During The Trial

Earlier this week I posted a question on my Facebook page:

I am leading an online study for “The Power of a Praying Wife”. We are in week 13 (of 31) and the chapter is “His Trials”. There are a few lines from this week that have been very thought provoking. They read:

"If your husband is going through a difficult time, carry it in prayer but don't carry the burden. Even though you may want to don't try to take away his load and make it yours. That will ultimately leave him feeling weak and like a failure. Besides God doesn't want you doing His work."

Our society tells us that for a woman to be powerful, she has to do everything that a man can do –and do it better. Even on the Biblical side when you look at Proverbs 31 and everything that a God Glorifying woman does, the list appears to be endless. After all, in the very beginning when God created Adam, he made for him a “helper” named Eve. (Genesis 2:20-23). –Oh and let’s not forget the famous words from 1 Corinthians 10:31 “Do it ALL for the Glory of the Lord”. But you get the idea…

Whatever the motivation, I know many a woman that tries hard, maybe too hard and maybe even for all of the right reasons. I know that there is a gray line between the paragraph in my book and the drivers that I just shared. Both are right at different times and yet maybe the same time.

Then I asked if anyone had any discernment here on knowing the difference between “Helping by doing for/with him” versus “Helping by letting him struggle through it”.

“Coincidentally” I thumbed through another book and landed on a page that also says “Assuming too much responsibility for others deprives them of the lessons that arise from the choices they have made. Those in pain need our compassion and support, but if we carry the weight for them, we rob them of their strength and self-respect.”

So, I let those passages swirl in prayer throughout the day... and week. 

While I could give you examples from my marriage, I will withhold. Because places in marriage [ahem, places in life] whether it’s mine or yours, can be hard. That doesn’t mean bad. It simply means hard, even when it’s good. After all, you’re growing. You’ll hit trial after trial. It might be health, jobs, finances, transitions, addictions or trauma… Heck, sometimes simply living with a person that is not you, is hard. At least in the beginning.

And then just when you get all of those above scenarios worked out, something changes and a different trial comes into view.

Anyway, let me first rephrase the question: How to help your husband carry his load in the trial, without assuming too much responsibility for it? Ultimately all of these bullets are ways to hold each of you accountable. Dear wife, you can still “do it all” and “do it well”. Hopefully, these tips just help each of us do it a little better.

1. Don’t decide for him what he can and can’t handle, even if he already has a lot on his plate. Don’t assume all of the chores if he’s sick. Modify them if necessary but don’t eliminate a need from/for him. Don’t stop asking his opinion, even if you know the best answer or what he might do. And if you’ve never “needed” him before to get things done, this might be the very best time to start including him. Show him that he has purpose and value. Nothing can be more discouraging that to not even be needed or considered.

2. Be truthful. Depending on the trial, you might have some negative reactions to it. If you don’t tell your spouse all of the ways that their trial affects you, then technically, you’re withholding information. Not only that but turning part of your heart away can allow other negative feelings to grow and can “show up” in other less appropriate places.

Plus, by not telling him how something affects you, you’re depriving him of the opportunity to do anything about it. In order to make the best decision, he will need all of the info. It’s your job to help him get it.  If you’re a “stuffer”, especially when you’re upset, you might actually need a little help figuring out what part you find upsetting. The good news is, you don’t have to know the right words, you can just start with “Hey something is off and I don’t like it… I need to say some things that might be hard to hear, in order to sort out my answer and get to the bottom of it.” [But schedule and make enough time for that!]

3. Be his cheerleader …not just his task reminder system – Wives are a great “Task Force”! bad ump bump. But seriously, we are! And most of us mean it in an encouraging way. It’s not always and only for the things we need help with either. Sometimes it’s their list too. “Did you make your appointment?” “Did you pick up _____?” Have you decided what you’re going to do about ______?”

We’re quick to remind them of all of the things that are still needed and sometimes we’re even good about saying thanks for all of the things that they’ve done. But is that all that you remind him of?

