Humbled...

I have a pretty amazing God. Shared this in my last post. But, I have been so convicted this past week over my initial response to hardship. A dear friend of mine from Hannahs Prayer (Ebeth!) sent me a wonderful book in the mail in October. It is called "Finding God's path Through Your Trials." By Elizabeth George. Well, at least I think that is what it is called. (the book is in our bedroom where Brian is sleeping and I dont want to wake him up to double check ;) ) Anyhow, God has used this book in many ways.

A couple of things that I have really learned are this:

---Character is only developed in someone who perseveres through trials. Character can NOT be obtained on the short cut path. You can not try to manipulate your way through trials...and think that you will have the blessings of lessons learned in the end. It just doesnt work this way. You must GO THROUGH the trial...whether it be small like a confrontation that needs to be handled in a godly fashion or big like the death of a loved one. And it is not enough to actually make it through the trial, but you must go through it with God's Grace...not stumbling and standing with your face to the storm, saying my GOD IS BIGGER THAN THIS TRIAL...AND HE WILL PREVAIL...Thus I will too!

---Pain...we get so caught up in what we see as pain...we see something that is not easy...or comfortable, and we quit. I see it all the time. WE QUIT. "Things are not going how I like it, so I decide I dont want to do this..." We are a selfish people arent we? If God calls you to do something...for me the calling at the time is carrying a sweet baby that might not live...then we do it to the best of our abilities, RIGHT? Too many times we say, "Aahhh I am tired, I will take care of it later...I will deal with this emotion later...blah blah blah." Why not now? Why not do what God has for you to do now...go through the trial even if it hurts. God is calling you to do so! He is requiring it. And guess what? If we (I) fail, then I have to just go through the test again. So, why not just understand that this is the path that He has for me right now, and walk it...with His hand? I am learning this. Sounds simple...but oh so hard. Oh, and here is a quote from the book! "We get caught up in the pain, anguish, or bother of the moment. Instead, we need to see them as God's way of making us better, more stable women, wives, mothers, daughters, grandmothers, employees, and church workers." This is my goal...to be a Stable Woman...I do not wake up each day saying that I want to be a woman who can waver...a woman who lacks faith...I need to wake up each day, realizing that there will be trials. Whether it be a bill that might not get paid, a sick child, a friend in trouble, or the possibilty of loosing yet another baby...something will be in my path. My job, is to stay on that path...walk through it. And look back at the end of the day giving the glory to my Creator who knows exactly what to put into my path.