Real Life - A Weekly Blog Devotional

From the Word:
Click and read Genesis 16

Key Verse:
Thereafter, Hagar used another name to refer to the Lord, who had spoken to her. She said, “You are the God who sees me.” She also said, “Have I truly seen the One who sees me?”
-Genesis 16:13 (NLT)

(Note: Taking matters into our own hands is a topic I’ll have to tackle in another devotion. Bad Idea! Ha ha)

What stuck with me after the reading was how hard life was for Hagar. She must have felt so alone, and of so little value. She was property, to be given to an old man for sex without her consent. How insignificant she must have felt!

This is an overused analogy, but it always amazes me when I’m in an airplane and look down at the ground. People become smaller and smaller and more and more insignificant the higher the airplane goes. Looking out that airplane window, I can relate to the feelings of the agnostic. Why would God care about me, someone so small in the sea of humanity?

In today’s reading, Hagar says, “You are the God who sees me!” Isn’t that an amazing thing to consider? The God who is big enough to create the universe, and small enough that His fingerprints are seen in the tiniest of cells, saw Hagar, an insignificant servant girl with a rough life. He also sees you and me.

What a comfort to be KNOWN and SEEN. I join Hagar at being amazed by this truth.

Personal Application:
Do a study on the names of God. You can do a Google search or check out one of the many book on that subject. His names give insight into His character. Worship Him for who He is! Thank Him that in the midst of your everyday life, in the midst of the joys and sorrows, you are seen by the One who loves you. Trust him today and rest in knowing that you are not alone.

More of God’s Word

1. You know me inside and out,
you know every bone in my body;
You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,
how I was sculpted from nothing into something.
Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;
all the stages of my life were spread out before you,
The days of my life all prepared
before I’d even lived one day. -Psalm 139:15-16 (The Message)

2. Who is like the LORD our God, the One who sits enthroned on high, who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth? -Psalm 113:5-6 (NIV)

3. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. - Matthew 10:30 (NIV)

From God’s Word:

Click and Read Hebrews 10:19-25

Key Verse:
Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another- and all the more as you see the Day approaching. -Hebrews 10:25 (NIV)

Church was an almost unbearable place to be after my miscarriages. Each week I would think to myself, “OK, I’m fine today,” but the desire to leave would hit immediately as I entered the building.

I tried week after week to “be strong this time” and would make myself sit down in the sanctuary. As worship began, the music stirred emotions, leaving me vulnerable, and the tears would inevitably start falling. I knew, “I have to get out of here or I’m going to start bawling,” but I realized walking out would allow everyone to see I had been crying. If I stayed, I wouldn’t be able to keep from sobbing and causing a scene. I was trapped. Choosing to leave the sanctuary, I wandered around until the service ended trying to get myself under control and presentable before anyone could see me.

Picking up my daughters from their classes, I would run into well meaning people who were unaware of the situation. They would look at me with a quizzical look and innocently ask, “Now when are you due again?” It was awful explaining everything, watching these sweet people become mortified because they had hurt me by asking.

This struggle continued for months. It was just too painful and embarrassing to be there, and there were constant reminders of what I lost. Churches are full of pregnant women and babies. One service ended for me when I opened the bulletin and read the advertisement for the upcoming Father/Son campout.

Knowing I needed to be there, by God’s strength I continued to show up to services and Bible studies week after week. I was constantly embarrassed by my weakness. Telling myself, “I’m not going to cry this time,” didn’t work. I always ended up in tears. I hated being so publicly emotional, but I didn’t know how to stop it.

There is no verse in the Bible that says, “God helps those who help themselves.” Most Americans believe it is in there somewhere because it is a cultural tradition, yet the truth is God helps those who run to Him in weakness, and rely upon His grace.

He also places us in a spiritual family so we can be helped by each other. Our key verse says, “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another- and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

As difficult as it was to control my emotions when I was at church, had I been able to stop the flow of emotion or hidden my pain, I would have robbed other believers of an opportunity to use their gifts to minister to me.

I was amazed how many times God lined up specific people to minister to me during those times I struggled to be at church. When I left the sanctuary, some woman who had also miscarried in the past would “magically” appear to pray with me. When I felt alone and emotional, someone would hug me. When I needed a word from the Lord, someone would read scripture that spoke directly to my heart. When I was in Bible Study, people said things they didn’t know where meant for me. I experienced the work of the Spirit through the love, prayers, hugs, words of prophecy and wisdom that came from the flesh and blood people in my church family. We have a large church, but it became small as people poured out love on me.

