Hubby walks over and asks me, "what are you looking at." In other words, "we came for a humidifier so what are we doing over here?"
"Baskets," I say.
"For What?" Hubby replies. Leave it to him to continue with probing questions.
"Storage."
"Storage for what?" Really Hubby.
"Toys." I know what's coming.
"We don't need more baskets for toys, we need less toys," he tells me.
He's right.
Hopefully this new humidifier makes it through more than one winter!
On a more serious note, I wanted to talk about Bible study. I guess it's more about obedience than Bible study really. My dad's birthday is coming up shortly, and when I think of him and his death I think of my Bible study. Let me explain.
I had been feeling convicted to join a Bible study for quite a while, but I was kind of ignoring it. It's NOT a good idea to ignore something God is calling you to do! I had "reasons" for not going and persisted in putting it off.
Our second daughter, E, was born at the beginning of July. The day we brought her home from the hospital we went to our town's street dance. Not because I really felt like going to a party, having just given birth, but we had promised G. We were sitting at a picnic table watching G play with a friend when we were approached by a woman we had never met. She introduced herself and explained that she knew who we were from a friend of hers who was the aunt of a friend of mine from college. Did you follow that??? It's a small world.
Anyway, long story short, she invited me to a Bible study she was leading at a church in town. Uh oh....a DIRECT invitation. "Now what do I do," I asked myself. Why do I bother asking myself questions I already know the answer to??? I'm a creature of habit.
Bible study started at the beginning of September, but let me back up for a minute to August. Mid-August my dad came to visit us and meet his new grand-daughter. We had a wonderful visit and it was emotional when he left. As I stood on my porch and watched him drive away I had a strange and strong sense of unfinished business. I walked back into my house and felt God calling me to sit down and write him a letter. I don't mean I felt Him telling me to write him a letter sometime...when I could get around to it...I mean I felt Him telling me to sit down and do it right that very minute. So I did.
I had no idea....Thank you Lord, you are so good!
A couple of weeks later my dad passed away very unexpectedly. The first person I called was Hubby to come home, and the second was my friend from Bible study. I didn't know what to do, I just knew I needed prayer. She said she was on her way.
I walked into my bedroom aimlessly and as I stood in front of my dresser God spoke to me again. "Be still and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10)." That got my attention. More than that, it gave me comfort and peace in the midst of utter devastation. I don't have to understand what just happened, I don't have to have all the answers about life and death, and why things like this happen. I just need to be still and know that He is God, He is my God. The Maker of Heaven and Earth. He gives and takes away according to his perfect plan. I didn't have any control over what was happening, but the Author of Life did. Better Him than me, that's for sure!
So Hubby and my dear friends Marsha and Jodi arrived. We prayed and packed and cried and got things in order for us to travel to CA. I don't know how we would have gotten through all the "stuff" that we needed to do to leave if we wouldn't have had those two women there with us. Thank you Lord for friends who help us on our journey.
My fingers are too tired to tell you about all the ways God comforted me and reassured me while we were gone at my dad's funeral. The important thing to share with you is that he did. Over and over again.
God blesses obedience. Believe it! Bible study has become so important to me. It has brought amazing, godly friends, spiritual growth and much needed time in the Word. If you feel God calling you to something, I encourage you to follow through. He doesn't disappoint.
I'm not sure why I felt like I needed to share this story, God does though. Maybe someone needs to hear it who hasn't already, maybe I need to hear it, either way works for me!
Also, last night I COULD NOT sleep. Neither could Hubby, and neither did several other people I know of. Hubby and I were restless and felt very worried. Not sure what was going on in the Spiritual realm, but let's be prayer warriors. Pray that God would bind the hands of Satan and protect us. That His Holy Spirit would fill our homes and our hearts. That His crown of thorns would encircle us and keep us from evil. I am really learning the power of prayer!
1 comment:
Thanks for sharing this - having the 2 little ones now I'm aware of how my time with the Lord has been lacking. I think soon I need to get involved with a bible study. Thanks for the encouragement!
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