Or do you also try to remind him of the man that God created him to be and what his strengths are? What better way to encourage your spouse, especially during a trial, than to remind them what they actually do very well. -Where their talents are and what passions or gifts they have or how they can use them for good in the situation. It might even behoove all of us to sit down and make a list of our spouse's strengths just so that we know. (Feel free to start with some of the reasons why you married him.)

4. Don’t compare his way versus yours -  That’s the quickest route to division between you. You may not agree on the end result or how you go about it but look for ways that you can both get there together. After all, if both of you are throwing the ball, no one is there to catch it. You need two different angles and you're both on the same team.

5. Don’t let “it” get dominion over your home. Be intentional about bringing something else into view. You most likely have kids, still need a date night and have other things that need to happen. Be sure to include those other things in your conversations, decisions and activities. Don’t build everything in your home around the sin, the status or the sickness or you might lose sight of the people behind it.

6. Check your own heart – Isn’t it easy to encourage our spouses when they are merely disappointed in themselves. It’s sometimes another thing entirely when their decisions disappoint us too. Are you still able to encourage your spouse when he fails to meet your expectations?  

This one might be a tough pill to swallow but if it’s you, then there’s hope. You can repent of it. You can apologize to your spouse. You can practice being more encouraging during those times. –But the best thing you can do is take it to the Lord in prayer. “Lord, help me see and love my spouse like you do.” In all seriousness, I wrote about the first time that I prayed that prayer and it wasn't about my husband. It was life changing. I have prayed it a million times since then and if you’re sincere, it works with everyone. Perhaps that’s why Stormie wrote a book about praying for your spouse.

The truth is, most of these answers have come to me through prayer too. Maybe at different times and not all over the course of this last week. –But it was prayer that gave me insight and not only that, it changed my actions as a result. When you go the Lord in prayer, the answers start with you.

Remember, the Lord says in Isaiah 46:4 “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” He will carry you (and your spouse) turn by turn if you let him.  So be sure to stop and ask Him first for direction(s). 

May this be a blessing to you and yours!

Thoughts about Submission | Discussion Power of a Praying Wife

[Recap for the rest of the world–This post goes with The Power of a Praying Wife study. I posted a link to a message by Tony Evans on reclaiming your power “Dominion & Marriage”. It gives some interesting views on marriage, Adam & Eve and their roles. It began a little discussion between group members about submission in marriage. As I started a reply, the words just kept going… And well, this is just an easier format for that…]

I once was very independent and tried hard to avoid depending on a man at all costs. I learned how to change my oil myself and even opened doors for men, etc. because I refused to be coddled. (Not saying it’s bad if women know how to do nice or needed things.) Those are just two examples of my "I could do it myself" and "I didn't need a man" attitude. I think that's a common message in our society, which translates to it's weak to be a woman or to be treated like one.

I don't remember Tony’s exact comment from the woman's perspective... It was something to the effect of we want men to see us as romantic partners or something like that but that’s not why God created a woman. Adam (men) didn't need companionship, he needed a helper. Well, I'll admit, I.did.not.like.that.not.one.little.bit. haha. But that IS what it says in Genesis. Ouch and sigh all at the same time.

I am a hopeless romantic. The cheesier & more ridiculous the better. But isn't it a matter of my ego that wants to be stroked when I crave that "attention" from my husband. (Not saying that affection is bad either. I’m just pondering the root of why I want to be doted on.) AND when I consider myself a "HELPER"; while it does sound a little less glorious than “I am the object of my husband’s affection” or “serving me is the reason why he exists” it does take a lot of the burden off of me having to be the one with all of the answers. I am just supposed to help HIM carry that load and responsibility. (Hallelujah, I don't have to do it all!)