Some of the best comfort came from women who had been there. They could minister in a way no one else could. After she read 2 Corinthians 1:3-5, my friend Jeanine began praying she would have an opportunity to comfort someone else in the way she had been comforted when she miscarried. If I had run away from church and fellowship, then I would have not been a part of that prayer being answered.

It feels good to be used by the Lord. When we are weak, we allow others the privilege of being used by the Lord in our circumstance. Pastor Bob tells us often that when Christians go off on their own they “get weird.” We need each other. As we draw near to God, He often sends us to our spiritual family for some love and comfort. Don’t run away.

Excerpt from And Then You Were Gone: Restoring the Broken Heart after Pregnancy Loss. All rights reserved. Do not copy or use without author’s permission.

Personal Application:
Do you ever find yourself embarrassed over your emotion or weakness at church or around other Christians?

Remember that by allowing yourself to be weak, you allow others the joy of using their God-given gifts in response to your circumstances.

Dear Lord, Prevent me from running from fellow believers when I’m feeling weak or am hurting. Thank you for providing a spiritual family to comfort me and for giving them gifts to help me in my time of need. Thank you for the joy we all feel when we get to use our gifts to bring comfort to other people. In Jesus’ Name I pray,
Amen

More of God’s Word:

Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. - Romans 12:4-8 (NIV)

From the Word:
Click and Read Isaiah 55:6-11

Key Verse:
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. -Isaiah 55:8 (NIV)

Yesterday, I went on a field trip to the zoo with my daughter’s Kindergarten class. The highlight of the trip for me was seeing this guy:

My friend, Daiquiri, took this picture with a simple digital camera and no zoom lens. We were literally this close to him, the only thing separating us was a sheet of glass. It was surreal to be so close to a lion. Awe inspiring, really.

Mildly curious, but undisturbed by the strange humans oohing and awing over him, he lounged right by the front of the cage the entire time we were in front of him. He almost appeared cuddly, like I could reach out and pat his furry mane or snuggle up next to him for a nap. But then I saw the scars on his face and realized, this guy is for real. He’s not some play thing or a pet. He’s dangerous and unsafe. Thank goodness for that glass between us!

The adults seemed to have a healthy respect for him, but the kids were clueless of how dangerous he was as they climbed on the outside of the exhibit and pounded on the glass. Many grew bored with it all and wanted to move on, while their parents stood and stared.

“How often do we see God this way?” I wondered. As clueless little children, forgetting His majesty and power, expecting Him to be “cuddly” and “safe” and to do our own bidding, according to our own will?

C.S. Lewis wove a similar theme throughout his Chronicles of Narnia series. In the books, Aslan the Lion represents Christ. Often the characters are reminded that Aslan is “not a tame Lion.” He is powerful, merciful, loving, kind, and trustworthy, but he is not tame, predictable, controllable, or even safe.

I love this quote from Lewis’ novel, The Last Battle:

Do you think I keep him in my wallet, fools?” said Tirian. “Who am I that I could make Aslan appear at my bidding? He’s not a tame lion.”

I enjoyed watching Disney’s movie version of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, where this concept appeared again through this scene:

Mr. Tumnus: [of Aslan] He’s not a tame lion.

Lucy Pevensie: No… but he is good.

What a MIGHTY God we serve! How worthy of our worship! How strong on our behalf! Thank God that He is not safe, not a puppet who dances at our whims, nor a small thing to be contained in the box of our limited understanding. He is HUGE, MAJESTIC, AWESOME, and not at all tame.

Yet, He loves me. He always acts in my defense and on my behalf. All that He does is good, even when I don’t understand it. How safe that makes me feel!

And He loves you. Even when He isn’t doing what you think He should. Even when His ways are incomprehensible to you, when it feels like He is doing it all wrong, remember that He isn’t tame, but He is GOOD.

Personal Application:
Are there circumstances in your life where God isn’t acting as you think He should? Take time to confess your desire to control and tame Him. Ask His forgiveness and worship Him despite the circumstances.

I’m not sure who said this, but it fits, “If God were small enough to understand, He wouldn’t be big enough to worship.” God is worthy of our worship. AND He is knowable. We can snuggle up to Him and feel safe and protected, unlike the lion at the zoo. We just can’t expect to control Him.

