So when you get some bad news or things don't go exactly like you planned, what do you do? Do you get upset and anxious? Or do you realize that God is in control? He knows it all. Do you realize that in this world we will have trials and tribulations? That it depends on our personal choice as to how we react to these trials.
He never leaves us or forsakes us. He is there as we walk through our valleys or experience our pain. Our choice is to look to him. Do not be discourage or dismayed for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. If it's on the mountaintop or down in the valley, He is right there.
We have a choice. We can give up, we can be discouraged, we can think that this is how it is....OR We can stand strong on the Rock, we can Praise Him during the storm, We can be still and know He alone is God.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Monday, March 9, 2009
Thankful
I am so thankful for my Father's love. I'm so thankful that He was willing to give His Son so that I can have everlasting life! I'm so thankful that He loves even a sinner such as I. I think about all the times I've failed Him, denied Him, questioned Him and through it all- HE REMAINS THE SAME.
If he can lift me up out of the miry clay and turn beauty from my ashes. He can deliver us from anything! What makes you think He can save us from our sins, provide us eternal life...but not heal us, not give us the overflowing, abundant life He has promised us. I will never leave you or forsake you. Even though you walk through the valley, I AM with you. He rewards those that dilegently seek Him. Not just wish for the best, hope for the best, oh...still bad news, oh still this or that...and then give up. We must dilegently look for Him, believe in Him, perservere, endure....all those things that are hard. Why? Because we are a people of convenience. A people that want, what we want, RIGHT NOW!!! Wouldn't it be amazing if we could realize that He knows our every step, NOTHING surprises Him! No loss of job, no illness, no financial problem or marital issue...BUT He does want us to look to Him for the answer and the call to obedience. That's the hard part!
My prayer Father is that we all strive and endure and perserver and know YOU ALONE ARE GOD!!!
If he can lift me up out of the miry clay and turn beauty from my ashes. He can deliver us from anything! What makes you think He can save us from our sins, provide us eternal life...but not heal us, not give us the overflowing, abundant life He has promised us. I will never leave you or forsake you. Even though you walk through the valley, I AM with you. He rewards those that dilegently seek Him. Not just wish for the best, hope for the best, oh...still bad news, oh still this or that...and then give up. We must dilegently look for Him, believe in Him, perservere, endure....all those things that are hard. Why? Because we are a people of convenience. A people that want, what we want, RIGHT NOW!!! Wouldn't it be amazing if we could realize that He knows our every step, NOTHING surprises Him! No loss of job, no illness, no financial problem or marital issue...BUT He does want us to look to Him for the answer and the call to obedience. That's the hard part!
My prayer Father is that we all strive and endure and perserver and know YOU ALONE ARE GOD!!!
Monday, March 2, 2009
Questioning God.....
Have you ever had the rug pulled completely out from under you? Have you ever just been trotting right a long and then the horse bucks you completely off? Have you ever felt like you are so close to having your life just going completely like you dreamed and then boom, it all comes to a screeching halt?
I guess we all have had things happen that have made us question God. Wonder why is this happening. It's like it's been tough...and then we found You. We've believed in You and then how come? Why is this happening now? Our dreams are so close. We have the faith. We've seen it through Your eyes. This one thing could change it all.
So I cry and I cry and I'm scared and I want to scream. But deep down I feel You say, "I am here, Paige." So I trust, we have to trust....that You are Sovereign. That He that has begun a work will finish it. That somehow, even how scary and uncertain it may seem...somehow...we still have to have faith. That faith isn't built during all the good times, but in the fiery furnace and in the belly of the whale and when we face Goliath. That in this world we will have trials and tribulations but take joy in knowing HE HAS OVERCOME THE WORLD! PRAISE GOD, for Greater is He that is in me, than he that is in the world.