I do love everything he said about her feelings, even if the man chooses to override them. I do also think that sometimes as women we confuse submission to mean that we're not allowed to have a voice. We're just supposed to shut up, do as we're told and look pretty. I am learning that is NOT the case at all. We are supposed to say how we feel and challenge our husband’s ideas and thoughts and disagree about things. And that we bring our men (and marriages) honor when we allow ourselves to compliment AND contrast without the added pressure of hinging every little thing on whether or not we’re compatible or get along.

Submission might just mean that we decide that we don't have to be right all of the time but that our voice is still worth being heard.

Back to my first paragraph, [this is fresh off my heart and I guarantee that I will still be mulling the words long after I post them…] I do believe that chivalry is total hotness in a fella and as I have gotten older (or as the Lord has worked in me) I do want to be treated "soft a woman". [I think that description came from a book somewhere down the line.]

The only problem there is that it still conflicts with that "tough as nails" Queen inside. And that queen interrupts where I allow myself to be vulnerable with my husband. She fights for space, heck she fights for the covers and she fights for authority to rule... -But don't we have to allow ourselves to act the way that we want to be treated. If I want to be the queen and wear the pants and be hard as nails, I can be. -But I will also be treated that way. (And sadly, I can only see my husband becoming passive or a yes man, in that light.) Wouldn't I also have to give "soft as a woman" in order to be treated "soft as a woman"? If that makes sense.... hmmm.

I think true submission would be valuing myself enough to be heard like a queen but brazen enough to give the power to the King(s) instead. To be bold enough to walk in like Esther, even reaching out and touching the scepter. -Even if it means I die. –And believing that the mistakes he’ll make along the way with ‘my power' are intricate and important steps as he finds his way to the head. In that light, as a helper- My most important job is to help him find his way there. It's trusting him with opportunity after opportunity even, and especially when my heart is on the line.

Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Romans 12:10

Photo Credit: http://bestpickr.com/matching-couples-tattoos

37 Glimpses From The Life Of Jesus

So, I started this post over a year ago. It was just another one of those lists that I love to create for myself as a reference point. At the time, it felt incomplete and so it has sat there ever since. Then last week my Power of a Praying Wife group made it to chapter 10 - “His Choices”. As wives, we’re considering our choices too. This list came back to the surface and some other items were added. While it's still incomplete, there is certainly enough to get your thinking juices flowing.

In a world full of “do this” and “do that”, I thought it might be better to look to Jesus and what He did. Remember that popular phrase “WWJD” (What Would Jesus Do)? Well, this list is a conglomeration of things that I see when I look at his life. It might be a little too literal in some places …or is it? I don’t know. It’s not intended to be legalistic but rather to provoke thought in your own [and my] prayer life and actions. I can’t quite get the words the way that I want them on a few of these but I need to post it in order to keep the group moving along. Most of my documents are living documents anyway, which I go back and edit as I see fit and when time permits. This one is no different, so please feel free to check it again later. 

Oh and forgive the spacing. Blogger doesn't play nice with formatting, especially bullets.

I hope it stirs you to study your Bible and that it encourages you wherever you are on your own path. 

1. He used what He had – In any of the miracles you see that Jesus performed He is seen using only what He had or what was close by. Now, I believe that there is a holiness to that and so I don’t want to negate it with what I am getting ready to say. After all, He is part of God. But for the purpose of this bullet and our day-to-day let’s compare: using mud to heal the blind man, water to make wine, when He restored the ear of the high priest’s servant, etc.
   
   This speaks to me in my day to day, not even on a miracle-level yet. I’ve taken instant potatoes to a covered dish before because it was what I had. Sophie painted rocks for the activity/gift at a birthday party because it was what I had, I’ve written notes to encourage someone before instead of purchasing something because it was what I had. By no means are any of those things miracles BUT our society caters to buying MORE (and I can still get caught in the trap too) when it’s not even necessary. When I let God use me and what I have it has often meant more than what could be purchased or it freed me from some additional burden. If Jesus can make miracles from nothing or very little, you and I can get through our day to day with the same.
2. I once heard someone point out that when Jesus healed the blind man with mud, He used something that we were also made from like the dust of the ground. It made me wonder how many other little things just like that, I overlooked and what the relevance might be to them. I know that there is a holiness to them and a purpose in each one. While, I may not have unpacked them yet, let us not forget at a minimum that Jesus was a part of miracles. Do you and I even dare to get involved on that level with others or ourselves? Heck are we even part of the prayer chain leading up to it?
3. In any of those examples, He also shared what He had, no matter how little, with everyone. He understood that what was given to him, was not his alone.
   
