Difficulties

I can’t believe how long it’s been since I last wrote.  Things have been busy for me, which is good, but I was also able to enjoy some time with my family at the most magical place on earth – Disney World.  We had been planning this trip for quite some time, and when I began my new job, I specifically told them I would need the time off.  Thankfully my new boss is all about family and didn’t bat an eye about my vacation.  So nice.  Anyway, we had a great time at Disney and the boys had a fabulous time.  We had been planning that trip for so long, then it was finally here, then over so fast.  Isn’t it weird how fast vacations fly by?  If we had the money, I’m sure we could have spent a few more weeks enjoying Mickey and Minnie.  But I digress…

The last few weeks have been so challenging for me.  I’ve found it a little bit more difficult to be content where I am at the moment.  Not because I’m in Florida or because of my singleness (although that really weighs me down sometimes), but that Satan has tried to overtake me, my family, and everything surrounding me.  The Bible tells us that Satan comes to steal, kill and destroy and he has certainly tried doing that to me and my family in the last few weeks.

I’ve spent a little bit more time crying, wondering why the Lord causes bad things to happen to great people and why He picks now instead of later to put us through these trials.  A lot of my questions are unanswered and will probably continue to be unanswered until the Lord chooses to reveal the answers to me.

In the meantime, I miss my family.  A lot.  I miss my friends.  I miss my church family.  I miss seeing people who I know, but don’t really “know”.  I miss seeing the same lady who used to make my Starbucks drink every Sunday morning.  I miss the times that I can just call up a friend to go to dinner.

This past Sunday was Father’s day and oh…how I missed seeing my Daddy.  He is and always has been my hero.  I tell people all the time about the story of me getting stuck in the church elevator when I was in the 3rd grade.  We happened to be having thunderstorms that morning and my Dad sent me downstairs to locate some candles, because power outage was imminent.  Well…I got the candles and was heading to the stairs when I happened to be walking by the elevator and the doors opened up.  So why not?  (a third grader does not completely think through things)  I hopped on the elevator and we started towards the 2nd floor.  And then the power went out, and we were stuck.  I can’t tell you how long we were stuck in there, but it seemed like forever.  And, there were so many people in that elevator that no one could sit down.  Anyway, after some time, the elevator started to slowly move down and then the doors were finally forced open.  With only about 2 feet between the bottom of the elevator and the top of the opening, I looked through those doors and saw my Daddy.  He was the one who worked to get us out.  He was not only my hero that day, but everyone else on that elevator.  He still is my hero.

I’ve stood on these verses a lot the last few weeks:

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.  Heb. 4:16 (NIV)

We don’t yet see things clearly.  We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist.  But it won’t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright!  We’ll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!  1 Corinthians 13:12 (MSG)

The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.  James 5:16b (NIV)

The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.  Psalm 145:18 (NIV)

I’ve done a lot of crying and praying to the Lord.  Will you pray with me that the Lord will hold me and my family upright – that He will protect us from the evil things that satan is trying to do?

And Lord, I pray that you will restore the joy in me and my family’s lives and help us to live for you.  Help us to set examples and be witnesses for you in this lost world.  Help us to claim your name when satan tries his best to destroy us.  Help me to love and forgive others just as you have instructed us to do.  I pray you will provide continued guidance to me while I adapt to new surroundings and a new environment.