So I will stand firm on my Rock, I will not be moved. I will say, "Devil, you are a liar!"- you have come to steal, kill and destroy but MY GOD has said I have come to give you Life and a Life more abundant. So no disease, no sickness, not one thing can come against my Rock and the fountain in which I drink of, My God is the My Rock and My salvation- NOTHING SHALL I FEAR!
So no matter what. I will keep walking in faith. I may feel like my brothers have sold me in to slavery, I may feel like there isn't one friend I can lean on, I may feel like our dreams are shattered. BUT I KNOW A GOD who turns water in to wine. Who can cause the Red Sea to stand up and part. Who can cause the blind to see and the lame to walk. I have a God that Healeth Thee! So instead of fear and loneliness. I choose PEACE and JOY and LOVE and LONGSUFFERING and PATIENCE....My God will supply everything I need.
I guess we all have had things happen that have made us question God. Wonder why is this happening. It's like it's been tough...and then we found You. We've believed in You and then how come? Why is this happening now? Our dreams are so close. We have the faith. We've seen it through Your eyes. This one thing could change it all.
So I cry and I cry and I'm scared and I want to scream. But deep down I feel You say, "I am here, Paige." So I trust, we have to trust....that You are Sovereign. That He that has begun a work will finish it. That somehow, even how scary and uncertain it may seem...somehow...we still have to have faith. That faith isn't built during all the good times, but in the fiery furnace and in the belly of the whale and when we face Goliath. That in this world we will have trials and tribulations but take joy in knowing HE HAS OVERCOME THE WORLD! PRAISE GOD, for Greater is He that is in me, than he that is in the world.
So I will stand firm on my Rock, I will not be moved. I will say, "Devil, you are a liar!"- you have come to steal, kill and destroy but MY GOD has said I have come to give you Life and a Life more abundant. So no disease, no sickness, not one thing can come against my Rock and the fountain in which I drink of, My God is the My Rock and My salvation- NOTHING SHALL I FEAR!
So no matter what. I will keep walking in faith. I may feel like my brothers have sold me in to slavery, I may feel like there isn't one friend I can lean on, I may feel like our dreams are shattered. BUT I KNOW A GOD who turns water in to wine. Who can cause the Red Sea to stand up and part. Who can cause the blind to see and the lame to walk. I have a God that Healeth Thee! So instead of fear and loneliness. I choose PEACE and JOY and LOVE and LONGSUFFERING and PATIENCE....My God will supply everything I need.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Is there anything too big for God?
Do you believe that God cares enough to take care of all of your needs? Don't you know the desires He has placed on your heart, he is ready to have come to pass. He wants to give us the desires of our heart! We must do one thing and that's believe and praise Him. Not just praise Him once it happens but praise Him before you see anything! Praise precedes the victory!
Is there something that you've been believing for? Did God place something on your heart that you tell yourself there's no way? Do you have a desire or dream that died years ago and you think well it's too late? Stand up today and know there is nothing too big for God! Don't think about what didn't happen, or what you didn't do. Look to Him and he will give you new dreams or renew the dream that died. Speak words of faith and know that with God all things are possible!
Is there something that you've been believing for? Did God place something on your heart that you tell yourself there's no way? Do you have a desire or dream that died years ago and you think well it's too late? Stand up today and know there is nothing too big for God! Don't think about what didn't happen, or what you didn't do. Look to Him and he will give you new dreams or renew the dream that died. Speak words of faith and know that with God all things are possible!
Acting in Faith
Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. One of my favorite verses. I'll have to just say "it is written" cause I can never remember book, chapter and verse....
Today we went and picked out colors for the house. Of course, her room is pink. Not a bright pink or rosy pink, just a soft pink. Preparing, believing, seeing in our spiritual eyes that's what we have to do. In the natural it may seem like nothing is there but we serve a God who provides! Last night I lay in bed thinking about her. I do that quite often. Wondering when she'll be here, how it will happen, all that....it's not like the typical "pregnancy wait" knowing you will deliver in 9 months, go to hospital, all that....This is like up in the air, completely running on faith. You know what though? It's all good because I know God is in control. It's really helped us in our walk with Him. Putting all our trust in Him in all we do. It's hard and we are learning every day but I'm so glad we are learning and not stuck where we were.
