Tag Archives: trials

While Digging He Found The Rock

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Last year I had volunteered for a task.  I was excited about this commitment, and if you would have asked me I would have said God made it very clear this was His will.  This was an area in my life where I felt God could use me, I could become his vessel.

Things started out good and were going as planned.  Then in the blink of an eye things went “south.”

I had made the commitment to complete this task, so I was in it for the long haul.  But when things did not go as I had envisioned them, I began questioning everything in me.  I wondered if I actually followed God’s will, I was so sure at first but now I was bewildered.  God did make himself evident as I was going through this trial and though this time of questioning.  That is what kept me hanging on.  He kept saying, “just be faithful.” When the task was finally completed I was emotionally and spiritually beat up.

If this was God’s will, why did things go so wrong?  My feelings were hurt, many tears were shed, and I was beaten down.   I even was so upset I emailed a trusted friend and said, “Living the superficial Christian life is so much easier  and I don’t think I am capable of anything more.” I thought I understood where God wanted me, I thought I was seeking his will, but I was left wondering if I did more harm in His name than I did good. (that alone scared me to death!)

God allowed me my time of questioning, he never leaves.  He allowed me to vent my anger and frustration.  But God being God is always waiting for the right time to reveal more of him.  I was recently reading the story about the two builders in Luke 6:46-49.  Maybe you missed this part of the story also:

    7 Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: 48 he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.

When you first read the passage above you think, ok this builder was smart and built his house on the solid foundation.  I am one who lives on solid foundation as a Christian, which is what I have been taught to believe.  But if you read it slowly you see the words “who dug deep and then laid the foundation.”

The foundation was not already there for the builder to build his house on, there needed to be blood, sweat and tears until he reached the foundation to build his life upon. This builder built his house ON ROCK.  Imagine the hard work he had to put into building his house.  No wonder the other builder built his house on the sand, he saw what it took to build on the rock and did not want to put himself though all the hassle.

Is there a possibility that during that time of digging he wondered if this was really the right spot?

Possibly the builder had the misconception that the foundation should be ready for him to build on as soon as he accepted the piece of land.

During the building process, I am sure there were many questions and insecurities.  But you know what the builder found, God allowed those questions; he allowed those tears to fall.  But once the builder came to the firm foundation, there was NOTHING that could shake him.  No matter how hard the storms blew, that builder put his time in and found the foundation to place everything upon it.

He found the ROCK.

I learned a lot from that experience last year, and this next year as I mentioned before brings questions and insecurities, but what I do know is that I did hear God’s word correctly.  I was just in the process of digging!  May God reveal more of Him in 2010!

What about you?  Have you ever been involved with something you were sure was God’s will but it did not go as planned?  Maybe you were hurt in the process and it left you spiritually bruised.  Maybe this little story of the man who had to DIG to find the ROCK will encourage you to stay the course and to remain faithful.

Happy New Years!

When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Lemonade

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That is the phrase that has been circling around in my head.  I hope you had a wonderful Christmas!  Our family traveled to Baltimore to play in the snow I will be sharing some photos here soon.

At the beginning of any new year people become contemplative, wondering what the new year will bring.  Wondering what lies ahead.  Well lately life has been handing people in my family some lemons.  I begin this new year with more questions then I do excitement, but that tells me God is going to move in mighty unseen ways.

As I was driving home God said, “Lori what can you do with lemons?” Lemons are tart, most people don’t eat them just as they are, for many people they by themselves are undesirable.  That is like some of the trails and questions we face, they by themselves are undesirable.   But what happens to lemons if you add some water and some sweetener with a tall glass of ice, you have a nice drink of lemonade.  Something that is very desirable on a hot summer day.  What if God takes your trials, your questions, adds a little more “through” kind of  faith, grace and mercy into the mix?  Then you have something that was undesirable, now bringing Glory to Him.

What I do know to be true is that if God is calling you to go through something, he will provide the means necessary to do so.  Sure life may not go as planned, look at Matt Chandler who ended his year with brain cancer, but I do see how many people he has touched and I know of at least one who has become a Christian because of it.  Life may become unpleasant, our natural desire is to live a relatively easy life, but one thing I have learned is that God’s power is shown brighter through our weakness.  When trials come, and life changes, God is calling you worthy.  He is holding your hand through everything, asking you to be a vessel for His power.  I guess the question remains, how will each of us respond? Because we have free will, God will allow us to fall into the pit of despair, he will allow us to become angry and bitter, but that is not his desire.

So I sit here looking at what is to come, asking God to remove some thorns, but knowing in my heart God is going to ask me to have some “through” kind of faith.  God is asking me if he can take my lemons and walk me through the process in making some sweet lemonade in the New Year.

Is your future uncertain, are you still dealing with job loss or health issues?  Has life given you some lemons and you look into 2010 with hesitation? Be encouraged God’s power is stronger in your weakness and he can take the undesirable and use it to bring Glory to Him.  Right now for me, I take my Saviors hand and ask him to show me how to make sweet lemonade in the new year.   How about you?

Do Not Fear I am With You

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I knew when I saw September 1st approaching I had taken on more than I could handle.  All of them GOOD things, all of them are things that I wanted to do, but that left little time for blogging.  That is why I have not blogged as much.

I had a few guest posts, one here on Pearl Girls and the second one will be posted here today.

I had my scheduled interview, which was an honor for me.  To be recognized for something you do as a hobby, was awesome.

I wrote an article that will be featured in November (details later), but it was an article that took a lot out of my heart.  It was something I have not shared about in bloggy world yet.  Something I am still processing myself.  So stay tune.

The bible study I am teaching each Wednesday is awesome, but even with that it has ended up taking more time than I anticipated.  This is not the bible study fault, but my fault in not realizing how bible studies were conducted.  This is my first time teaching in several years, I went in kind of blind.  When I taught before it was with a video, but this study I am teaching now and that has me talking the whole time.  Out of my comfort zone and a struggle with a girl of few words.  I have literally been praying the Lord would give me diarrhea of the mouth (now mind you I can write, but talking is completely different).  I am more of a “well this is what God says about this subject, this is what we studied, the end.” ha!!   God is really stretching me in a good way.  I praise God he is continually refining me and teaching me.

There were two family birthdays this month, and if I am honest I have to admit I let both of them down.  We celebrated, but a promised sleep-over fell through and a promised day of pampering for the other one did not happen either, due to plans changing.  Even though directly they were not my fault, we as women tend to take it on ourselves like they were.

The thrilling emotions of finally welcoming in a new pastor and his family to our church.  Oh my excitement was soaring and our covenant service with the new pastor was something like I have never experienced before.  Greater things are INDEED yet to come.

And here at the end of this week is my 16th wedding anniversary.  My husband had something awesome planned and he actually was doing all the details himself,  this is huge for me because I usually plan things.  Well unfortunately things fell through, no fault of hubby.  He is very sad and I am sad for him.

Can you see the up and down of emotions here?  So many others are in the midst of challenges so for some reason I find my heart heavy today.

But you know what none of this catches God by surprise. He is there every step of the way.  He has been hammering it into my head, when I am weak HE is strong, when I can’t HE CAN….and my prayer is that through it all I give God the glory and keep my walk aligned with His will for my life.  As I was driving to work today I heard the verse:

Don’t be afraid, my servant Jacob,” declares the LORD. “I am with you. Jer. 46:28

Do not be afraid God in right there with you!

Maybe you needed to read that verse also, just as I did.  So how has your September been?  I do have to say September, October, and November are my favorite time of the year!