Roller Coaster. Again.
I was reminded several times this week, as my emotions went up and down on this ride called "Life," of other roller coaster weeks in recent memory.
There was that one time, back in 2013, when we didn't know if we were going back to Italy or not. Oh yes, and I was 9 months pregnant. (Read about that here: View from Houston...)
Such a stressful, emotional week. It was as if God was saying to me the whole time, "Just wait a minute. I have this handled. You can keep praying but if you would just stop grabbing at Me for a second, your view will clear up to see my deliverance is at hand...."
Then there was that time, 4-5 weeks later, when Ella Grace was born and in the NICU. The Lord spoke into my heart she was going to come home on Friday of that week I got out of the hospital. I didn't tell anyone that because I didn't have the faith to really believe it. But He said it and she was home on FRIDAY. I learned a lot about having faith when it doesn't make sense. (You can read that story here: Ella Grace's story...)
My dear friend Ms. Janice texted that to me during my biggest freak out moment - on MONDAY. It bounced around the inside of my skull all week......Just wait till FRIDAY. My prayers have been very myopic, focused nearly entirely on one issue, regarding Sophia's school experience. Should we stay at her school or should we go? Should she go onto 4th grade or should we hold her back to be in 3rd again to make sure she gets the foundation she needs? I wrote about my heavy heart and mind several times on FaceBook and the encouragement The Word showed up with.
Yet, it all came down, like those other times, to just one lesson:
I had to walk through a whole bunch of angst to be able to let go and let God do what only He can do - which is help her (and help Dave and I.) There are so many variables in her school situation right now, I was so stressed out. I was ready to yank her out and home school her on Monday. But Janice said:
I cried, I faced my worst fears and I threw a fit. I prayed silently, I prayed fervently, I wrestled with God and myself. I praised Him, thanked Him and exalted His Name. I claimed Scripture and I prayed from my heart. Here we are at the end of the week - another FRIDAY. Didn't He remind me before of the 2 previous times He told me to wait till Friday? Yes, He did.
This time I listened and I have seen the parting of the Red Sea.
We are not across the great divide just yet. There are still a lot of things up in the air. But it's Friday I know we are just about to come out on the other side of this tunnel. I know my God has and will come through for her. She prayed herself through 2 practice STAAR tests this week and her scores reflect God honoring her dependence on Him. She still has to take the real tests but light is flooding the tunnel we've been walking through together.
I don't know what the scenery will look like when we get out, but my job is to just be in the moment. We have worked like it depends on us and prayed like it depended on God. Those are taken directly from Mark Batterson's The Circle Maker. Sophia's schooling has been my most consistent prayer circle over the last 2 1/2 months. We've been standing in that circle, together, for awhile. We've doubted, we've argued, we've laughed and we've cried.
The Lord has shown Himself faithful through it all.
I know it is not the biggest challenge we've ever faced, especially where Sophia is concerned. But in this moment, it is a big one. We want her prepared to be successful, in school and life. We want her to have the confidence to believe in herself, like we believe in her. This is a lesson for our whole family and I know it is a lesson well learned.
I don't know the circumstances you are in, but I know what you need to do: Just wait on the Lord. Your very own "end of the week," is coming (even if it has been more like months or years. Wait on Jesus. He is already there, with the answer to your need in hand. He is ready, He is willing and He will provide.
Keep praying - keep walking around your own prayer circles (highly recommend the book if you can get your hands on it!!).
The Year of Prayer keeps going....
I was reminded several times this week, as my emotions went up and down on this ride called "Life," of other roller coaster weeks in recent memory.
There was that one time, back in 2013, when we didn't know if we were going back to Italy or not. Oh yes, and I was 9 months pregnant. (Read about that here: View from Houston...)
Such a stressful, emotional week. It was as if God was saying to me the whole time, "Just wait a minute. I have this handled. You can keep praying but if you would just stop grabbing at Me for a second, your view will clear up to see my deliverance is at hand...."
(Just wait on the Lord.)
Then there was that time, 4-5 weeks later, when Ella Grace was born and in the NICU. The Lord spoke into my heart she was going to come home on Friday of that week I got out of the hospital. I didn't tell anyone that because I didn't have the faith to really believe it. But He said it and she was home on FRIDAY. I learned a lot about having faith when it doesn't make sense. (You can read that story here: Ella Grace's story...)
(Just wait on the Lord.)
My dear friend Ms. Janice texted that to me during my biggest freak out moment - on MONDAY. It bounced around the inside of my skull all week......Just wait till FRIDAY. My prayers have been very myopic, focused nearly entirely on one issue, regarding Sophia's school experience. Should we stay at her school or should we go? Should she go onto 4th grade or should we hold her back to be in 3rd again to make sure she gets the foundation she needs? I wrote about my heavy heart and mind several times on FaceBook and the encouragement The Word showed up with.
Yet, it all came down, like those other times, to just one lesson:
Just wait on the Lord.
I had to walk through a whole bunch of angst to be able to let go and let God do what only He can do - which is help her (and help Dave and I.) There are so many variables in her school situation right now, I was so stressed out. I was ready to yank her out and home school her on Monday. But Janice said:
Just wait on the Lord.
I cried, I faced my worst fears and I threw a fit. I prayed silently, I prayed fervently, I wrestled with God and myself. I praised Him, thanked Him and exalted His Name. I claimed Scripture and I prayed from my heart. Here we are at the end of the week - another FRIDAY. Didn't He remind me before of the 2 previous times He told me to wait till Friday? Yes, He did.
This time I listened and I have seen the parting of the Red Sea.
We are not across the great divide just yet. There are still a lot of things up in the air. But it's Friday I know we are just about to come out on the other side of this tunnel. I know my God has and will come through for her. She prayed herself through 2 practice STAAR tests this week and her scores reflect God honoring her dependence on Him. She still has to take the real tests but light is flooding the tunnel we've been walking through together. I don't know what the scenery will look like when we get out, but my job is to just be in the moment. We have worked like it depends on us and prayed like it depended on God. Those are taken directly from Mark Batterson's The Circle Maker. Sophia's schooling has been my most consistent prayer circle over the last 2 1/2 months. We've been standing in that circle, together, for awhile. We've doubted, we've argued, we've laughed and we've cried.
The Lord has shown Himself faithful through it all.
I know it is not the biggest challenge we've ever faced, especially where Sophia is concerned. But in this moment, it is a big one. We want her prepared to be successful, in school and life. We want her to have the confidence to believe in herself, like we believe in her. This is a lesson for our whole family and I know it is a lesson well learned.
I don't know the circumstances you are in, but I know what you need to do: Just wait on the Lord. Your very own "end of the week," is coming (even if it has been more like months or years. Wait on Jesus. He is already there, with the answer to your need in hand. He is ready, He is willing and He will provide.
Keep praying - keep walking around your own prayer circles (highly recommend the book if you can get your hands on it!!).
The Year of Prayer keeps going....
No comments:
Post a Comment