I'm not going to tell you this whole year was bad. My life has been shaped by the furnace's heat. Any other way and the stiffness of my own heart would cause me to break. The fire softens me up and makes me painfully aware of what I lack and Who my real source is. Indeed, it's a painful process that needs not to be if it weren't for my hardheadedness! Yah, In His faithfulness, will force us to move and make decisions that we wont make for ourselves otherwise.
For the past few years we have been deciding how best to sell our home and move closer to a less grid reliant piece of property. We have been calling our place Double E Blessed Homestead and Bee Farm. We have been systematically unplugging appliances and trying to simplify our needs. The washer and dryer left the house and the big power hungry A.C. unit was pulled from the window. Our dream has been to purchase some acreage up in the Arkansas Ozarks and reconnect with each other and our creator! OH THE PLANS WE HAD!!! BIG plans too! We spent time walking Ozark properties and searching online for affordable plots! I just didn't have a great peace about how all this was going to be accomplished though! I like to know the end from the beginning right!?
"And delight yourself in Yahovah, and let Him give you the desires of your heart" Psalm 37:4
Often misquoted by the prosperity gospel crowd. Where this has spoken to me is the place I let HIM give and fulfill His desires for me. I delight in His process and yield to His methods. Often times, in His mercy, he has to move me out of the way to accomplish this!
In March of this year, I was stricken with a lung infection that threatened to take my life. My lungs had to be drained and then scraped out so that my body and copious amounts of antibiotics could fight off the infection. I had several weeks in the I.C.U. to listen and contemplate where my life was headed.
Along this path, I lost my source of income. My job was stable and afforded me ample time with my family, holiday pay, health insurance, security, 4 day workweek, 40 hour pay for 25 hour workweeks, and no pressing need to rely on Yah for much. I did consider the job a provision from Yah but the faith level on a day to day basis just didn't "cut the mustard"!
excerpt from the book "Evangelpreneur" by Josh Tolley
During this time and months after, family and friends from all over the country gave to my family so that we could pay bills and take care of our responsibilities at home. Most of these people I didn't even know! My pride had to die as I completely relied on Yah and those being His hands and feet to provide for us!
What a great example of baring each others burdens this is! I was increasingly encouraged by well wishes, prayers, scriptures, and donations coming through the YouCaring page! Local friends and family were also a blessing by making needed repairs around the house and providing somethings that we just couldn't afford.
Faith! It's one thing to say you have it but a totally different thing to actually practice it. What a painful experience that has brought such peace and greater faith in my family's life! We still have a ways to go with our faith walk but we are committed to the narrow path!
......and just when we thought it was all over....To Be Continued....
OH WOW....and that's only one month's time, so far, in your story for the whole year? WOW...on the edge of my seat for the rest. Hurry up and write!
The sickness in March then the hurricane in August. Sorry. It does sound like it all happened at once..
Yep, I had just moved you from the "pray for" to the "be thankful for" column on my refrigerator prayer reminder list when Part Two happened...
It has been quite the year...and those are quite the photos. OUCH!!!!!
Off topic, but you just inspired me to add a 'thankful for' column to my 'pray for' list. Thank you.
You're welcome! I added it because I was reading the verse "Be thankful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances" (1 Thess 5:16-18) and realized that my prayers were all requests and they really should be starting with thanksgiving for every single thing I could think of and THEN ask for the things I'm concerned about. Our Creator was probably tired of hearing my wishlist every night instead of my acknowledgement for all the wonderful and amazing things he had already answered...
That was hard to blog about to a point! What a year!!!
I imagine it was! I have points that are really hard to know where to start on, that's for sure, and your year has any of mine beat hollow.
Can't wait for part 2... I pray you will be able to hear YHWH's voice clearly and you will be able to follow His direction. Just remember to always praise Him reguardless of your perceived circumstances.
Praise Him...It’s all I can do! I’m not saying my attitude has been spot on but for the most part I don’t let myself slide too far down the Pity party slope! Thank you for your prayers!!
All I can do is praise Him! Haven’t been perfect and at times my attitude needs adjusting but still so grateful!
Ouch, that must have been such a difficult time for all of you, but the Lord provided and always will.
On a side note, what did you think of evangelpreneur? I've been considering whether or not to get it.
I would def recommend it! Josh Tilley has a lot of great things to bring to the table! Thanks for stopping by and replying!!!
calling @OriginalWorks
To call @OriginalWorks, simply reply to any post with @originalworks or !originalworks in your message!