   Can you and I do the same? When we make dinner and it’s only enough for one or two, can we invite someone to it. When you only have a dollar in your pocket or a material item be it jewelry, clothes or an appliance that someone else needs could you share it? …even if it means all of it.
4. When He spoke, it was the truth and only the truth. He didn’t add to it. Short. Simple. To the point. How many times do we unnecessarily add our opinions, our feelings, judgments, speculations or rationalizations? While those additions are often valuable, imagine what our conversations would look like if they were more like his.  How many of our conversations even include scripture?
5. He was tempted but always resisted.
6. And in case you missed it, He used scripture again to combat his temptations.
7. A pastor’s wife once said that when you hear someone say “Well, you’re only human….” Remember that Jesus was also human and still chose to live obediently and exhibited self control. –Bam!
8. “Ever notice that Jesus seems to see people as they could be, not as they are today? He saw disciples in ordinary fishermen, saints in sinners. He elevated people beyond their present circumstances so they could see a future full of potential not visible in their present state.” Taken from God’s Faint Path.
9. True to self and God. - There are some important similarities between The Festival of Tabernacles with his brother John 7:1-13 and The wedding in Cana with his mother John 2:1-11. In both cases, Jesus goes on to do what his relatives had suggested, but He does so on his own terms. These two stories emphasize Jesus' loyalty to his heavenly Father's will. Not even those closest to Jesus in human terms--his mother and brothers--could influence him. He must be entirely open and obedient to God. Here we see again Jesus as the model of discipleship. Taken from commentary.
10. He doesn’t complain. In both of those examples He makes the statement, “My hour has not come” and in other places, He says “I was about my father’s business…” or “It is good for me to go….” He KNEW that He was going to die. Yet you never see him complaining or acting like a martyr. He doesn’t even drag his feet onto the next task.
11. What are some things that Jesus said about himself? “I am the light of the world.” “All things have been handed over to me by my Father.“ “If you follow me you will be set free!” “I speak what the Father taught me.” I know you’re not going to say that you’re the light of the world but could you who believes say any of the same things about yourself to someone else?
12. What about things He said to others? “You can’t hear from God because you do not belong to him.” “Whoever confesses is saved…” or “Judgment will be worse for you than….” or even something as simple as "Lazarus, come out!" Do you or can you say any of those things as boldly as He did? In this item and the previous, there are a few things that are still hard for me. –Especially on the level of boldness! Does our comfort level with any of these examples tell us something about our own faith? Pretty thought provoking, huh?!
13. He didn’t need the disciples to cheer him on. He wasn’t looking to see what people on earth [sinners] we’re doing before figuring out what his steps should look like. He looked to God. Even when others accused or persecuted him or when they didn’t even understand his purpose; In nearly every passage you find Jesus, He is looking to God himself or pointing others to him.And since every single one of us on Earth is a sinner, shouldn’t we also look to him? Isaiah 55:8 says - "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.”
14. In John 17 – Jesus looks to the heavens and says "Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you”. Whether you believe that this is a real account or just a story, you most likely know what he’s referring to and it is anything other than “glorious”. Yet he’s ready and He does glorify God. Period. How about you and I? Even when we are presented with something inglorious or perhaps even when it turns our different than we were expecting, can we still glorify God in that circumstance or after? And to me "glory" is a little different than #13 where we're just looking and pointing.
15. What about in John 6:27 when Jesus tells the crowd at Capernaum “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you...” What about you? Could you give up a career or at least, rearrange your schedule to get more spiritual food than bread?
16. Jesus prayed – We believe that God already knows our prayers and so we don’t always take the time to pray them. But if God knows anyone, He certainly knows Jesus. Jesus IS part of the Trinity. Yet He still took the time to pray, for himself, and for others.
17. Jesus Trusted - I remember once asking someone what his prayers might have looked like or sounded like. My friend said we see that here.  I thought to myself, No, for real…like when He was in private or what wasn’t recorded in scripture. I mean here he’s playing it cool. He’s going to a cross to die. Yet sometimes in my own prayers, I am freaked our and scared to death over lesser things. Don’t you think that there was a moment when he was at least that scared?
    We catch a glimpse of that when He prayed for the Father to take his cup, the verse says that He prayed earnestly. –Which means purposefully, with depth and fervor. He says “if you are willing” and the verse says He was strengthened. It didn’t change what God laid out, it changed him.
    
