something considered as having higher or more pressing claim.” Notice that this definition emphasizes that the thing being sacrificed is prized (i.e. our plans for our lives, desires, etc.), but it is being surrendered to something/someone else because that thing is higher or better (i.e. God).

In this midst of our storm, I have to surrender my plans and desires to the Lord, because his plans, thoughts, and ways are higher and better than my own (Isaiah 55:9). I have to trust and believe that God has great plans for my family…plans to prosper us and not to harm us, plans to give us a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11).

In light of the truth of God’s word, and my relationship with him, I know that God can be trusted with my life. I know that this tumultuous season will not last forever. I know God is with me and my family in this storm. I know God hears my every prayer. Because of that I can take Romans 12:12 to heart. Because of who God is, I can be, “Joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer.”

The cool thing is that you, Mom, can have this same treasure. Next time you are in a crazy season, hold on to the truths of God’s word. Do not give up. If you know of someone who is going through a tough time, encourage them with same comfort God has given you.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank you that you are faithful and true all the time. You never fail us…ever. Help us to hold on to the truth of your Word, especially when life gets hard. Help us to be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

A Woman of My Word

Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' 

and your 'No,' 'No'; 

anything beyond this 

comes from the evil one. 

- Matthew 5:37

Lately the Lord has highlighted an area I need to correct in my life. With the craziness of having two very active boys, and being three months pregnant,  I have learned that my memory is going and many times I agree to something and later forget about it. On the flip of that, I have also said, to my kids, there would be a consequence for a behavior done away from home and later forgotten about that too. This bothers me. I don't want my boys to remember back to their childhood and think, "Oh Mom never followed through with what she said, and we could never count on her word for truth." That is a powerful thing to think about. Because we tell them the Truth of God as well and we want them to believe it is true when we share it, but if they have come to second guess our words then they may do that with the Lord as well. 

So Moms....with every problem in life we have two options: (1) to sulk OR (2) to solve. I have chosen the latter and decided to put a white board in my kitchen to write down my "commitments" to my children in order to be a woman of my word. I know that the Word of God says to let my yes be yes and I really want to strive for that in my life. It has been said many times, and is oh so convicting, that our children will look to us, as moms, as the standard for how wives and moms behave. I need to change. I want to look like Jesus...a Truth teller who impacts others because of his character!

Are you characterized by others as one who keeps your word and follows through?

How are you doing with keeping your "commitments" to your kids?

Do you let consequences go because it is easier?
Believe me...easier now but very detrimental later. I have learned this the hard way and am now backtracking to make up for my mistakes.

Do you sulk or try to solve issues that come up? 
Allow issues to be growing experiences....trust me someday the Lord will use your trials to encourage another! 

Is It In You?

Have you seen the Gatorade commercial where the athletes are sweating this yellow, orange, and red fluid? The whole point of the commercial, of course, is that Gatorade will keep you hydrated in an athletic competition. When the going gets tough, the Gatorade gets to working. So, is it in you?

To be honest, I have never thought much about this commercial until the pastor at church yesterday held up a Styrofoam cup. He told the audience, “You don’t know what is in this cup. But if I test it, prod it, poke it, or shake it, you will soon find out.” His point? When we are tested by trials in this life, they not only produce fruit in our lives (perseverance, patience, stronger faith, etc.), but they also reveal what is inside us? They show us where we need to trust God more and grow up.

Ouch! I have to admit that a couple of weeks ago, I received some news that did not make me happy. In fact, it was messing up my nice little plan. More than that, I knew God could step in and fix my situation in an instant. Yet, he was allowing me to wait this one out. I vividly remember telling God, “If you are testing me to see what is really in me, then you are poking just hard enough that some junk is about to come out, and it does not look pretty.” I know. I know. How dare I be so brash with God! However, I figured that He knows my thoughts anyway; I might as well voice them honestly, yet respectfully and ask him to fix me. It was kind of like I was saying, “Lord, I had no idea that kind of junk was in there. I am trusting that you will help me clean this up. Better yet, I am trusting that you will uproot this nastiness of heart and replace it with something that truly pleases you.”

