Praise HIM, as He grants me Persistence through an odd time!
I have been blessed by the books and lessons of RMIEW. I am blessed by walking with my Heavenly Husband, and He has taught me much along the way. I have been divorced for 4.5 years, and I am content in my life. He provides for me and gives me JOY and Peace. I have friends, activities, see my children and grandchildren, have challenging volunteer work, and then sometimes I have the rug pulled out from under me!
I WAS the queen of fretting about everything. In fact, I believed that the more you worried, the better person you were. (I did not know I believed that! He taught me and instantly showed me how foolish that was.) So my mode of action was to observe my world and attack the problems laid out before me. I felt responsible, and I fought hard in my own strength to accomplish as much as possible.
I was pretty busy–I had five kids, all very smart but with unique learning difficulties, and I homeschooled and had a husband who worked very long hours, traveled for work and who left me to my fretting and work even when he was home (probably to escape the stress of my fretting!)
Now, though, I know the PEACE of my Heavenly Husband. There are just as many troubles out in the world around me as there used to be, but now I know that not all of them are assigned to me, and even when they are, I do not need to solve them in my own strength! He will provide, as needed.
So, three weeks ago–while I had repair construction going on at my house, while my car was in need of repair, my taxes were not yet filed, and I had agreed to help at the local clinic–I received a call from my oldest daughter. I could hear the fear in her voice, as she told me her 20-month-old was in the ER with RSV. She wanted my help. She lives six and a half hours away in the middle of a tiny town–an hour from the hospital where she was alone, as her soldier husband is deployed out of the country. I listened, as I prayed, “Show me your path, Dearest Love.” I love my daughter and granddaughter very much, but I knew He was with them.
I reminded my daughter that He was with them, and I explained that I had to ask Him how to accomplish helping her, but that He would provide a way. As I prayed with her on the phone, I noticed that the handyman who was working noticed. I had been tearing out wallpaper before him, as he worked behind me on a project. I had been blessed to find this skilled, solid, Christian man with a strong family–an answer to his prayer for work to provide for his family. He was trustworthy, and he pointed out that if I finished one more wall, he would be good to proceed, and I could get packed. He was willing to work on without me (for the same bid price!), as it was obvious I needed to go.
I called a friend, while I worked, to care for the cats. She is never home, but she picked up her phone immediately! 🙂 I texted another friend to pick up my clinic volunteer work–no problem!
Oh…my car!? How could I drive that far, when it needed to be looked at?! What to do, LORD? I said another prayer, and as I did, I was asked, “What else do you need to help you get out of here?” I told him about my car, and he pointed out that the worker helping him that day had worked at a car shop in the past. (!) He had him check my concern on my car. No problem! A wire had been loose. Fixed-no charge.
I have a shoulder problem and driving the full trip all the way through is often too painful. I called my son to ask if I could stop at his house if needed. 4 hours into the trip I called him to tell him I was fine and continuing on. I was able to get to my daughter that night; we were able to take her daughter home. She was very sick, but we are both nurses, so they let us take her home.
He provides!!
Philippians 2:13 AMP “For it is [not your strength, but it is] God who is effectively at work in you, both to will and to work [that is, strengthening, energizing, and creating in you the longing and the ability to fulfill your purpose] for His good pleasure.”
It is ALL HIM, dear brides! Stop fretting and trust in HIM, alone!
~ Beverly
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