    Even then does his prayer in the heat of the moment sound like yours? How does it differ and why?
18. In John 17:9 again while Jesus is praying He says “I pray for them. I am not praying for the world but for those you have given me, for they are yours.” It’s easy to consider our children and spouses given to us but what about our coworkers, our friends, our enemies or even complete strangers. Is anyone that is in your path, given to you? Is everyone in your path even your enemies, treated as belonging to God and serving a purpose in your life?
19. He served - Jesus recognized and understood all of the power that was given to him and yet while He could be delegating responsibilities, He served instead.  –Not just in healing the sick, making wine or appearances but He even washed the feet of his disciples.
20. He didn’t hide his emotions. He marveled. He wept. He was angry. He loved.
21. He came to _______ not to ______. John 3:17
22. Jesus is seen not just eating but also kicked back and reclining not only with his friends but also with tax-payers and the Pharisees. In fact, He even tells us to invite the poor and the Pharisees instead of our friends. Although not just to serve them or do some good deed but to sit down and know them and let them know you. Even during the Last Supper, He is seen again reclining; knowing full well that he’s going to die the next day AND that someone who is at the table is going to betray him. You’ll also notice that those who were with him, reclined too.
    
    Do you and I eat at a table or in the car always on the go and miss the essence of breaking bread with others. I don’t yet know what it is but there is something that happens when we eat together without any other distractions. Also, do our tasks, prejudices or something else limit when or who we do that with?
23. Even Jesus was baptized (Mat 3:13-17)
24. And filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 4:1)
25. And He fasted. (Mat 4)
26. And He sang.
27. Most of us speculate that “the least of these” is a reference for those in need, children, or the sick. I also read a thought provoking article that said it might even be messengers of Christ and those in the church. I wonder if it’s actually anything or everything that we think that we’re above. For instance, if we ‘don’t do’ hospitals and funerals or if we are above leading or spending time with a certain age group. No one was too little for him.
    
