Hey, Siestas! Thank you for such an outpouring of support in my blog break. God has already caused it to bear fruit the way I’d hoped. He’s so faithful. I miss you so much and think of you daily. I hope to see some of you Houston area girls at Bible study tonight. I’m so blessed to serve tonight with my friend, Christy Nockels. OK, here’s today’s TOPIC for Talk To Me Tuesday.
Talk to me about a time in your own life when God called you to an area of obedience that was particularly difficult but ultimately (and surprisingly) led to joy. Limit your story to one meaty paragraph so we can read as many as possible. Let’s hear it! I surely do love you girls.
When my dad died suddenly I assumed legal responsibility for the care of my mentally ill, addicted mother because that is what I believe I am called to do. Thankfully – for both her and I – God gave me a father who had taught me how to live in the midst of challenges and how to follow God whole-heartedly no matter what. Although he is long gone, I am grateful on a daily basis that he pointed me to the way, the truth and the life. Without God I would, at least, be miserable and if you believe the statistics, I should have also been addicted, depressed and dysfunctional.
I have always spoken favorably about my dad’s powerful influence on my life and faith. One of the blessings I have received as a result of caring for my mom is that I have come to see how God has used her to shape who I am today. Most of my life I would have told you that I am who I am DESPITE her. It is with great humility, wonder and awe that I have come to accept that God used both my parents to shape who I am. It wasn’t like He slipped and accidentally gave me one “good” one and one “bad” one. Had my mom died first and my dad survived, there are many things about me and her and God that I would never have known.
This last year has been full of obedience. Sometimes I go quietly resting in the fullness of Him and then there are those other times I go kicking and screaming still full of myself.( I have to repeat those lessons!) My story is long and one that is shared by many. Deep wounds of rejection and trust. My marriage of 19 years rings true of that part of my life. But I’m doing the “hard thing” and trusting God. He is teaching me to “Run to Him” when I want to defend myself. Now that’s hard!! I want to defend my worth, my motives, my God, to my husband and when I do it seems to end up in a pit every time! “Not where God wants me to be!” So I have been obeying and running (literally) from the situation straight into His Arms! And I tell Him Everything! My hurt, my pain, my confusion and He listens and listens…. and then I listen. He loves and I love back. And I can walk back singing “I’ve got peace like a river in my soul” The beautiful peace of Obeying Him.
Marlinda, I am right there with you today. Wish I could stamp out all those old feelings that seems to haunt me and my thought patterns. Sometimes I feel so rejected by my family back home and wonder how can I get past all this. I feel guilt if I say something to another family member, just because they just don’t get it.
I am so glad God understands and listens to us__I can cry it out with Him. It breaks my heart sometimes too.
As Beth wrote in her book, our security is the Lord!
Yet, in my weakness, He will prevail. Thank you for your post…I will pray for you. in Christ
Back at ya! thank you Joyce
When a church friend’s baby shower came up, I had second thoughts about going because I was still experiencing panic attacks, and I didn’t want to have a panic or anxiety attack in a roomful of friends and strangers–I knew this baby shower would be packed. Then after praying, I decided that those negative thoughts didn’t sound like believing God to me, so I decided to go the shower. I prayed before I left the house but started feeling shakey when I got out of the car. I prayed as I got out and rang the doorbell. When the door opened, my friend gave me a huge smile and hug and ushered me in. Then someone called my name and came up and hugged me and led me to some other friends who smiled and hugged me. I felt so loved and welcomed and special. God made it so easy for me. I will never forget that afternoon.
I looked up obedience and found the definition submissive compliance. I have had 5 pregnancies. I have two busy, amazing boys and have gone through 3 heart-wrenching miscarriages. All of the miscarriages were discovered during routine doctor’s visits when a heartbeat was not found. They were discovered at 13, 16 and 20 weeks. The last two miscarriages happened within 9 months of each other. At around 15 weeks with the last pregnancy, I tearfully shared with my Bible study group that I was indeed pregnant again and hopeful that we would have a healthy child, but that no matter the outcome I would trust God. This last miscarriage has been especially difficult as we delivered and laid eyes on our baby. As deep and cutting as the pain of these losses are, the joy I have found in the Lord is deeper. Submitting to Christ in obedience has allowed me to process the pain through the peace, love and hope I have in Christ. He does bring beauty from the ashes.
my heart broke into pieces when my husband admitted to having an affair. the path i have walked since that horrible moment has been one of obedience, faith, and joy that amazes me. He asked me to forgive. it hurt like crazy, but i chose Him in that and obeyed. He opened my heart to truly love. He asked me to lay my husband on the alter of my life, trusting that if he “burned” there, it would be His will. oh, the pain was palpable! but i obeyed Him in prayer and faith. i felt shackles fall and the gracious freedom to grant my husband freedom to heal. He took me on a journey through His word to teach me that “if He kept a record of sins, NONE could stand”….but that i was keeping a record. ugh, i thought, seriously? who could really blame me?! “grace is grace”, my dear, “and Mine IS sufficient.” i confessed my sin and stood in awe of Him. at each point, He has become real to me in a whole new way and i am more in love with Him than i thought possible. His peace, His personal touch, His desire to heal my heart, His TRUTH, His voice all convey to me His incomparable love….and THAT fills me with joy!
