Praising the Lord!

I just gotta praise the Lord! We’ve been going through trial after trial it seems. One extended trial we’ve been stuck in for over a month now. A financial trial. I posted about it a couple weeks ago so you may have read it. Well, my husband still has not been paid. The last regular check he received was at the end of August and he’s supposed to be paid between the 3rd & 6th of each month. So here we are…beyond the sixth yet again…and still no deposit. But you know what? I am so happy right now it’s ridiculous. Sure, we have bills and a car payment and rent and so on like everybody else, but how can I worry about something that God already told me was going to happen? I mean really? Talking about it with someone earlier and the only thing I could say was, “All we can do is trust God.” That’s it. Plain & simple.

You know what the most amazing thing is? I feel like I had a glimpse of what Paul experienced – on a very small scale in comparison – but still. Knowing what was coming through the forewarning of the Spirit, saying “OK,” and making preparations. Then tonight-- after we just paid some bills that were due knowing that we have no idea when his money is coming--I was filled with so much JOY. Ha! Doesn’t that just sound like madness? I wish you could have experienced it. If I could share the feeling I totally would. I just wanted to laugh and shout and praise God because I know that it is through this trial that we are going to see God’s awesome power manifest. What a blessing! I remember praying a while back, “Lord let my life be a testimony of your goodness and power.” I saw something not long ago that said it’s the test that brings the testimony. Well…here it is! Maybe not the way we would have planned or wished upon ourselves, but nonetheless it’s here. Exactly according to His perfect will. How can I not praise Him?!?

It’s not even that I will praise Him through this storm, but I will praise Him BECAUSE of this storm. What we have is an opportunity to see God’s glory unfold in unknown and dreadful looking circumstances, to share the testimony of how He works miracles in our lives every day, and to draw closer to our Creator through it all. That is worth praising and shouting about! I don’t know if I can even put in to words the way I feel right now! Paul, knowing the persecutions that were set before him (as the Holy Ghost would show him before he went into certain cities), went anyway and he would testify to God’s power and the joy through the trials. I tasted such a tiny part of that tonight. I’m so excited! I literally was about to jump up and down with laughter before I headed in to the shower.

I know it’s all going to work out for our good. I’m not just confessing that to stir up faith, I really KNOW that. I KNOW that no matter when my husband gets paid – soon or not so soon – it’s OK. Our bills will be paid, every single need will be met. We’ll probably even lose some of this “baggage” we carry around through it all. Purging hurts at times, but what awaits us at the other end is glorious. I know. I’ve been through it before. So what awaits us now? Only faithfully standing through this time will tell. I seriously have no fear, no anxiety, no worry whatsoever about what tomorrow holds. I know without reservation that my Jesus is so beyond anything I could ever hope or dream for me or my family.

He’s showing Himself mighty not only for us but for others as well. In the last week we’ve been able to help/bless multiple families financially and otherwise…can you believe it? Just following the Lord’s lead and knowing that if He says do it then we need to do it regardless of what our overly analytical minds might think.

What else? Hmmm…does God ever cease to amaze me? No way! Shelby…as fast as toddlers grow…has totally grown out of nearly everything she owns, including shoes. She has one pair of summer shoes left that fit. We’ve been holding off on buying clothes, shoes because we don’t want to be too frivolous with money. Trusting God, but not testing God, ya know? Received an unexpected e-mail last week with a list of stores to pick a gift card from…and there was a local shoe store on the list. The card came two days ago with enough money to get all the kids winter shoes! And that’s just one of the things God has done in this last week. Showing Himself over and over that He will take care of us. We just have to keep listening, keep walking out whatever He sets before us. I could really go on and on, but this is getting long already.

I am amped at what God is doing right now. Don’t just praise Him through trials, praise Him FOR the trials because each one is a blessed opportunity to see His mighty hand come to life right in front of you and to be able to share that with others. I am so thankful for eyes opened and a heart prepared to receive all that Jesus has for us. Thank you Lord!