Patience, I think that's probably the biggest thing. You can be joyful, loving, even peaceful pretty easy....but boy that patience thing, that's a doosey for us! So it may not be tomorrow, it may not be next month....but we know His plan is in motion. That's the most reassuring thing we could ever know. Trust in the Lord your God with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding, but in all ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path! Can't get any better than that!
Today we went and picked out colors for the house. Of course, her room is pink. Not a bright pink or rosy pink, just a soft pink. Preparing, believing, seeing in our spiritual eyes that's what we have to do. In the natural it may seem like nothing is there but we serve a God who provides! Last night I lay in bed thinking about her. I do that quite often. Wondering when she'll be here, how it will happen, all that....it's not like the typical "pregnancy wait" knowing you will deliver in 9 months, go to hospital, all that....This is like up in the air, completely running on faith. You know what though? It's all good because I know God is in control. It's really helped us in our walk with Him. Putting all our trust in Him in all we do. It's hard and we are learning every day but I'm so glad we are learning and not stuck where we were.
Patience, I think that's probably the biggest thing. You can be joyful, loving, even peaceful pretty easy....but boy that patience thing, that's a doosey for us! So it may not be tomorrow, it may not be next month....but we know His plan is in motion. That's the most reassuring thing we could ever know. Trust in the Lord your God with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding, but in all ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path! Can't get any better than that!
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Are you stuck in the same corner?
It's been a while since I've wrote, so much going on in the Evans household....House building, new job for me, Clinton back home, ice storm, taxes (yuck!)....Lots of stuff! We are getting closer to completion on the house. I can't wait to get in and get the final home study done, so we can go to the next step with the adoption. Keep praying for us. We are growing weary and discouraged. We know we want God's timing....so we have to remain patient. Pray that we don't loose sight of Him.
The other day I was driving by a house just down the road from our new home. I've noticed this horse the last few times....It seems like every time I drive by, he's standing in the same corner! Now I don't know much about horses, and maybe this is a common thing for them. But, I did realize something the other day. How many times do I go to the same corner? We are such creatures of habit, well at least I am....How about you? Do you find yourself sitting on the same pew at the same spot? Do you go and eat at the same restaurant every time you go out? Do you talk to the same people at the ball game? Do you listen to the same music, watch the same tv show? Attend the same "church" for the last 20 years? Now I may get some eyebrows raised at that one! But really, have you ever thought that stepping outside your box, your little world that you just might see Jesus in a different light....Have you ever thought that God might have something out there for you but you have to be willing to change it up. That poor horse has been standing in that corner for how long??!!! He's missed so much by standing in the corner. I've never seen him running around or for that fact just standing in a different corner. What have we missed out on by playing it safe and staying in our corner?
God desires for us to have an abundant, over flowing, full life. He tells us the world is ours! How cool is that! So next time you start walking over to that corner. Think about the the fullness of our God and the fullness of our world and the "people" that we miss every day, because we are in "our corner".
The other day I was driving by a house just down the road from our new home. I've noticed this horse the last few times....It seems like every time I drive by, he's standing in the same corner! Now I don't know much about horses, and maybe this is a common thing for them. But, I did realize something the other day. How many times do I go to the same corner? We are such creatures of habit, well at least I am....How about you? Do you find yourself sitting on the same pew at the same spot? Do you go and eat at the same restaurant every time you go out? Do you talk to the same people at the ball game? Do you listen to the same music, watch the same tv show? Attend the same "church" for the last 20 years? Now I may get some eyebrows raised at that one! But really, have you ever thought that stepping outside your box, your little world that you just might see Jesus in a different light....Have you ever thought that God might have something out there for you but you have to be willing to change it up. That poor horse has been standing in that corner for how long??!!! He's missed so much by standing in the corner. I've never seen him running around or for that fact just standing in a different corner. What have we missed out on by playing it safe and staying in our corner?
