But you know what? There is a very real enemy with a very real intention to steal, kill and destroy the testimony of Christ in a believer’s life or any chances of others looking to Him for salvation and new life. How do I know? I’ve been feeling the heat. For real! Real. That is what I pray this post will be. For your sake and mine. I feel sometimes we spend so much time convincing ourselves to focus only on the good and tip-toe around the “bad”, not wanting to share or burden or divulge our struggles. But we ALL struggle. We ALL wrestle. We all have bad days or weeks or months or years. I’m learning the duration of bad can be truncated if we change our responses. If we look to God. If we look to His Word. If we seek His guidance from His Spirit. If we choose to worship and praise regardless of all that may be attempting to muffle our voices. If we choose to share our needs with others. feel free to scroll past the detailed woes and get to the message My past couple of weeks in a few words (or 276, but who is counting?)… layoffs in my organization, job safe, reassignment, more work hours, less time to invest in book launch, daughters reminding me how fast they’re growing, promising job prospect for hubby, steps of obedience, layoffs in my hubby’s organization, his job safe, he loses a co-worker/friend to cancer, grandfather-in-law not doing well, pressure building, old habits tempting, anxiety rising, disappointment mounting, reach out to my girls for prayer, concern for my daughter’s friends who are hurting, God shares it’s time to be faithful right where we are and look to Him more than our hoped-for-outcomes, come to grips with this and accept His will, long hours worked, uneventful Valentine’s day, puked on at 5 am before leaving for work, realize I still have vomit in my hair while at work, amazing husband helps with both ill daughters, amazing husband awakes at 2:30 in the morning not well at all, work deadlines loom, dehydrated children, feeling like I’m not there for my LES girls a third week in a row, inadequacy knocks at my door, begin feeling icky, excited for book publication, reminded God is with us in the fire and this may be the spiritual labor pains of something beautiful being born, saddened at the news of Grandfather passing, blessed to know he is reunited with several loved ones and grateful for our special time just days ago, grateful for the amazing women God has brought into my life, amazed at the love of my husband for his family and myself, rejuvenated by the sunshine and warmer weather we have been blessed with today, elated to see Rise Up! in a local magazine, grateful God shares with us ways to contend the enemy in His Word, now fighting my own stomach woes while I try to get all that is bumbling around in my mind, out, and be a blessing to others in the process, really need to go buy more toilet paper - twelve double rolls in three days is just crazy! If you read all that, you see it has been INTENSE. If you didn’t, I understand, it can be difficult to partake of someone else’s pressure when we have our own to contend with – and my heart and prayers go out to you. Now, would you mind taking a look at 2 Chronicles 20? This is how we are SUPPOSED to deal with the enemy when he comes seeking to defeat.
11. Worship, praise, stand, give thanks, and praise the Lord, before the known outcome!
(2 Chron. 20:21, 22, 27, 28) 12. Know there is blessing on the other side of God’s victory (2 Chron. 20:26, 27) Perhaps you’re not in a battle right now, God love ya! Keep this passage and its lessons in mind when the next trial comes your way. If you are in the midst of the fire RIGHT NOW, I feel you. I’m praying for you. I know you’re praying for me. Please also know, I will take your prayers to my prayer closet, if you feel comfortable sharing any specific prayer requests with me via Facebook or Voxer. Much love and be encouraged to rise up, take your position and stand firm. He's got this for you!
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