Trials

[naomi65233]

As many of you know the midwest is getting hit with some serious ice storms. Missouri is among one of those states that are being affected as well. Saturday night it was the middle of the night and I started hearing thunder and seeing lightning. It was funny because they were calling for freezing rain,not thunderstorms, all of a sudden it started to rain and not regular rain, but freezing rain and it was hitting the windows hard. I just went back to sleep thinking we probably wont have church on Sunday because of the weather. In the morning I got up and looked out the window and figured Yep we wont have church because the roads are iced over. So both me and my hubby were watching the closings scroll down on the bottom of the TV. We didnt see that his work was closed down and I didnt see that our Church was cancelled. I looked out the window and thought to myself these people are crazy if they want me to drive in this stuff, I waited and waited and still no closing. It was like 7 oclock and I knew I had to be to church by 845 for leadership class, so I had to get the kids up and get moving. I wasnt all to happy about having to drive in it but I conviced myself that everything was going to be okay and I would take it nice and slow. Being from Michigan I am use to driving on snow and ice. So after letting my car warm up for about 30 minutes we all started to church. Our road was icy, and slippery and I was thinking is this what its gonna be like all the way to church. We live 45 minutes away by the way. Once we hit Main street it was just slushy. Once I hit the highway it was clear. I made a call to my hubby to see what way he took to work and he told me he had taken the highway. I was able to drive 60 and got to church 5 minutes late but still make it to Leadership class. I had to repent on my way to Church for my lack of trust in our Pastor, thinking he was out to do me more harm than Good. After I had repented about maybe 50 people showed up, between the Pastor, his wife, the Sunday school teachers, kids and parents.We normally have over 300.

 The message Pastor preached was awesome. To sum it up he was preaching out of 2 Kings. There were 4 men who were struck with leprosy and their was famine in the land. Elisha the prophet had just prophesied that there was going to be a end to the famine but the King could only see that Elisha made the King feed the Syrian army. The Bible says that we are to feed our enemys and our enemys will be presented before us at the table. (Paraphrase). So needlesss to say there were some upset people because they were hungry and they were going to die. The four lepers had a choice to make sit where they were at and die, go into the city and die, or go back to the Syrian camp, where the knew the Leader of the Syrian camp and die, Their hopes were that the Syrian Army would have Mercy on them and feed them. When they got there the Syrian army had fled! The lepers ate and took back some of the riches that had been left by the Army. They went back and told the King what they had found and the King thought it was a trap and sent some men out to find out, if this was indeed true or not. It was. The famine ended and the city had more than enough to survive on.

As I was sitting back and listening to this, our Pastor put it into practical everyday life senarios. I could of sat back and complained about the ice and having to drive in it, but I wasnt looking beyond the circumstances to see that there was a way out. I was only looking out the window and wasnt very happy about what I was seeing. Once I got on the road and started heading to the Church I could see that God had made a way to church when there seem to be no way. How many times do we sit by and look at the circumstances and see no way out and refuse to step out in Faith to discover that God has made a way out for us. We only see what we want to see and not what God wants us to see. His words says that if you  seek first his kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Now for those of you who know us, you know that my hubby got laid off but found another job and so we are having a difficult time financially,but through the ice storm I was shown, If I look so much further than my circumstances that God has this all under control. It takes stepping out and continuing to do what God has called us to do to see the whole big picture! If he can clothe and feed the birds of the Air, Can He not also clothe and feed us?

Trials are never fun, but they do bring us to a place where we press even futher into Gods perfect will for our lives. I know that God doesnt want us to keep going through all this financial hardships, and I know that He has a plan and a purpose for our lives. But we as Believers need to step out and see the plan and Hear the plan and Do the plan.

Dont let the storms of your lives tell you what needs to be done, you tell the storms of your lives what you are going to do. Dont let it stop you from doing the Will of God. Have faith in the things that you cannot see and Have Faith in God who does see everything.

 

I pray that you all get a revaltion of what I was shown. I thank the Lord even in the middle of an icestorm that He has his hand upon us.

[MemawBrie]

Dec. 11, 2007 at 4:06 PM

Praying for you! My niece lives in the Basheor (Bonner Springs), KS area and I called her today to see how they were faring. She said they were one of the few in the neighborhood that still had their power. All the trees and power lines are weighted down with ice. I grew up in Overland Park, KS and I remember those treacherous ice storms! I hated it! It was like riding in bumper cars on the roads!

[supermomof6]

Dec. 11, 2007 at 4:53 PM Great post!! It sure made me look at things differently!! Thanks!! =)

[RaeAnne]

Dec. 11, 2007 at 5:01 PM Thanks naomi, I really needed that today!  You are absolutelly right and so was your pastor!  God Bless and I pray you are safe and warm.  I didnt' know your husband went thru the same thing mine is going thru now.  It is encouraging to hear God working His wonders!  Praise be to God!

[clutterqueen]

Dec. 12, 2007 at 12:01 AM There is a reason you lead my dear.....I am still holding on to the hut story, and now I am braving the storm.  You are a source of inspiration for this weary mommy.  God Bless you and your family my friend.

[Cr8zyMommy3]

Dec. 12, 2007 at 6:34 PM I think I am begining to see the other side of things after reading this.  Thank you for sharing this wonderful experience.  God Bless.