Unbelievable

"In repentance and rest you will be saved,
In quietness and trust is your strength."
Isaiah 30:15b

Wow!  What an unbelievable week!  If it could go wrong, it did!  We got caught in a  web of lies, lost paper work, unprofessionalism, and missteps as we sold one house and closed on a new one.  In the midst of all of that, we packed up and were ready to move on the 7th of August.  We then lived in a house with little furniture and no kitchen goods for another week because our buyer's mortgage company lied, lost paper work, and dragged their feet.  Then the electric company turned off the power two days early.  In west Texas heat, that's a problem! We rented the new house for a couple of days and went aheaad and moved in on the 15th.  Just this morning, lost funds were found and the closings are both finalized! 

One thing that we learned is that moving with one helper is a lot harder than moving with three to five!  Because we were a week late getting here, Ethan had to go on to college and 2-a-days for soccer.  That left Lucas and my husband to do it all!  I pitched in where and when I could and still have a lot left to do.  I never want to move again!!!

But in the midst we found quietness and trust and strength.  We chose to believe that God called us here, that He would work all things out for our good, that He was here with us, and that He would give us the strength to work through it all.  And He did!  Physical strength, mental strength, and emotional strength were extended to us.  Tracy is back at work, the essentials are unpacked, and we are ready to take Lucas to school on Thursday.  And, I found a great chiropractor and we got to spend some time with friends.  Life is sweet!

If you are a Christian then you are saved through your repentance and resting in God's promises.  But now strength and joy and peace and love can be obtained as you walk the Christian life by quietness and trust.  These take a life time to learn and practice.  It gets easier each time, but it is always a choice.  In the book of Isaiah chapter 30, Israel chose not to trust God, but rather they headed to Egypt and destruction.  They were not willing to be quiet and trust.  Will I be willing when hard times come?  Will I be strong enough in my faith to be still and trust?  I want to believe that I will, but only by God's Spirit will I be able.  For now, I am building that faith muscle by using it in the little things of life that come along.  God will give me strength for each new thing.  And He will give you that strength as you practice quietness and trust in Him.  He is able and no amount of worry will change the situation, so find peace in the midst and trust.

Hint for the Day:  As a mom it is easy to want to do everything for your children.  But when you let them go a little at a time and teach them that you are there when they need you.  You are building an example of trust that they will one day be able to tranfer to God.  Let your 3 year old play at a friend's house.  Let your 10 year old walk to the local gas station for a candy bar.  Let your 12 year old ride their bike to a friend's house.   Pray for them all the way!  If they get lost, they can call.  If they fall down, they can come home for first aid.  Be there when they need you, but let them grow up.  Send them off to college.  You are only a phone call away!  By college age, they should be relying on God more and more anyway.  Practice quietness and trust yourself while teaching this to your children.