God desires for us to have an abundant, over flowing, full life. He tells us the world is ours! How cool is that! So next time you start walking over to that corner. Think about the the fullness of our God and the fullness of our world and the "people" that we miss every day, because we are in "our corner".
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Praying and then waiting....
How many times have you caught yourself praying about something and then 2 or 3 days later, goodness for me sometimes withing the next hour...TAKE IT ALL BACK OVER!!!! Please,don't tell me I'm the only one!!! Well, some of you may know about our situation. Clinton went back to the State Police back in April. He had to move to Searcy Co. though till an opening came available here in Marion Co. Yes, move there. So he loaded up a travel trailer, much thanks to a fellow trooper for allowing us to use it, and headed to Searcy Co. to live 5 days a week. Needless to say, the prayers began before he got out the door. We prayed that those in authority would recognize the need for Clinton to be with his family. God created families to be together. We knew Clinton returning to the ASP was what God intended because of the way it all happened. So we knew we were in His will but just trying to figure out why Clinton had to leave.
I don't wonder that anymore. More on that later.....
Anyway, prayers went up daily, many times a day.....At night the boys and I would cry as we tried to get the words out to God. That was hard. But we refused to get downcast or discouraged. We refused to take it over and try and figure out how WE could get him back here. Who WE needed to talk to or butter up...So WE just decided to let go and let GOD! In the meantime,we all received a little bit more patience and longsuffering as we chose to praise God for all He has done for us and that He wouldn't leave us now. Nor, leave Clinton down in Searcy Co. forever!!!
Dec. 22nd we received a letter, an unexpected letter! The best Christmas present we have ever recieved. I'll share with you the most important part of the letter, "My request is that Corporal Evans be returned to Marion Co. as soon as possible." That's right, not just return him but AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!!! As I read the letter, I knew that God had taken care of us. Doesn't He always, IF WE LET HIM! Our prayer had been answered. It wasn't the next day, it wasn't the next week, it wasn't even the next month. It was 9 months later. Like I said, we learned to develop patience and being a little more longsuffering. We experienced feelings of loss and despair at times but in the end we always praised Him. That's what He desires from us to look to Him in all we do and He will direct our path. In the real world, to the flesh, it looked as though Clinton would be there for a while. No troop school in site, no word from anyone, nothing....but we knew in our world the one God heads up, that He had it under control.
I don't wonder that anymore. More on that later.....
Anyway, prayers went up daily, many times a day.....At night the boys and I would cry as we tried to get the words out to God. That was hard. But we refused to get downcast or discouraged. We refused to take it over and try and figure out how WE could get him back here. Who WE needed to talk to or butter up...So WE just decided to let go and let GOD! In the meantime,we all received a little bit more patience and longsuffering as we chose to praise God for all He has done for us and that He wouldn't leave us now. Nor, leave Clinton down in Searcy Co. forever!!!
Dec. 22nd we received a letter, an unexpected letter! The best Christmas present we have ever recieved. I'll share with you the most important part of the letter, "My request is that Corporal Evans be returned to Marion Co. as soon as possible." That's right, not just return him but AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!!! As I read the letter, I knew that God had taken care of us. Doesn't He always, IF WE LET HIM! Our prayer had been answered. It wasn't the next day, it wasn't the next week, it wasn't even the next month. It was 9 months later. Like I said, we learned to develop patience and being a little more longsuffering. We experienced feelings of loss and despair at times but in the end we always praised Him. That's what He desires from us to look to Him in all we do and He will direct our path. In the real world, to the flesh, it looked as though Clinton would be there for a while. No troop school in site, no word from anyone, nothing....but we knew in our world the one God heads up, that He had it under control.
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