Martin Luther once said, “If it were not for tribulations, I would not understand the Scripture.” How true is that! If it were not for the messy, the painful, and the uncomfortable, I would not know God personally and intimately. There really are no shortcuts to spiritual growth. It is what made Job declare, “I had heard about you before, but know I have seen you with my own eyes.” Job 42:5

Trials and intimacy with the Father are also what caused Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to stand up to King Nebuchadnezzar and declare, “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O King. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O King, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold that you have set up.” Daniel 3:17-18 These three guys had the confidence that God could deliver them, BUT even if God said “no, not this time”, they still decided to trust Him.

That, my friend, is what God wants to do in my life and your life. He wants to get the junk out! He wants to replace our trash with treasure, so that we can receive the joy and crown of life that he promises to those who endure hardship faithfully. Consider James 1: 2-4; 12

                Consider it pure joy, my brothers [and sisters], whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking any good thing…

                Blessed is the man [or woman] who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God promises to those who love him.

So, is it trash day in your house? What is in you that God is trying to take out and replace with Himself? Let Him, and join me in asking for the strength to stand in our trials knowing that He is in control. Need direction? Join me in asking God for wisdom—to know what to do with the information we have. Importantly, stay in his word. Romans 10:17 declares, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing from the Word of God.”

Let’s pray:

God you are so faithful to us. You love us so much! Help us to trust you even when this world gives us a reason to doubt your goodness. Your love for us is perfect. Help us stand up under trials. Help us to learn the truths that will set us free and be renewed inwardly as we trust in you. Help us have the faith to say, “Lord, we know you can, but even if you do not, we will still put our hope, faith, and trust in you.” We love you Lord. Please be our sustainer and our portion forever. Thank you for loving us enough to get the junk out. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

 

Second Chances

This blog post is written by a friend of my named, Julie. She and her family are going through a tremendous trial. Her newborn was born with certain complications and is unable to breathe or eat on his own. He has been in the NICU for about two months, but I know you will be encouraged by how she and her family are choosing trust in an ever-faithful God as they walk through their pain, fears, and heartache. Please lift this family up in your prayers. I know this blog post will encourage you, just as it has encouraged me. Please feel free to follow Julie and her family's journey with Baby Jethro at www.happyhomefairy.com.

When I was in 10th grade, I completely messed up a research paper that was probably the biggest grade I’d get in English class that year.

The teacher took me aside and gently told me the ways in which I had failed to complete the assignment and I began crying enough tears to fill a swimming pool.

But as I sat there with my cheeks all wet and thinking that I would never be asked to move up to the 11th grade, my teacher (who happens to be a famous author and blogs over HERE) said that she would let me have a second chance.

If I redid the assignment correctly, she’d toss the other paper and it would all be like a bad dream.

Second chances…

When we got pregnant with the Happy Baby one thing that kept marching through my brain was this thankful spirit that the Lord was giving me a second chance.

You see, with the Happy Buddy, I was a hot mess the whole first year of his life.

I fretted constantly about his growth (is he gaining enough??), his nursing (what if my milk supply dwindles and I have to put him on formula?!), his schedule (I can’t possibly go to church today because it might interfere with his nap), his health (did that stranger really just kiss my baby on the cheek?!), his pacis falling on the floor (I wonder what kind of deadly disease is now lingering on that MAM), his diaper rashes (should I be doing cloth diapers?), his first foods (is he going to die if I don’t feed him organic?), his sleeping (will he remember that we let him cry-it-out and hold it against us forever?), his playing (why hasn’t he rolled over yet? So-and-so-friend’s baby is practically walking already!), what kind of soap I used for his baths (I’d never read ingredient labels for soap until I had a kid)…

But then I worried about bigger issues, too (hello vaccinations). Almost to a point where I felt paralyzed by the fear.

The fear that I would make a decision and somehow ruin the Happy Buddy forever.

By the time the Happy Buddy turned one I looked back and felt kind of sick to my stomach that I had missed out somehow.

I had spent so much time being anxious that I don’t fully remember the moments where I just plain enjoyed his sweet baby-ness.

I could not wait to get a do-over. Another baby that I could say, “Eat artificially colored M&M’s and greasy pizza for all I care, just let me kiss those chubby cheeks a hundred million times a day.”

Naturally, when the Happy Baby arrived and before I could even kiss his precious cheeks twice the doctors were whisking him away uttering phrases like, “It could go either way…”, I had the thought What about my second chance?

