It's crazy to think that my last blog post was December 2nd. I honestly thought I had at least done a post for the New Year. Welp, turns out I was wrong. Oh well. Forgive me my followers. For this post, I simply want to review 2012 and maybe a tiny bit more.
If there's one thing I have learned over the last year, it's that God is in control. That doesn't mean that I've trusted him the whole time. And it certainly doesn't mean that we've had the strongest relationship. The last half of the year was extremely rough for my walk with God. After all, if God was a Good God, why would he let me go through the unreal amount of stress I faced for over four months? Why would he make us use all of our savings that my wife worked so hard for? Why this, Why that?
You want to know MY answer: I don't know. I don't know why God made me go through that. Whether it's a lack of intelligence or because God hasn't revealed it to me, I honestly don't know the reason for that storm. My wife said that having me home those first four months really helped her cope with being a new mom. Could that be the reason? It's certainly possible. And while I am more than grateful that I got to watch my daughter grow those four months, there's something inside of me that says that wasn't the reason, that there is something greater at work.
The point is, just recently I have very slowly moved out of the WHY stage. I think too often we as Christians focus on the WHY of the storm. When we are facing adversity we feel the need to know why. It's human nature; logic demands a reason. But I think our mindset should instead focus on battling through the storm. If we focused our faith and trust in God, we will forget the why, and simply rely on him and use his help to get us through it....Wait, I said simply. It's never simple. Relying on God takes strength. Courage. Faith. In a storm, those don't come easily. Which again calls for a focused mind on God.
So that's where I am at this point of the new year. I am trying to focus my mind on God. Not concerning myself with the why's, they'll reveal themselves to me in time. I know this won't be easy. God and I have a lot of catching up to do. And I'm thankful for the people who listen (well....read) this blog. It encourages me when I see a lot of people looking at my posts. It means I'm being heard.
Prayer Requests & Praises:
With every post, I want to share at least a few prayer requests and praises, both personal and from friends/family/anyone who wants their requests to be made known. So here we go!
Prayer:
1) I have a friend who is in a very dark place in his life. It has made him question every single thing he could ever have faith in. And so my request is that you all simply pray for him. As hard and mightily as you can, and that God can reach him and wrap him in light. You are being heard friend.
2) Pray for my future. Right now there's a slight chance my job may not exist for too much longer, and I don't have another one lined up. Either way by Mid-May/June, my job ends for the summer. So pray that I can either find a job or that business will really start cranking up.
Praise:
1) There is a little girl, Aubree Shaw, whose parents I used to go to church with. She has been diagnosed with a very rare disorder that basically doesn't allow her rib-cage to grow fast enough with the rest of her body. She has to have surgery every 6 months to expand her rib-cage. Awful awful thing.
BUT! She just got released today from the hospital! She's definitely improving and healing! It's such a heartbreaking story but God has definitely been through the entire thing. So praises that she's recovering and doing great!
This is my new ending quote for the year, and I think it's more than befitting of my current situation:
"May the peace of God, which passes all understanding, guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
Amen.
If there's one thing I have learned over the last year, it's that God is in control. That doesn't mean that I've trusted him the whole time. And it certainly doesn't mean that we've had the strongest relationship. The last half of the year was extremely rough for my walk with God. After all, if God was a Good God, why would he let me go through the unreal amount of stress I faced for over four months? Why would he make us use all of our savings that my wife worked so hard for? Why this, Why that?
You want to know MY answer: I don't know. I don't know why God made me go through that. Whether it's a lack of intelligence or because God hasn't revealed it to me, I honestly don't know the reason for that storm. My wife said that having me home those first four months really helped her cope with being a new mom. Could that be the reason? It's certainly possible. And while I am more than grateful that I got to watch my daughter grow those four months, there's something inside of me that says that wasn't the reason, that there is something greater at work.
The point is, just recently I have very slowly moved out of the WHY stage. I think too often we as Christians focus on the WHY of the storm. When we are facing adversity we feel the need to know why. It's human nature; logic demands a reason. But I think our mindset should instead focus on battling through the storm. If we focused our faith and trust in God, we will forget the why, and simply rely on him and use his help to get us through it....Wait, I said simply. It's never simple. Relying on God takes strength. Courage. Faith. In a storm, those don't come easily. Which again calls for a focused mind on God.
So that's where I am at this point of the new year. I am trying to focus my mind on God. Not concerning myself with the why's, they'll reveal themselves to me in time. I know this won't be easy. God and I have a lot of catching up to do. And I'm thankful for the people who listen (well....read) this blog. It encourages me when I see a lot of people looking at my posts. It means I'm being heard.
Prayer Requests & Praises:
With every post, I want to share at least a few prayer requests and praises, both personal and from friends/family/anyone who wants their requests to be made known. So here we go!
Prayer:
1) I have a friend who is in a very dark place in his life. It has made him question every single thing he could ever have faith in. And so my request is that you all simply pray for him. As hard and mightily as you can, and that God can reach him and wrap him in light. You are being heard friend.
2) Pray for my future. Right now there's a slight chance my job may not exist for too much longer, and I don't have another one lined up. Either way by Mid-May/June, my job ends for the summer. So pray that I can either find a job or that business will really start cranking up.
Praise:
1) There is a little girl, Aubree Shaw, whose parents I used to go to church with. She has been diagnosed with a very rare disorder that basically doesn't allow her rib-cage to grow fast enough with the rest of her body. She has to have surgery every 6 months to expand her rib-cage. Awful awful thing.
BUT! She just got released today from the hospital! She's definitely improving and healing! It's such a heartbreaking story but God has definitely been through the entire thing. So praises that she's recovering and doing great!
This is my new ending quote for the year, and I think it's more than befitting of my current situation:
"May the peace of God, which passes all understanding, guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
Amen.
I learn so much from your posts. Thank you for the reminder to stop asking why and start living in God's peace. Love you! Mom
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