The Invasion of the Unwanted

"A thief comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance. (John 10:10 HCSB)"

When I first met Charles, one of his greatest concerns was if I would be willing to have his staff around all the time. I didn't really know the answer to that in the beginning. However, once I met them all and they were all really nice it seemed like it would be a pretty easy transition to get used to. (Especially since they do the dishes and help rescue me from what could be many cooking catastrophes! Lol)

That is, until this past week when his mother's wedding bands went missing. I hate when evil creeps into your most sacred of places. It’s that horrible feeling of the unwanted invading your life without permission and taking something from you that you can never get back. And your house is just one of those sacred places that you need to feel safe and secure, not only physically but also emotionally. Though it was not my house, I still felt that my feeling of security had been taken away, and once that is taken away it is so hard to get back. In that moment, instead of trust, we then began to question everyone and did not believe that we could trust anyone.

The good news is that the police got the rings back and they found out who did it. But that still left me unsure of the future that I faced with a full staff around my house all the time for the rest of my life! And then I believe that God reminded me about my aunt and uncle who were missionaries in Guatemala when I was growing up. While in Guatemala they had this super sweet housekeeper who ended up stealing from them. It reminded me that no matter what, even if you are in the center of God's will, in America or overseas sometimes the evil does creep in. And though I am a firm believer that you should live your life wisely, you also just have to trust God, that He will protect you. I also have to trust Charles that he will do what needs to be done to also keep us safe as best we can. Satan will do everything he can do to keep us from having joy and being productive for Christ. It is easy to get distracted by the evil that sometimes invades our most sacred of places whether it is our home, our marriage, or a close friendship. Evil is there but if we keep our eyes focused on Christ we will instead have an abundant life full of joy just as He promised.

Living by faith is more than just trusting the Lord at the beginning of the journey.....

Philippians 4:6-7 “Don't worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving; let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

“Realizing that living by faith is more than just answering the call and starting the journey …. It’s trusting God each and every step of the day, everyday.” This is what came to mind as I was heading up to my apartment tonight.

You see….it seemed to be a huge enough leap of faith to jump on this most wonderful journey that I am on – a huge enough leap that would last awhile and not require any more for the time being until I could get better adjusted maybe. First of all, before I met Charles, I really did not know if there were any guys out there that were really perfect for me. So to accept that God actually had one – and I had met him – it was a big deal for me to accept that. And – though I grew up in a wonderful home, with parents who are amazing and have been married for 35 years now, I have heard and seen so many other horror stories of men that seemed to good to be true – and yes, they really were, leaving their Godly wives in a heap of ashes behind them. And so for me, saying “yes” not to the dress, but to the man, was a huge leap of faith for me in and of itself. Then, it seemed to be a huge leap of faith in the journey of loving someone who has been defeating the odds against him nearly all of his life. Though, it completely humbles me that I even have the privilege to know him, and even more so, marry him, it was my faith in God, and not the circumstance that ultimately led me to know that this is what God has led me to do and what I believe He has prepared me for. So it was faith in the Lord that has led me here, to this moment, and on this amazing, and incredible journey.

But, I am realizing, that it is so much more than just trusting God to start the journey. I have to have faith and trust God throughout the ENTIRE journey. I have to trust Him with every decision that is made, every sniffle that Charles gets, every flat tire that he has, every move that I make, I have to trust. I have to live by faith in the One who knows what He is doing, knows what is best and holds the world in His hands. I have to trust in Him. I have to get on my knees before the Lord, and not be anxious – but in everything through prayer and petition commit my request to God, and He will give me the peace that passes all understanding as I travel through this thing called life. I love the Lord. I am so grateful to Him for bringing me the most amazing gift into my life that I am so undeserving of, my Charles. I can not wait to get married and to live life together. It is one of the greatest privileges I have ever had. He truly is such an inspiration, my best friend, and my love.

Lord I pray that I will have the faith each and every day to trust You. I pray that I will commit my requests to You and that you will give me the peace that passes all understanding. I pray that I will seek You each and every day for every step of the way.

In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

The ending is always victorious though the storm may be difficult to see through

Esther seemed like an unlikely candidate to save the world as an orphan and a Jew. However unlikely though, she was instead made a queen and a woman that was taken out of everything comfortable to her, to accomplish a mighty purpose.

To say that Esther was experiencing a storm in her life - may be the understatement of the year. After being an orphan, pulled away from everything she knew, being made queen and then being faced with the impending annihilation of her own people - that's pretty intense. But even though there seemed to be no hope - God was still in control.

I cannot imagine the faith and courage she had to have to move forward in obedience. She knew that the consequence of not finding favor with the King when approaching him could lead to her own death.

I cannot imagine the faith that Mordecai had to have. He first responded with bitterness and mourning but through it all was able to devise a plan for redemption, even though it seemed unlikely and not conventional.

And Haman – his personality is so typical of the world that we live in today. They laugh and mock and plot against us – and right when they think they have won – it is God who is the victor.

God is always the victor. He is the First and the Last. There is no one mightier than He.

We can easily get discouraged when it seems like the enemy has won just as the Jews responded to the decree that declared their undeserving fate. It seemed that all hope was lost.

But the God of then, is the same today. He is always the same, never changing, and always faithful.

What He says He will do – He will do.

He will take care of His people. Sometimes it’s not always on this side of heaven, sometimes it’s not in our timing, sometimes it’s not in the way we think it should happen – but God knows best. He knows what He’s doing, and He knows the bigger plan.

We must trust in God. We must believe that His promises are true. We must have the faith and the courage to do what He has promised us He will do. And we must know that He will always be faithful.