Hello!
I am a little late posting this, but here is the WORDart I created this week for Word Art Wednesday.
(click image to download)
I had no idea when I created my wallpapers this month and felt to use the scripture, “Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in Him; and he shall bring it to pass.”, just how much I would need that scripture. It seems that it has been one thing after another for our family for the past year, but this month has been especially tough. There are things that I cannot even discuss because it is so deeply personal and emotional for me that I would be an emotional wreck for days, but I will share a little. My father-in-law was rushed to the hospital two weeks ago with a serious condition that led to other serious conditions. He suffered a mild heart attack and five mini strokes that have left him weak and disoriented. My husband was with him almost constantly for the first week and a half. It has been very difficult for him to see his father, who is normally very independent and strong, change right before his eyes. As his wife, it is very hard for me to see the one I love hurting so badly and not really be able to do a whole lot to help. He is the one responsible for making the decisions for his dad’s care and that weighs very heavily on him. They have moved his dad to rehab and we are seeing little improvements so we are very thankful for that. At this point, we are not sure where things will go from here, there are a lot of ifs, and we would really appreciate your prayers, both for my father-in-law and for my husband to make the right decisions for his dad.
In the midst of all that, my car of 11 years has decided it doesn’t want to work anymore. It will cost more to fix it than what it is worth, so we are without a car for our family. My husband’s Mini Cooper doesn’t quite cut it for a family of 6. If you have been following me for very long, you may remember my post about my husband being laid off last April, when a new management company took over his place of employment. God has blessed my husband with a good job, but it pays considerably less than what he was making. We haven’t had any car payments in quite a while and are not really in a position to take one on, nor do we have the cash to purchase one out right, so we are trusting God with the situation. I know He will provide for us and He knows exactly what we need and how we will pay for it. I am thankful for those times in my life that I can look back and see God’s provision in our lives. I know He will do it again.
I would be lying if I said I have not had my share of Jonah days lately. There have been days when I have found myself wallowing in self pity. I am not proud of that and I have had to go to God many times to ask for his forgiveness. I am so thankful for His mercy and grace. I honestly don’t know how patient I would be if my children came to me everyday asking me to forgive them and then going back and doing it again and again, but God is so loving and forgiving. I have been drawn to the book of Job lately. I like to read my devotions using the New King James version and this really spoke to me, “Then Job answered the Lord and said: I know that You can do everything. And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You, You asked, ‘Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know, Listen, please, and let me speak; You said, ‘I will question you, and you shall answer Me.’ I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You. Therefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes.” Job 42:1-6 I know that God has a purpose in everything and His purpose will be fulfilled. My prayer is that I see Him with my eyes, not just hear of Him. I want to experience Him and everything He has for me…to draw closer to Him through all of this, for Him to make me into the person He wants me to be.
I will leave you with one last verse. This verse just jumped off the page at me. Have you ever had that happen to you-when you were reading the Word of God and it was like the words were in 3D? I just love it when that happens! (This will probably show up in WORDart in the near future.)
“The Lord has heard my supplication; The Lord has heard my prayer.” Psalm 6:9 NKJV
I am holding on to that promise. I am so thankful for the Word of God that speaks to my heart, lifts me up out of my self-wallowing pity, and encourages me.
How about you? Have you, or are you, facing something that you feel is so much bigger than you? Do you find yourself having a Jonah day...or days? What verse(s) have you found that encouraged you? I would love for you to share them with me.
7 comments:
Hi Karen, thank you for the lovely word art you made for us this week. I loved using it to decorate my matchbox. Hugs
Oh, Karen, I can so relate. Our family is going through such trying times. The pain seems almost unbearable. At times I, too, feel like wallowing in self-pity or having a complete melt-down. In fact, I've had a few minor, or not so minor ones. I can remind myself, though, that I am human, and God understands that. When I am PERFECT, I won't have those weak moments. Right now I can rely on His strength. He wants me to be dependent on Him. I am reading through the ESV Study Bible with the one-year-study plan in the back of it. This is my second year following it. It's a different path and different study notes. Things are leaping off the page as never before. I know God knew I would need this new fresh look into His Word at this point in my life. Everyday He nudges me to walk closer and closer. I am so thankful that we have His hand to hold. I'll meet you on the other side! Hugz!
Hi Karen:
I can relate to what your father is going through as I watched my strong, self-reliant, independent Christian father go from healthy to a terminal diagnosis and gone in six months...he died the day before I got married. And my beloved husband had to watch me go through it and the grief work afterward. My first year of marriage mingled with the grief was a blur.
The secret? Keep looking for those every day blessings all day long that are so abundant that we fail to see...I recommend this blog, which I read regularly...www.aholyexperience.com
You and I both know that growth NEVER happens when things are smooth..
Praying,
Denise
Thankyou very much Karen for sharing this today! I have been having some difficult days lately and just knowing that the Lord does hear and answer our prayers is such a comfort! God Bless, I shall be praying for your family! and for your father-in-law of course.
Oh Karen I can so hear your pain - be assured that God is waiting to hear your cries and fill you with Grace for the moment.
Thank you for the word art - it is beautiful.
Blessings and prayers
Maxine
Karen, I am so very sorry for the pain you and your family are experiencing now. I can remember seasons of life filled with trials. Psalm 46:1-2 is a scripture I cling to and will word as a prayer for you.
Karen, I found your site through Word Art Wednesday and my prayers are with you as I have been experiencing great dependency upon God this past year and I understood what you were feeling in this post. God will not only carry you through this trial but you will emerge even stronger in your faith as a result. When your thoughts concern you remember the words of Zephaniah 4:17... The Lord your God is with you... He is Mighty to save... He will take great delight in you... He will quiet you with His love... He will rejoice over you with singing. Praying for you as you also grieve the loss of a loved one.
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