    This is my emphasis alone “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to [what you consider to be] one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’’  -Where are you willing and unwilling to serve?
28. He showed honor for parents.
29. Mary & Martha referred to Lazarus as the one Jesus loved. John was also often referred to the same way and even said so about himself.  Do those in your circle know and claim your love for them?
30. He accepted what others had to give, no matter how small and didn’t rebuke it. (Example: woman & perfume and the widows coins)
31. It seems like anyone in the Bible that met Jesus either loved or hated him. Many were radically changed by one encounter alone. Do you and I even put ourselves out there enough to be unforgettable or to stir the hearts of others or are we kept to ourselves; holding back or hiding [as in not even discovering or sharing] our talents, testimonies and truth?
32. Content with little. He was a traveler. He had no earthly home of his own from what I can tell. He most likely only had the clothes on his back. No other material possessions. Would that be enough for you and me?
33. Talk about solely depending on God's provision- Not only going with so little but also in depending on what was given by others? I mean how many times have you heard someone say or even said yourself “I don’t accept handouts” or “If I can’t get it myself, I’ll go without.” Or “I don’t need anyone”. I don’t believe that we were made to be self-sufficient silos or to only be the ones giving the helping hand. We were also made to also receive it. Humility comes with a little humiliation. Trusting that God can provide what you need not necessarily what you want or the way that you want it.
34. Where are your roots? Is it your church or your career or your hobby? I mean we plan and save for college and retirement. We pay 30-year mortgages and search for solidity and permanence in our plans. A friend says [something like] we have an “eternal longing in our hearts” and so whether or not we realize it, we’re drawn to things about going home or securing the future. But is it supposed to be satisfied or long lasting here? Did Jesus or the disciples have security in anything other than God? Maybe it only depends on each of our callings, like the difference between a missionary, a monk (and then anyone in between) but it makes me think none-the-less. How rooted are we supposed to be in anything while we’re here?
35. Asking rhetorical questions like to the lame man,  "Do you want to be well?" Sure the obvious answer for me would be that we should question everything but Jesus certainly wasn't questioning what He already knew. He was giving the other person questions instead of stating all of the answers, letting others find the answer themselves. See here for more.
36. He died for everyone, not just his mother and brothers and close friends.
37. Even though He was going to give the biggest or greatest thing that He could give, He didn’t let it stop him from giving in the lesser ways before then.

Whew you made it to the end! -And I know there is so much more to add! I didn't even get into his childhood yet. Tell me what else I missed or what things stand out to you about his life, from your own study time. Comment below.

The point is that He died so that you could live. How do you spend that life honoring, ahem Glorifying him and who are you looking to for guidance in it?



Photo Credit: https://www.pinterest.com/yogibynature/faith-runs-deep/ also: https://hopeandhappinessmission.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/e124f811c287ecb5ef2a174f60778506.jpg

Discussion from Chapter 8

[This post is for a discussion topic that accompanies a Bible Study on the Power of a Praying Wife.]

On page 81. When Stormie and her husband took a trip to Greece. He had a fear that everything would fall apart if he didn’t go back home. The preacher traveling with him, came and spoke to him and they decided to stay for the duration of the trip. Stormie got pregnant in Jerusalem and had a baby on that Pastor’s Birthday. The impact of those details strike me more significantly when I read the actual pages of the book. But 2 things stand out to me about that story. (I encourage you to read it before proceeding, if you haven’t.)

The first was the significance of little details. The baby being conceived in Jerusalem and then being born on her Pastor’s Birthday, when he [the Pastor] was the one that spoke to them and convinced them to stay.  There have been countless times and situations, where “little things” felt so specific, “ironic” or “coincidental” to my situation, it was difficult to not believe that God was “personal”. Especially when it keeps happening.

The photo

For example: I read a passage in a sexual abuse study a few years ago that really spoke to me about the type of person that I wanted to be. It compared a tree to a woman and it began in me, a deep love of trees. I had little notes on my blog and in my home about them. The picture to the left was my favorite and it was the cover on my Facebook page to remind me. I had other pictures of trees that I thought were beautiful in various places. I decided that I really wanted a painting of a tree but couldn’t afford it. –And this picture,  my favorite, was so pixelated that it didn’t print well and the poster version looked so cheesy that it ruined it. I didn’t pray for it or tell anyone about my desire but I did think to myself, why can’t I just have a painting of that tree!  

The Painting

I am not kidding when I tell you that a year or so later I led a class on post abortion trauma and a few months after the class was over, one of the ladies that attended the class painted me a picture of that very tree that I loved so dearly. It was the perfect size, the perfect tree…. And it came from someone that was a friend but also from someone that represented a particular junction in my life. It was exactly what I wanted [but more] and this painting just couldn’t be bought.

Those details might not mean anything to anyone else but I was seeking the Lord in my life. I was really stepping out and challenging myself to do things that I believed, even though I had “no experience”. I wanted the Lord in every capacity that I could experience him and every time I get past myself and get my eyes on him, he surprises me in some personal way that convinces me, that he knows my name. (Is 43:1-2)

(Just like the experience that I shared with you about picking up the young man and then my husband “coincidentally” going to the conference.)