Father, I worship You. Your ways are not my ways. I submit to Your perfect will. Forgive me for the times I have been more concerned about my own will than Yours and expected you to do my bidding. Thank you for your forgiveness and patience with me. Thank you that in the midst of your majesty and power, you love me, and know me, and have my best interest at heart. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen

More of God’s Word:

Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable his judgments,
and his paths beyond tracing out!
“Who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been his counselor?”
“Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?”
For from him and through him and to him are all things.
To him be the glory forever! Amen. - Romans 11:33-36 (NIV)

From the Word

Click and read >Hebrews 12:1-12

Key Verse:
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. -Hebrews 12:1

Bright and early Saturday morning, I ran a 5K in the Famous Idaho Potato Race to help raise money for the YMCA. It was a special moment for me. The weather was absolutely perfect. The greenbelt was beautiful. And I was surprised by how easily I was able to run the three miles.

I have been training for this race for the last 10 weeks, following a plan called ‘From Your Couch to a 5K” Ten weeks ago, I was only running for 60 second spurts followed by 90 seconds of walking for a total of about 15 minutes. Saturday, I ran 30 minutes straight without a need to stop and rest. My training paid off.

Friday night before the race, I went to pick up my number, timing chip and course map. While I was there I was so impressed by the people I considered the real runners, those who planned to run the 1/2 marathon and marathon races.

Marathon runners train for something called “Hitting the Wall.” It is common to run out of glycogen stores in your muscles and liver somewhere around the 20 mile mark. They have to train to persevere through that crash of energy, when the race feels unbearable. I saw some runners this weekend that must have hit that point in their race when I passed them. One lady was sobbing, others looked in physical pain.

It made me think of the spiritual implications of running the marathon race of this life. Walking faithfully with Christ, remaining faithful to him through persecution, heartache, and overwhelming trials of this fallen world, is the ultimate endurance run. Thankfully, we do not have to rely on our own strength. When our “glycogen” stores run out, we rely on His strength and energy to keep us going, and we put our faith into practice. When burdens feel unbearable and our strength is gone, we must remind ourselves that “this is what I have been training for,” this test of my faith will make me stronger. Press on! Don’t quit! Run with perseverance that race marked out for you.

At the end of my race on Saturday, I hit a point where I wondered how far I had already run and how much farther I had to go. Then all of a sudden, on my left through the trees, and over the river, I caught glimpses of the finish line. There were hundreds of people celebrating with loud music, cheering on the runners as they came in. My speed picked up, my hope increased, and I ran faster than I knew I could just to get to that party! As I ran across the finish line I was huffing and puffing but I felt so much joy and victory. I did it! I was “home free.”

I was surprised by how much it helped to know the end was near, to get those little glimpses of the finish line through the trees, and to know what was waiting for me. That’s what the hope of Heaven is intended to do for us. As that day draws ever nearer, as we look up in anticipation, we can run faster toward the prize waiting for us. We can remember that our faith is strong enough to carry us home because we’ve been training for this. Don’t lose hope! Just like the crowd was cheering for me during the race, I’m cheering for you, “Keep going! You are doing awesome! You’re almost there!”

Personal Application:

Are there areas of your life where you can see your faith being tested? Have you “hit the wall” in the race of life? Pray for God to strengthen you to push on, to persevere, and to remember that you are almost there.

Father,

Thank you for training my faith, making it grow and increase. Thank you for equipping me with the strength I need to endure this marathon of life. Please keep reminding me of the prize that awaits. My very great reward on the other side of the finish line is You! During this time of trial and struggle, please give me your grace and help to persevere.

In Jesus’ Name I pray,

Amen

More of God’s Word:

When We All Get to Heaven

Eliza E. Hewitt, 1898

Sing the wondrous love of Jesus,
Sing His mercy and His grace;
In the mansions bright and blessed
He’ll prepare for us a place.

Refrain:
When we all get to heaven,
What a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus,
We’ll sing and shout the victory!

While we walk the pilgrim pathway,
Clouds will overspread the sky;
But when trav’ling days are over,
Not a shadow, not a sigh.

Let us then be true and faithful,
Trusting, serving every day;
Just one glimpse of Him in glory
Will the toils of life repay.

Onward to the prize before us!
Soon His beauty we’ll behold;
Soon the pearly gates will open;
We shall tread the streets of gold.

Pressing on with you!

