Look for God in the Challenges
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A glimpse of our garden
Opportunity to Grow in Expectations, in Spirit, and in Faith
Over the past several weeks, we have faced additional challenges on varied fronts. In my previous post, I shared about the environment we are praying into our home. We are welcoming love, joy, peace, hope, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, self-control, forgiveness, healing, encouragement, and promotion.
Cultivating these gifts is not without challenges. Patience means overcoming complexities that test your patience (long-suffering). I am redirecting my competitive nature towards protecting these gifts. Whatever circumstances that test my love, joy, patience, etc., I am prayerfully determined to persevere and stay in line with love, patience, joy, etc.
Praise to God, who allows me to rejoice in ALL circumstances.
“My fellow believers, when it seems as though you are facing nothing but difficulties, see it as an invaluable opportunity to experience the greatest joy that you can! For you know that when your faith is tested it stirs up in you the power of endurance. ”
Court
I shared some time ago that I needed an excellent lawyer and because you gave recommendations, We have an outstanding lawyer. I am so grateful. The lawyer was not pro bono, but I believe God is in this and He will provide. I still wait in expectation of what was laid on my spirit and heart to be declared in the natural. I will have full custody of my niece and nephew, who my mother raised since birth.
Recently, I received court orders that do not appear in alignment with what I know. It gives me appreciation for challenges that jumpstart necessary conversations at home. I am grateful for the patience, self-control, forgiveness, kindness, and love to wade through challenging discussions with the young minds that have been entrusted to me. I can teach them and show them how to reframe the complexities.
Central Air
One of our central air units went down in the peak of Summer in the MidAtlantic during a pandemic just when a similarly large attorney fee was due. It is hot, and I was trying to stay literally and figuratively cool.
I turned my attention to thanksgiving and praise to God for time off work and more time at the pool! Joy! We love water. Extra practice time for the youngest to learn how to swim. Praise report: Shiloh is now able to swim a full length! Joshua is next.
Praise God for having two air conditioning units. I continue to pray through this challenge. Although I love Summer, I will welcome the blessing of a new season. School has begun. Cooler days are coming. Cooler nights are here.
Refrigerator
Speaking of keeping cool, the seemingly brand-new refrigerator that we bought within the past three years lost its cool. I see having a dishwasher as a luxury even though it is commonplace in each of our homes. Refrigerators, however, are a necessity! It went down several weeks ago while preparing for the Fall and the upcoming school year. Why not just buy a new fridge? Again, I am looking for God in all things. So, I was prayerful and patient. I am on the exceedingly abundantly more plan.
“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”
A dear friend from college called to catch up and give love. She asked how she could help, and I shared our broken refrigerator story with her. She had a reliable refrigerator repair company to suggest! Ultimately, we were unable to salvage the fridge.
It felt a bit anticlimactic, but I purchased a new fridge with advice and lessons learned from the last fridge. Thankfully, it arrived on my day off work. I was eager to get it installed, go grocery shopping, and establish my fall routine. Among other problems, the fridge arrived damaged. I would have to wait on a replacement or similar. At a minimum, I was looking at another week without a refrigerator. All this and the school year had already begun.
We were all sorts of creative with meals. I learned to do more things with fewer ingredients. I learned how to make more things from scratch. We have a sourdough baby gifted to us last year by a coworker that we used with even greater frequency. I brought back elements of my vegan life experience to complete the baked goods. The children learned more cooking techniques and we tried new recipes. Also, praise God for our backup freezer.
I asked the refrigerator repairman if he had a fridge that met our immediate needs. He had just picked up a brand-new fridge still in the box! He said that this was out of his norm. He did not make purchases like this without having an identified customer. He sent me the specs, but it wasn’t the model I would have selected because of the size. With four growing children with healthy appetites, I wanted an even bigger model than the last since frequent trips to the grocery store are not necessarily my idea of a good time. Still, I love to cook, and I like having what I need on hand. In this season, I have streamlined my dependence on refrigeration. So, I asked some additional questions on why he felt it fit my needs.
I listened to what he had to say. I appreciated his perspective. I prayed about it. If I had to wait longer for what we needed, I was prepared to do that, but this felt right. We now have a miracle refrigerator, and we are excited about it! Cubic feet were only a part of the equation. It is precisely what I did not know I needed.
Pediatrician
When I called our pediatrician to make an appointment, I learned that our longstanding pediatrician left the medical practice. We needed to get a physical and immunizations updated before the school year, and all the other pediatricians were booking into mid-September.
The same friend that recommended the refrigerator repair also helped me out of this pinch. She has a gentle heart and was patient with me as I reread through critical information that opened options. When I called back to the pediatrician's office, there had been a cancellation!
The opening was the first appointment of the day. It would be tight, and I would be late to work. Upon arrival, the nurse that checked us in was great and full of joy. Great start, but the pediatrician was delayed getting to the office by a school bus snafu. Yet another opportunity to practice patience!
The physician who stepped in for her was already booked. But when she was alerted to the problem by the staff, she came to our rescue. She was lovely and earned my trust quickly. Just like that, we had our immunizations updated and a new pediatrician.
Growth environment
The environment in our home keeps getting better. We are working together to learn what is necessary to cultivate and grow that environment. Faith, prayer, love, and rejoicing are our most powerful strategies for we know God is working ALL things together for good!
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
Unshakable
God has given me big dreams for my family and community. We face many complications in accomplishing these dreams, yet I will continue to walk through these complications looking for God. We are being prepared for the road ahead. God comforts me and gives me strength to persist and overcome. I share this to encourage you on your own journey.
““All praises belong to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he is the Father of tender mercy and the God of endless comfort. He always comes alongside us to comfort us in every suffering so that we can come alongside those who are in any painful trial. We can bring them this same comfort that God has poured out upon us. And just as we experience the abundance of Christ’s own sufferings, even more of God’s comfort will cascade upon us through our union with Christ. If troubles weigh us down, that just means that we will receive even more comfort to pass on to you for your deliverance! For the comfort pouring into us empowers us to bring comfort to you. And with this comfort upholding you, you can endure victoriously the same suffering that we experience. Now our hope for you is unshakable, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings you will also share in God’s comforting strength.”
“...Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
The last post I wrote was nearly two years ago. I have been grieving, slaying giants, raising champions, and growing in faith.