Only God
Last week was hard.
I have always read my Bible but it's always been here and there & then when I pray each day, it would be at all different times of the day or whenever I got a moment to myself. But a couple of weeks ago I promised myself that I would start each & every day off in my Bible & with prayer. So last week I started doing just that & it was very obvious that the enemy did NOT like it.
One day I found myself crying .. another day I found myself crying out to God .. & another day I found myself screaming for Satan to flee from me as I physically felt anger creep into my heart. Each day was something different.
And then on Sunday, we go to church & we sing one of my most favorite hymns, It is Well with my Soul, before our pastor started preaching. The title of the service was God's Unwavering Promise. I knew in that moment I was exactly where I needed to be. He talked about God's grace & how He doesn't bless us for our sake but for His Name's sake. And time after time in each scripture our pastor read, it said "I will never leave you nor forsake you."
As I sat there listening, I began to think how true that is & how God always, always, ALWAYS keeps His promise. He was there when my marriage struggled, He was there when I lost my baby girl & He is going to continue to be there through whatever this life brings. I need only be still & trust Him.
Satan was trying over & over again to get me out of my Bible last week & I am positive he will continue to do so ... that's how you know you are on the right path when he is constantly after you. He likes to throw things up in your face to make you think God doesn't care about you. The enemy is a liar.
Cast all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7
Cast all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7
Fast forward to Monday morning ...
Each month I volunteer at a non profit organization here in our town. On Monday morning before leaving my house, I went downstairs, made my breakfast & sat down with my Bible [I'm pretty sure the enemy is in disgust with me right about now .. #toobadsosad]. Before I began reading, I prayed. I prayed specifically for God to put someone in my path that day that I could help & touch their heart & I prayed for this person having no idea who he/she may be.
Little did I know that my very own heart was the one that was going to be touched.
I was working on the newsletter for the month of June when my mom, who works at the organization, introduces me to a lady named Stacey, who had also been volunteering. Stacey was born in Jamaica & moved to the US when she was a little girl. Sweetest woman you will ever meet. We had only been talking for about 5 minutes when we began to talk about our children. She has three. She asked me how old mine where & I, of course, mentioned Ruthie Belle. The very first thing she said to me after hearing my story, was "Bless you. God is faithful & He has a plan." The more we talked the more I realized just how big this woman's faith in God was. I mean, it was incredible. Her oldest child is currently living in Alaska, she [Stacey] is currently looking for a job & an apartment as she just moved back here from South Carolina & she also has two younger children to care for. But she has given it all to God & will tell you that in a heartbeat.
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1
As we sat there, we got quiet for a minute & I got chills. And in that moment I heard God say to me "this is who you prayed for this morning." He was exactly right, I could feel it in my heart. Have you ever been sitting in church & at the end of the service you feel the Lord tugging on your heart to go down to the altar & pray!? Well, that's how I felt when He said those words to me. I felt Him tugging at my heart telling me to tell Stacey that I prayed for her this morning. I sat there wondering how to tell her without her thinking I was crazy & then I finally looked at her & said "you are going to think I am totally crazy, but I can not let you leave here today without knowing that during my quiet time this morning I prayed for you. I had no idea who you were, but I prayed specifically for you. I prayed for God to put someone in my path that I could touch but I had no clue that my heart was the one needing to be touched. Your faith is so BIG & I admire that so much. I needed this conversation so much after the week I had last week." We hugged & cried.
Y'all, I am here to tell you that only God can do something like that. I am getting chills just sitting here typing it.
Another incredible thing in all of this, Stacey wasn't even supposed to volunteer on Monday. She typically does Tuesday & Thursday nights & just happened to come in on Monday morning.
I mean, whhhhhat!?! Only God.
He is SO good!
If I would have listened to the enemy all last week & let him discourage me, I would have closed my Bible, never prayed the prayer I prayed on Monday morning, decided that life is much easier when he is not under attack BUT, I would have missed out on this moment in my life. I don't know about y'all, but I want MORE moments like these in my life!
Is there something the enemy is constantly under attack about in your life!? We have to stand firm & believe that God is always there for us. He will never leave us nor forsake us.
He is SO good!
If I would have listened to the enemy all last week & let him discourage me, I would have closed my Bible, never prayed the prayer I prayed on Monday morning, decided that life is much easier when he is not under attack BUT, I would have missed out on this moment in my life. I don't know about y'all, but I want MORE moments like these in my life!
Is there something the enemy is constantly under attack about in your life!? We have to stand firm & believe that God is always there for us. He will never leave us nor forsake us.
Delight yourself in the Lord, & He will give you the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:4
xo
6 comments
What an awesome story! Thanks for sharing! All Christians should wake with the prayer that God will put people in our paths. And it is so important for us to remember that the enemy is active!! The world needs its followers of Christ active too! Wearing the belt of truth and breastplate of righteousness!
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more! ❤
DeleteLove this - sharing this on my Facebook page - what a powerful testimony of God's goodness and tender love in our life! xoxo ERIN
ReplyDeleteThanks, friend!
DeleteI did a Bible study last year, The Armor of God, and learned just how bad Satan wants to tell us lies and how bad he wants to attack us when we lean on God. We have to always keep in mind that there's a spiritual battle going on. God definitely had a divine intervention with you and that gal.
ReplyDeleteHe sure did! I'm going to look into that Bible study! Thanks for sharing!
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