Let us not forget that his Word tells us in Psalm 37:4 Take delight IN THE LORD and [then] he will give you the desires of your heart.

Perhaps it was the same for Stormie and Michael. They were on a trip with people from church and their pastor. Was there a significant moment spiritually or in their faith on that trip that they were going for and the baby became a reminder of?

You might think that this is a ‘one off’ story but I am telling you, I have prayed for a little donkey to fill an Easter egg, I have wished for a bottle of salad dressing, even in my recent job transition there was a moment when I realized that I was so exhausted in my work that I couldn’t give the passion that I wanted to in sharing my message about Christ. I told him that I wanted to rearrange my life so that he could get more of it. It wasn’t until the moment that I realized it that I was then able to confess it or even know to ask for it. But when I did, then he began to move. –And you know what he else? He took something that I loved personally; and in another moment where I wasn’t even praying, I simply and casually said more as a rhetorical question to God, “Gosh, why can’t I have a job where I do this all day?!” and well…  it took a few months but he answered that too. When I was willing to change it all for him, he answered in a way that I couldn’t even see coming.

When YOU delight in the LORD, HE will give you the desires of your heart!

The second thing that stood out to me from the story on 81 was that he [Michael] felt like everything was going to fall apart if he didn’t go home.  Yet when he stayed just long enough, it all did fall apart but in a different kind of way.  –He had a baby. Nothing stays the same after a baby! Call it intuition, gut feeling, prompting of the holy spirit. But he had this feeling… and got it wrong.

Before I got pregnant with my first child, I remember standing in the kitchen talking to my mother and telling her that I couldn’t explain it but I had this unshakeable feeling that my life was about to change. Only to discover a few short months later that I was also going to have a baby. I had no way of knowing what that ‘change’ would look like. But it was such a strong feeling. My mother and I still talk about that! I was so nervous.

Or again with my job….

The last few years I have really gone through something spiritual with my job. I believe it wasn't necessarily about the job, it's just what the Lord used in my life to speak to and grow me. I still can’t figure out how to put all of the words to it. But I know that I had to go through every single piece of it. I know that it was a birthing process to something else. I know that if I didn’t rise up and do the things that were hard, then I couldn’t move to the next junction.

From the day that I took my promotion on the Help Desk, I told a friend that I couldn’t explain it but it felt like it was either the end of me at the bank or the end of me as I knew it. (Again, another one of those intuitions). Then suddenly, one day, I knew that I had to give my notice. I did it that day! I gave 6 months. I don’t know where that number came from. It just felt like the ‘right’ answer. And 6 months to giving that notice, I found out about or applied for the position that I am in now.

Now I am not just talking about feelings like “I feel like eating a bowl of ice cream ” or “I feel like taking the afternoon off”. It’s hard to describe but there is a usually a restlessness that accompanies these feelings. I can’t just sweep it off to the side and the only way that I know how to explain it is that it’s like “a deep spiritual knowing….” But without all of the details. 

So your question is: What about you? Have you ever experienced a situation like either the first or second?  Feel free to comment on both. If so, please take a moment and tell the group about it (video, blog or text is fine).  If you need to come back to it, ask the Lord to remind you of a situation to share but please come back to this post. If you haven’t experienced either, let’s pray about it. Whether it’s in personal details or in feelings or even in other methods; I pray that he speaks to you in a way that is personal to you. –a way that is unforgettable and undeniable!

And if you’re going through one of those restless places now but you’re just not sure… Feel free to share that with the group too, if you’re comfortable doing so. But most importantly, I’d ask you to take the time to journal, read your Bible and pray about it until the restlessness is over. Yes, some of those situations take months to resolve but concentrating your Bible time and journaling about it, has helped me recognize how God is talking to me and working in my life! Look for God at work in this situation!

Blessings to you!