I’m sorry that there hasn’t been a new post in awhile. We had some technical difficulties that I think are ironed out now. Thanks for your patience and for those of you who are faithful to read these devotions.

Today’s devotion was inspired by my own personal Bible study. I’m following a plan for reading the Bible in a year in chronological order. I love it. It is so interesting to read the Word in the order the events were happening in history. I highly recommend it. Here’s a link to the same plan that you can customize for yourself.

From the Word:
Click and read Genesis 16

Key Verse:
Thereafter, Hagar used another name to refer to the Lord, who had spoken to her. She said, “You are the God who sees me.” She also said, “Have I truly seen the One who sees me?”
-Genesis 16:13 (NLT)

During my reading recently, I read about Hagar. God promised Abraham he would be the father of countless descendants. While waiting for the fulfillment of that promise, his wife, Sarah, decided to take matters into her own hands and offered her husband her servant, Hagar, to provide his heir.

(Note: Taking matters into our own hands is a topic I’ll have to tackle in another devotion. Bad Idea! Ha ha)

What stuck with me after the reading was how hard life was for Hagar. She must have felt so alone, and of so little value. She was property, to be given to an old man for sex without her consent. How insignificant she must have felt!

This is an overused analogy, but it always amazes me when I’m in an airplane and look down at the ground. People become smaller and smaller and more and more insignificant the higher the airplane goes. Looking out that airplane window, I can relate to the feelings of the agnostic. Why would God care about me, someone so small in the sea of humanity?

But the Word tells us that God is intimately aware of us. He knows our name. He cares about our circumstances. We are known! We are seen! He knows even the number of hairs on our heads.

In today’s reading, Hagar says, “You are the God who sees me!” Isn’t that an amazing thing to consider? The God who is big enough to create the universe, and small enough that His fingerprints are seen in the tiniest of cells, saw Hagar, an insignificant servant girl with a rough life. He also sees you and me.

What a comfort to be KNOWN and SEEN. I join Hagar at being amazed by this truth.

Personal Application:
Do a study on the names of God. You can do a Google search or check out one of the many book on that subject. His names give insight into His character. Worship Him for who He is! Thank Him that in the midst of your everyday life, in the midst of the joys and sorrows, you are seen by the One who loves you. Trust him today and rest in knowing that you are not alone.

More of God’s Word

1. You know me inside and out,
you know every bone in my body;
You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,
how I was sculpted from nothing into something.
Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;
all the stages of my life were spread out before you,
The days of my life all prepared
before I’d even lived one day. -Psalm 139:15-16 (The Message)

2. Who is like the LORD our God, the One who sits enthroned on high, who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth? -Psalm 113:5-6 (NIV)

3. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. - Matthew 10:30 (NIV)

Love,

From the Word:

Click and Read Matthew 7:24-29

Key Verse:

The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. -Matthew 7:25

My good friend and I were on the phone talking about some of the national news upsetting us lately. Shook up, she said, “I have to stop reading the news. It is too scary.”

I told her, “I know what you mean. Sometimes, I feel like the America I have always loved and trusted in is eroding before my eyes, and I can’t do anything to stop it.”

Until recently, I was unaware of how much trust I’ve placed in our country, or how much security I’ve felt simply from being an American. In this current climate of uncertainty and change, I’ve felt like I’m standing on shifting sand, that my foundation has been shook. It’s not a pleasant feeling.

During one of these episodes of fear, I suddenly remembered an old hymn from my childhood. I could only remember a few phrases, so I looked up the lyrics on the Internet. What a sermon that old song has preached to me these past few weeks. I can’t get it out of my mind. I sing it in the shower. I sing it in the car. I sing it to my baby. (He doesn’t mind how off key I am)

Every time bad news, politics, or current events trigger that insecurity anew, I sing again, “On Christ the Solid Rock I stand. All other ground is sinking sand!”

As a follower of Christ, my security does not come from the success or failure of the U.S. Yes, I love my country. Yes, I’m proud to be an American. But, my foundation is the Solid Rock, Jesus Christ. He will never fail. He will never forsake me. My foundation hasn’t been shook at all. He is the same yesterday, today, and forevermore.

Personal Application:

Have you placed your faith and trust in anything other than Jesus Christ?
All other foundations are weak and will fail you.
Renew your commitment to trust in nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness.
As you look at current events, remember to whom you belong and in whom you trust. He will NEVER fail you!

