Happy New Year!!! 2010 proved to be a trying year for me and my family, although it is not lacking many life lessons. 1. The Lord is a provider. God has provided for my family in ways that I could have never imagined in this past year. March 12 my brother Stephen was in a terrible car accident. He ran into the back of a semi trailer. We learned this summer that he was only inches from the bumper of the semi when emergency crews arrived on scene. Stephen came away from the accident with several facial fractures, but no other broken bones or internal injuries. It is a miracle that he survived the crash and with no more injuries than he had. He spent a week in the hospital.
2. The power of prayer. First with Stephen's accident it was amazing to see how many people were praying for him. There were people all over the world that lifted Stephen up to the Lord. The Lord answered many prayers in the weeks that followed the accident. The swelling went down in his face and he was able to have surgery just 2 days after his accident. After taking a swallow test 3 times to make sure that he could swallow effectively and not choke he finally passed. His vision was corrected. He is now in braces continuing to work on the healing process. Secondly many people had been praying for me that I would make the right decision regarding my engagement. I didn't not realize how many people had prayed for me until I decided it was the Lord's will to call it off. The Lord answers prayers in unusual ways. Third one of my mentors from OBU was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer in December 09. She was given 6 months or less to live. She is still alive today and fighting cancer. In July 2010 she was pronounced cancer free and remained that way for a couple of months before doctors found new tumors. While having treatment last spring she suffered a severe hemorrhage and those helping her saw angels in the room with them. Her story has inspired hundreds around the world. She insist on telling it to everyone that she meets so she might share the gospel.
3. The Lord is faithful. Many times God wants us to go a in a direction but it takes us awhile. My dad tells me stories about his cows that get out of our fences and how he has to coax them back in. They keep doing, not seeming to learn their lessons. Many times in our lives we want to leave the fence or the path the Lord has set up for us. We want to try things on our set out on our own way. At the time it doesn't matter to us that we have to go through the barbed wire like my dad's cows. We are stubborn and we want things our way. But the Lord is faithful. He waits, calling on us, begging us to listen. He wants us to following in His path for our lives. But he is a loving God that allows us to choose our path. The Lord brings people into our lives to help bring us back to where He wants us. For me this has not only been my parents and friends but a special lady. Jan Studdard, my mom's best friend. She allowed the Lord to use her when I needed the most and I will forever be grateful to that. I challenge you to listen to voice of God. It may be small, and quite but He seeks you. He wants to be in relationship with you. He desires good for your life. At times it may not seem that His "good" is really good. Being in the Lord's will means trials will come. But it is in the trials of life that we grow stronger, that we are made into the men and women God desires us to be. In all actuality the Lord's will is really good for us.
In this New Year, I challenge you to seek out the Lord's will for your life, His good and perfect will. Listen to the still small voice of God in your life this year. Elijah longed to hear God's voice. He ran to a mountain after a show down with the followers of Baal. He was scared for his life. He ran and hid a mountain he didn't want to work any more for the Lord. Read the passage below. Don't worry if you don't hear the Lord's voice in big ways. THe Lord spoke to Elijah through a gentle wind. May the Lord bless you in 2011. May He teach you and show you things you never knew as you seek to follow Him.
And the word of the LORD came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”
11 The LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.”
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.
Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
14 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.” Elijah 19:10-14
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” - 2 Corinthians 5:17
