Peace in a Storm

As we move from the Thanksgiving holiday into the Christmas season, I am putting things into perspective. This has been a very financially hard year for my family. I know we are not alone in this fact, and many of you can probably relate. The interesting thing is that God has used this time period to increase my faith in Him. He has miraculously provided for us in ways that we could not understand or foresee. Our own thinking would have dictated a different path for us, but God has our steps marked out.

I don’t know what’s next for us. I am weeks from graduating and no closer to finding a new job. I just keep hearing God tell me to trust Him and walk forward without looking away from Him. He promised to meet all of my needs, and I am resting in that today. I am working not to dwell on my circumstances no matter how tempting it is to do so. God has never left me alone. When I feel far away from Him, I realize that I am the one who moved away.

As we prepare for Santa’s visit, I am wondering how we will put presents under the tree. I know that God will meet our needs and some of our wants too. I am carrying the spirit of Thanksgiving into the Christmas holiday. I am not stressing over cyber Monday or all of the alleged sales that are taking place right now. I am enjoying the peace that comes from knowing God is holding me and teaching me right now where I am.

2 Comments

Rach

November 30, 2011 at 3:46 pm

Your attitude pleases God, and although you are in a tough spot, when you have been tried your precious faith will come forth as gold. On three different occassions, my family was in a situation where we did not know how Christmas gifts would make their way under the tree. I worried at first, then I stopped. I prayed that God would take over te situation and give us some type of miracle as I had never been in this situation before and it felt so uncomfortable and strange. The first year, the Lord chose to allow us to suffer (so to speak). I went from being able to provide at $2,000 Christmas experience to a mere $300 for my entire family. John and I scrambled and offered the children a choice $50 cash or $50 in gifts. The two older children choose money but our youngest son chose gifts. To this day, it is the BEST CHRISTMAS we ever had as the children will never forget unwrapping their seeminly millions of Dollar Tree gifts. They will never forget the Pirates of the Caribbean puzzle, or the silly string they used to tackle each other all morning with. Yes, that my dear, was our best CHRISTMAS. I never would have believed we could be so happy with so little, but we were, and in many ways although a tiny bit more financially secure our happiness in now more contingent on the love and memories the family shares. The next Christmas God gave us a miracle. He came through with cahs this time and an anonymous donor dropped off $200 on our doorsteps with a couple of presents for our soon to be daughter. That was such a blessing and certainly helped us through. The following year. Yes, THREE years of famine if you will. And this time I was making more money than I ever had in my life, plus my husband was working full time, but we were so far in debt because of the financial drought that lasted years that we were still digging, digging, digging. That year a family chose us to take under their wing. Every year this particular family, whom we have since become good friends with, gets all of their family members together to pick a family to give a financial donation to around Christmas time. They collected over $300 for us and also gave us tons of food including big packages of meat. In either case, I did not ask anyone for help. I simply prayed and believed that God would take care of us and sure enough he did! Be blessed dear friend. Your honesty is so refreshing. God loves you and has such a tremendous plan in store for you and your beautiful family. Only hold on. Only believe 🙂

Babetta

December 1, 2011 at 5:49 pm

Thanks for sharing these sentiments with me. They are both encouraging and refreshing. I am so happy for all of the wonderful blessings God has given you and your family.

Rach

November 30, 2011 at 3:46 pm

Your attitude pleases God, and although you are in a tough spot, when you have been tried your precious faith will come forth as gold. On three different occassions, my family was in a situation where we did not know how Christmas gifts would make their way under the tree. I worried at first, then I stopped. I prayed that God would take over te situation and give us some type of miracle as I had never been in this situation before and it felt so uncomfortable and strange. The first year, the Lord chose to allow us to suffer (so to speak). I went from being able to provide at $2,000 Christmas experience to a mere $300 for my entire family. John and I scrambled and offered the children a choice $50 cash or $50 in gifts. The two older children choose money but our youngest son chose gifts. To this day, it is the BEST CHRISTMAS we ever had as the children will never forget unwrapping their seeminly millions of Dollar Tree gifts. They will never forget the Pirates of the Caribbean puzzle, or the silly string they used to tackle each other all morning with. Yes, that my dear, was our best CHRISTMAS. I never would have believed we could be so happy with so little, but we were, and in many ways although a tiny bit more financially secure our happiness in now more contingent on the love and memories the family shares. The next Christmas God gave us a miracle. He came through with cahs this time and an anonymous donor dropped off $200 on our doorsteps with a couple of presents for our soon to be daughter. That was such a blessing and certainly helped us through. The following year. Yes, THREE years of famine if you will. And this time I was making more money than I ever had in my life, plus my husband was working full time, but we were so far in debt because of the financial drought that lasted years that we were still digging, digging, digging. That year a family chose us to take under their wing. Every year this particular family, whom we have since become good friends with, gets all of their family members together to pick a family to give a financial donation to around Christmas time. They collected over $300 for us and also gave us tons of food including big packages of meat. In either case, I did not ask anyone for help. I simply prayed and believed that God would take care of us and sure enough he did! Be blessed dear friend. Your honesty is so refreshing. God loves you and has such a tremendous plan in store for you and your beautiful family. Only hold on. Only believe 🙂
Babetta

December 1, 2011 at 5:49 pm

Thanks for sharing these sentiments with me. They are both encouraging and refreshing. I am so happy for all of the wonderful blessings God has given you and your family.