My husband told me on January 17th of this year that God had told him this was going to be a year of faith. I had no idea the impact of what those words really meant. I've always lived my life by faith so I just thought, "ok!" The year started off great in every aspect of our lives. The kids were doing well in school, and they finished up the year with a bang. We got to go celebrate my parents 50th anniversary with them in June and had the opportunity to take the kids to my grandmother's farm to see where I spent a lot of my summers and Christmas' growing up. The church was doing great! It was growing, new classes had begun, we had baptized over 30 just in the first few months, small groups were active...all was well.
The past few months have been somewhat of a whirlwind. Derrick and I have experienced some of the hardest days in ministry which trickled to every area of our lives. The heartache of losing friends. The heartache of our kids losing their friends. The struggle to understand what in the world was going on. As a Christ follower, I have experienced spiritual warfare on a daily basis, but the reality of Ephesians 6:12 had never felt so extreme.
"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places."
I honestly felt as though we were on the front line of a battlefield and I never even knew what the war was about or how it started.
You always hear not to pray for patience because you know that you will be tested in order for that virtue to be grown in your life. I can definitely say these past few months have been a testing of my faith. Thankfully, I know who my Redeemer is and I know who has the victory! Through it all, I still have faith that my Savior is in control and that
"In all things God works for the good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose!" Rom. 8:28
His never failing love never ceases to amaze me and His promise to see us through any hardship has definitely, once again, been proven true.
I thank HIm for the testing of my faith because I can continue to stand firm in His great love and power.
When your faith seems so small, remember that Jesus says that all it has to be is the size of a mustard seed. "I tell you the truth,if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain 'move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you!" Matthew 17:20 If that doesn't get your blood pumping, I don't know what will! As children of God, we can move mountains!!!! What mountain is standing in your way today?
"Submit to God and be at peace with HIm; in this way prosperity will come to you." Job 22:21
I have learned through this trial that when you don't understand your circumstances, just continue submitting your life to Christ and regardless of what is going on around you, just make sure that you are at peace with Him! I promise that good things will come!
As the turbulence subsides, and we continue seeking the will of our Father, I can tell you God has graciously brought sunshine at the end of the storm for our family. I placed the picture above because the dot within the circle is about the size of a mustard seed. That dot resembles the testing of my faith, which will now grow into another one of God's amazing blessings of life. This was a very unexpected blessing, but I know that God had this special plan for us. We are thankful and grateful and will continue on serving and doing the will of our Father...one more Shirley at a time! :)
Though it be a year of testing and growing of our faith,
"As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!"
The past few months have been somewhat of a whirlwind. Derrick and I have experienced some of the hardest days in ministry which trickled to every area of our lives. The heartache of losing friends. The heartache of our kids losing their friends. The struggle to understand what in the world was going on. As a Christ follower, I have experienced spiritual warfare on a daily basis, but the reality of Ephesians 6:12 had never felt so extreme.
"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places."
I honestly felt as though we were on the front line of a battlefield and I never even knew what the war was about or how it started.
You always hear not to pray for patience because you know that you will be tested in order for that virtue to be grown in your life. I can definitely say these past few months have been a testing of my faith. Thankfully, I know who my Redeemer is and I know who has the victory! Through it all, I still have faith that my Savior is in control and that
"In all things God works for the good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose!" Rom. 8:28
His never failing love never ceases to amaze me and His promise to see us through any hardship has definitely, once again, been proven true.
I thank HIm for the testing of my faith because I can continue to stand firm in His great love and power.
When your faith seems so small, remember that Jesus says that all it has to be is the size of a mustard seed. "I tell you the truth,if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain 'move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you!" Matthew 17:20 If that doesn't get your blood pumping, I don't know what will! As children of God, we can move mountains!!!! What mountain is standing in your way today?
"Submit to God and be at peace with HIm; in this way prosperity will come to you." Job 22:21
I have learned through this trial that when you don't understand your circumstances, just continue submitting your life to Christ and regardless of what is going on around you, just make sure that you are at peace with Him! I promise that good things will come!
As the turbulence subsides, and we continue seeking the will of our Father, I can tell you God has graciously brought sunshine at the end of the storm for our family. I placed the picture above because the dot within the circle is about the size of a mustard seed. That dot resembles the testing of my faith, which will now grow into another one of God's amazing blessings of life. This was a very unexpected blessing, but I know that God had this special plan for us. We are thankful and grateful and will continue on serving and doing the will of our Father...one more Shirley at a time! :)
Though it be a year of testing and growing of our faith,
"As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!"
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