And then the days turned into weeks and suddenly the fears I had about the Happy Buddy seemed kind of silly in light of the obstacles the Happy Baby was already facing at the beginning of his life.

Suddenly I didn’t care so much that the NICU uses Johnson & Johnson soap for bath times.

Suddenly I didn’t care so much when the doctor said they needed to start adding formula to my breastmilk because he’s breathing so fast and burning so many calories he needs the extra boost to help him grow.

Suddenly vaccinations seemed like a walk in the park when we were faced with the decision to put the Happy Baby on chemotherapy-powered drugs for 6 long weeks to try and fight this virus.

Suddenly the things I am anxious about are more about how no one is there to hold him in the middle of the night, respond to his every cry, stroke his hair back, turn his mobile on, or hold his paci in place for hours at a time just because it makes him happy.

And when I am with him, I study every single God-painted feature on his sweet little face is and consider how precious each of his tiny toes and fingers are.

I drink in his smell, thank Jesus for every diaper change, and cherish the feel of his peach-fuzzed earlobes.

I hold him and sing to him and find peace in the moment that is ours.

When I am with the Happy Baby there is no time to think about the long-term consequences of all that he’s endured the last 5 weeks.

Because I’ve learned that I have no control over the outcome of the Happy Baby’s life.

No amount of organic food I ate during my pregnancy could have made a difference in how the Lord designed the Happy Baby and this season of our lives right now.

With the Happy Buddy I had let my pride rule my faith – bearing this unnecessary, strangling burden for every single decision.

Jesus says parenting is a whole lot easier than that (check out Matthew 11:30).

Now don’t get me wrong.

I am not saying to throw all caution to the wind and let your child eat chicken nuggets, fries, and chocolate milk every day (although if your baby is in the NICU for an extended period of time, this action might be unavoidable), stay up late every night, and exist without any boundaries whatsoever.

I am also not bashing my sweet cloth diapering or organic-food-growing friends. I’d totally do cloth if I wasn’t so addicted to convenience and I try to buy organic whenever our budget allows.

You must find what’s best for your Happy Home (and never judge another Happy Home that may choose to do things differently than you).

What I am saying is that while making well-educated, prayerful choices for our children is super important (you can bet the Happy Hubby and I have been on our knees about every little thing we’ve chosen to pursue concerning the Happy Baby’s health), when we let ourselves be overwhelmed by the responsibility, we take our eyes off of Christ and the very fact that our kids are not our own.

They belong to Him.

We are not in control.

This is the second chance I have been given.

To choose to treasure the time I do have with my baby – however long it may be – and not be afraid of what the future holds.

Because He is God’s child.

A child who was fearfully and wonderfully made by the very hands of Christ, who had all the days ordained for him written in His book before one of them came to be (Psalm 139).

A child who is covered by the promise that God has good plans for his life – plans to prosper him and not to harm him. Plans to give him hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11).

And I’m pretty sure that whether or not he wears cloth diapers is going to change that.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways acknowledge him,

and he will make your paths straight.

Do not be wise in your own eyes;

fear the Lord and shun evil.

This will bring health to your body

and nourishment to your bones.”

Proverbs 3:5-8

*Update – God has blessed us with good progress this week! The doctor took the Happy Baby’s Superhero Hat away (phew) and he is now on a high air flow machine. We are praying that he will be weaned of that soon. He continues to seem stronger each day – a credit to our great God. Next week they will repeat the swallow test to see if he is strong enough to nurse/take a bottle again (please pray for victory in that!). We are also waiting on some test results in order to move forward with a diagnosis. Thank you, everyone, for your prayers and support. I am eternally grateful for the strength your faith has given mine!*

 

Unite and Conquer

The other day my husband and I had caught a bit of an interview with actor and war hero JR Martinez. In 2003, this man sustained severe burns to over 40 percent of his body while serving in the US Army in Iraq. At some point following this event, this man made a choice to not let his circumstances define him. He chose to rise above and rather than hide to avoid being judged by his 'different' appearance; he chose instead to put himself out there in the public view as an actor. Wow- in a society obsessed with outward appearances, this was such a brave and bold move.