More of God’s Word:

1. When the storms of life come, the wicked are whirled away, but the godly have a lasting foundation. -Psalm 10:25 (NLT)

2. But the Lord is in his holy Temple; the Lord still rules from heaven. He watches everyone closely, examining every person on earth. -Psalm 11:4 (NLT)

3. When the earth and all its people quake, it is I who hold its pillars firm. - Psalm 75:3 (NIV)

Are there fears and worries facing you this week? I pray these songs will encourage you as they did me this week:

Here are the lyrics I’ve sung in the shower this week:

“My Hope is Built on Nothing Less”
by Edward Mote, 1797-1874

1. My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

2. When darkness veils His lovely face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale
My anchor holds within the veil.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

3. His oath, His covenant, and blood
Support me in the whelming flood;
When every earthly prop gives way,
He then is all my Hope and Stay.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

4. When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found,
Clothed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne!
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

God Bless You!

From the Word:
Click and read John 10:1-21

Key Verse:
The gatekeeper opens the gate to him and the sheep recognize his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he gets them all out, he leads them and they follow because they are familiar with his voice. John 10:4 (The Message)

On January 4, 2007, our family officially began the process to adopt a child from Liberia, West Africa. I had been praying for a long time prior to that decision and had faithful friends praying along with me. I watched as God miraculously worked out the details and prepared our hearts for this big leap of faith. Confirmation arrived in amazing ways, convincing me this was His will for our family. I couldn’t wait to send in our application and get the process going, fully expecting to have our adoption complete before the following Christmas.

Two years later, the adoption is nowhere near complete. In fact we have met obstacle after obstacle and closed door after closed door, to the point we’ve had to make the very difficult decision to stop the process all together. I’m still in shock that this is the way it is ending. How could this be the answer? Wasn’t this God’s will?

Going through this shook my faith. Did I really hear His voice, or did I make it all up? Maybe I can’t hear God’s voice after all. I was so sure of God’s prompting to adopt, but obviously I was wrong. Or was I?

After a lot of soul searching, I am convinced it was God’s will for us to go through this adoption journey. Our role was obedience. His job was to determine the outcome. These past two years were not wasted. The destination was different than I expected, but the journey was in His purpose for our lives. And I can rest knowing that I did hear my Shepherd’s voice and followed where He led. That’s all He asks.

Personal Application:
Can you point to decisions you’ve made that you thought were God’s will for your life, but the outcome of those decisions seem to say otherwise? Is it possible that it was still God’s will for you even if the destination was different than you expected? How has He used those circumstances in your life? Talk to Him about the disappointment or disillusionment you feel and ask Him to show you where to go from here.

Or are you currently at a place where He is asking you to obey? If you recognize the Shepherd’s voice, take the leap of faith and follow His lead. How things turn out is up to Him. Your job is obedience. Re-read last week’s post on decision making. After you’ve gone through those steps of seeking the Lord for direction, trust Him when He does lead.

Make this verse your prayer today:

God,
Teach me lessons for living so I can stay the course.
Give me insight so I can do what you tell me-
My whole life one long, obedient response.
- Psalm 119:33-34 (The Message)

More of God’s Word:

1. Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you. -Hebrews 13:5

2. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. -Romans 8:28
3. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
-Jeremiah 29:11

4. 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. -Proverbs 3:5-6

5. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.
- Psalm 143:8

From the Word:

Click here and read 1 Peter 5:8-14

Key Verse:
Peace to all of you who are in Christ. - 1 Peter 5:14b

Have you ever received a letter or an email that was signed “In Christ,” “Your Sister in Christ,” or something to that effect?

After listening to a Bible study lesson a few years ago, I drew a tiny dot with a circle around it in the margin of my Bible.  Above it I wrote the words, “Me, Surrounded by God.”  I didn’t know when I drew it how much I would be challenged to trust those words.  These past few years have been full of painful trials for me, but there is comfort in knowing that everything that has reached me has come through God first.  It reminds me of superheroes who have powerful force fields around them.  “Me surrounded by God!”  Anything that penetrates my force field has to go through God first, who not only loves me, but is by very nature love! (God is love. 1 John 4:8).

Are you suffering today?  Do you find yourself in a painful trial?  If you belong to Jesus, you are “in Christ” and you can trust Him to carry you through the hurt.

Read the following quote:

“If I had not felt certain that every additional trial was ordered by infinite love and mercy, I could not have survived my accumulated sufferings.”
-Adoniram Judson (Missionary to Burma in the early 1800’s)

1. God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin. -1 Corinthians 1:30 (NLT)

2. When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. -John 14:20 (NLT)

3. None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I’m absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us. – Romans 8:31-39 (The Message)

Love, Your Sister In Christ,

“Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.”  - Jeremiah 32:17 (NIV)

Fret, fret, fret.
Worry, worry, worry.

This week can be measured not in days, but in time spent worrying.  I can’t count how many times I’ve said the words, “It’s impossible.”

My “impossible” this week had to do with more hurdles in what has felt like a never-ending adoption process we began two years ago.  I have to figure out a way over this new hurdle before an immigration deadline expires in two weeks, and in my eyes it is impossible.

As I’ve prayed over the problem, God has been gracious to gently remind me who is in control.  He reminded me of my last two blog posts where I wrote these things:

-He is trustWORTHY
-Don’t be afraid to pray the prayer that never fails, “Thy will be done”
-Remember where our help comes from

Then He asked me to let go and rest in Him.

It was midnight last night when I finally surrendered and applied these truths to this situation.  I didn’t know how this hurdle was going to be overcome (I still don’t) but worry was replaced with the “peace beyond understanding” that comes from trust.  I was ready to go to sleep anxiety-free, but I wanted to check on one of my favorite blogs before I went to bed.  As the blog loaded on my computer screen, tears popped into my eyes.  I couldn’t believe what she had written for her latest blog post.  This is all it said:

“I have found that there are three stages in every great work of God: first it is impossible, then it is difficult, then it is done.”
-J. Hudson Taylor of China Inland Missions

Personal Application:

What about you?  Do you have your own “impossible” to overcome this week?  Run to the throne with your impossible and lay it at His feet.  Be persistent in your prayers over this issue.  Find a prayer partner to pray with you about it and to hold you accountable as you let go of worry.

More of God’s Word:

1.  Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.  - Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)

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

3.  For nothing is impossible with God. - Luke 1:37

Love,

Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help,
who rely on horses,
who trust in the multitude of their chariots
and in the great strength of their horsemen,
but do not look to the Holy One of Israel,
or seek help from the LORD. –Isaiah 31:1 (NIV)

As I’m typing this, I’m holding a miracle. I’m rocking him to sleep in a sling, hoping he’ll stay asleep long enough for me to finish this post. He is beautiful and healthy, but there were many times over the course of the last four years I lost hope of ever holding a baby of my own again. After four consecutive pregnancy losses, I knew it would take a miracle.

Reading Isaiah 31:1 reminds me of a night at the beginning of this pregnancy.  I was home alone because my husband was working a swing shift.  As I got ready for bed, I discovered I was spotting.  I panicked.  It was so similar to one of my previous miscarriages, and I was sure I was going to lose this baby, too.

My first instinct was to call my husband, but I knew God was asking me to run to Him instead.

Too emotional to pray, I cried and sobbed. I had no words. All I could think of was the beginning of Psalm 121:

I lift up my eyes to the hills — where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.

Repeating those words over and over again, I was finally able to get out this simple prayer: “Lord, you are the only hope we have. Nobody can save this baby. You are the baby’s only hope. You are my only hope. Please help us now.”

I curled up on my bed, fell asleep, and by mid-morning the bleeding had stopped. It never started again.  Tonight, my baby is sucking on his binkie, rocked to sleep in the sling, lost in sweet dreams.

There really is no greater source of help in our times of need.  So often we are tempted to run to other sources for help before we come to God.  I could have called my husband or my mom. I could have surfed the Internet for answers and hope. I could have called the doctor on call, but everyone was powerless to stop a miscarriage if it was truly happening. Only God had the power to protect that fragile little life inside of me. Only God had the peace for me to be able to fall asleep. And only God could give me this amazing gift ten months later.

The title of this new blog is “Real Life.” In real life, there are times when we are desperate for help, or advice, or comfort. Sometimes the problems are small- just a bad day. Other times, they are monumental and threaten to destroy us. These are the times to “look to the Holy One of Israel,” and to seek “help from the Lord.”

Personal Application:

When you need help, comfort, or advice where do you turn?
In the face of trouble, what is your first instinct?
Are there problems you are facing this week you’ve forgotten to talk to the Lord about?
Take some time now to ask Him for help.

More of God’s Word:

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.–Hebrews 4:16 NIV

Whatever hurts today, lift your eyes to the Healer.