As I pause to reflect on hardships and trials in my life, I realize that as Christians, we can at times not necessarily forget God's grace and goodness, but we certainly choose to focus on what we don't yet have or what we wish God would change in our lives. In a Bible study I recently attended, the speaker said this, "Your circumstances don't define you, your reaction to them does." Such a sobering thought. This man reacted in such a way that said he decidedly was not going to take this lying down. He would live his life as a victor rather than a victim. While I cannot speak to his relationship with the Lord, I do believe that this is what the Lord is calling us to do. He tells us we are more than conquerors.

Romans 8:31-39
What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We need to live as conquerors through our faith in Christ and teach this to our children. They watch every action, word, and reaction as they are developing their own character. Let's set our minds to be the kind of moms that model what it is like to live a life convinced that nothing can separate us from the love of God, and the kind of moms who act and react to trials as more than conquerors through Him who loves us.

This isn't to say that our children should never see us cry. On the contrary, we are also responsible to teach them how to deal with emotions in a healthy way and that to everything there is a season and there is, in fact, a time to cry. (Ecclesiastes 3) We need to be sure our actions, thoughts, and words are also bathed in humility because taking this 'conqueror mentality' to extreme can produce pride, which is not God's heart for us. It is not in our own strength, but in His that we have the victory.

In light of this, let's ask ourselves: Am I facing a trial or hardship right now? Is my reaction to this situation honoring the Lord? Have I allowed my circumstances, past or present, to define me? Is my character such that I would want my children to model it in their own trials in life? If not, the time is now to ask God to help us grow and mature in our faith and handle these trials and hardships with His grace.

Another quote from a wise teacher- "Every moment has a beginning and an end." This too shall pass, and you will eventually come out on the other side of it. These matters are temporal, but our God is not.

We need to also keep in mind that the outcome may not always be what we want it to be. That should not change our reaction. I once heard a story of a woman with terminal cancer who, though she eventually passed away, chose to not let her illness define and defeat her. Cancer was just the carriage God used to drive her home. And though the ride was bumpy at times, she decided to sit back and enjoy it, living each day she had left with enthusiasm, joy, faith, and appreciation. God could have taken her suddenly, instead He gave her precious time with her loved ones. She chose to put her trust in the Author of her life and live out a happy ending and new beginning. That could not have been easy, but nothing worth doing usually is.

As sisters in Christ, we need to unite and conquer by reaching out to each other and being a source of support, encouragement, and wisdom. We also need to be sure to spend less time talking about the problem, and more time praying through our reaction and for God's wisdom. You may not be able to change your circumstances, nor can you change the people around you, (ref Proverbs 12:3) but you are the only one responsible for deciding what your reaction will be. Remember, little eyes and little hearts are watching you, taking everything in, and learning how to behave as modeled by you.

It's not enough just to read the Word of God. We need to start living like we believe that every word is true. The Word of God is alive and active. It is sharper than any double-edged sword. (Hebrews 4) Ladies, let's pick up our swords, hold firmly to the faith we profess, and not let our circumstances define us. Instead, let our reactions to them be such that our children arise and call us blessed. (Prov. 31) Let our battle cry be "If God is for us, who can be against!"

Prayer: Great and Mighty God, I believe in You and Your Word. Please help me to see this situation I am faced with as a light and temporary trial. Please help me to recognize that not only is my own character being shaped and molded through this trial, but also those of my children. May my reaction be pleasing to You and a model to them. May I be a source of strength and support to my husband as we face this together. May it draw our family closer to you and each other. Please help me to daily pick up my sword and hold firmly to my faith in you. May we be more than conquerors through You, Jesus. Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

For Meditation and Action: Take a close look at the way you have personally handled past trials and hardships. Do not condemn yourself, but rather look to God's character as a model for how He would have you react. Start today to allow the Lord to change you from the inside. Allow Him to mold you and shape you as the Potter (Isaiah 64:8) molds the clay, placing it into the fire to make it stronger. Use each trial as an opportunity to teach your children grace, self-control, firm faith, and wisdom to see beyond the moment. Set your mind and heart to live your life as more than a conqueror and teach your children to do the same.

Say to yourself "I will not let _________ define and defeat me. My hope and faith is in You Lord. We will conquer this together." Believe it and live it! Remember it every time you feel like throwing yourself a pity party, and instead make plans for your victory celebration!