After 18 years of doing it wrong I was learning to allow my husband to take the lead in decisions. One car was in the shop for several weeks and our 2nd car was unreliable making me nervous to drive it very far. I wanted to rent a car while our 1st car was in the shop. I stopped, and stood back and waited until my husband came to the realization that a rental would be a good idea. We arrived at the rental place where he had reserved an economy car only to be told that the only car available was a brand new Cadillac which they gave us for the economy price. I could almost hear God laughing with delight to give me such a wonderful gift in response to my obedience.
Two weeks ago, my SIL had a good friend of hers post a statement on Facebook in support of pro-choice legislation that is being voted upon in our state. I felt very oddly (and undoubtedly) led to respond with a loving response in support of life. I don’t know this girl, other than meeting her once very briefly through my SIL. I did know that she once accepted Christ but has since denounced her faith and is a very active and persuasive voice against Christianity, but more importantly, against Christ. I did not expect to make a dent in this girl’s views with my simple and loving message for life. A week later, she contacted me via Facebook (even though we aren’t friends) and asked me to debate the abortion issue. I tell you what, I felt the Holy Spirit moving my fingers across my keyboard as I responded to her with a lengthy and heartfelt message about the love of Jesus Christ. I witnessed to her as I’ve never done before and I know it was God’s leading. We’ve since exchanged several long, personal messages (interestingly we’ve not discussed abortion, only God!) and just tonight she told me she is now allowing God to come back into her life after 7 years of pushing Him as far away as possible. She told me it was because of my words and my witness to her! Well, I know that’s a God thing but I’m just beyond overjoyed that He’s using me in such a tangible way right now. My obedience in listening to His calling me to minister to this girl has led to immeasurable joy for the kingdom of God. I’m still just totally overwhelmed (in a good way) by this and have been crying happy tears all night. Praise be to GOD!
oohhhh! Some kinda wonderful joy!! yes, praise be to God!
Love this!!
Hey Beth-
One of my mom’s friend was having throat surgery due to cancer. I forgot all about it. A friend’s father was in very critical condition. My prayer partner and I talked about it and decided to stay home. Well, then we got a call that the same friend’s brother collapsed and was rushed to the caridac care. We went. It was far too “co-incidental to deny that we were supposed to go. So, while we were standing with our friend outside of I.C.U. they just happened to wheel my mom’s friend from surgery to the I.C.U. I felt the Lord put it on my heart in a rather commanding way to “go find his wife.” Now, I wasn’t real familiar with this hospital. I told my friend that there ws something that I needed to do. So, talking to the Lord every step of the way I was like, “You really gotta help me out with this one. I have no idea even she would be. I don’t even know where the surgical waiting room is. Well, I was walking down the corridor and this lady comes out into the hall from this room-hospital volunteer-and asks me-SHE CAME TO ME-” Can I help you with something?” I told her that I only knew the first name of my mom’s friend and what kind of surgery he was having. He is the first on the list. So she confirms that I am in the right place. I then asked if she knew where his wife would be. Oh yeah she says. She’s right there in the surgical waiting room. Bingo! I went in, plopped down beside her, and told her who I was. I told her that I wanted to pray with her. So I did. Then got up and left. That night, my mom called me, in tears, telling me how awesome it is that her daughter cares about her friends. There were other blessings that came from that act of obedience. I learned a valuable lesson. To obey is better than sacrifice. I don’t even want to think about what might have happened if I had not stepped in where He wanted me to be.
September ended with an incrediable call from my husband Rod’s doctors to come up to Mayo. They said there is a liver available and to leave asap…that was one a surprise.
God is able to immersurably more ….and letting down my control is “what God has asked me ” to do for quit a while….can I trust Him longer than I have…..will I be let down…..God does know me…..been abused and lack this quality sadly…I have been following the Lord for 39 yrs trusting Beths study’s to open my heart and God is showing me that once I let go of my control…”which I must do in order to let Him work” He won’t let me down,We arrived about 9:30 pm, his doctor called him as we sat in front of the Methodist hospital…asking where is he…told him to let his wife park the car and for him to get in right away. When I joined him they were deciding “of the two” recipents “who” will be matching up…blood type + urgency + other perticulars. He showed me in this miracle….The decision was made…the other person would be correct match…we prayed that God was in this and we just needed to trust Him. Of course we were hyped up and concerned and anxious plus wide awake…about 3 am they came back in an presented their professional decisions and wisdom about the liver of this patient…it would be a perfect liver for Rod and once “that surgery” was completed successfully than lab would run tests to confirm quality of liver. The team of doctors came back in to talk to us and assure us that this was a good match and they would give Rod a new liver about 8 am..turned into 9 am…then 10,11,and at noon they called me to say they were starting the surgery. Here is where God showed up to love me into obiedence…Lots of prayer came from all of you and lots more all through out the day. God revealed only what I could handle…as I paced and talked to the Lord. Desparation does not make good decisions (recognize this Beth)so I told the Lord to calm me down…. Christ offers a relationship with the Father that fills our hearts with satisfied contentment, no matter what the external conditions may be…I am reminded to keep my eyes on Jesus Christ and not what it looks like as I waited and waited.. The charge nurse called me from surgery room to tell me he was handleing “it” well and it would be another hour to get him ready for ICU. A verse popped into my head from …Ephesians 3:20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, Our faithful friends praying during this time…sent comfort to my heart. I am so grateful to you all! Praise the Lord for answered questions and prayers! Sleeping in chairs and walking the floors in a very small waiting room does things to me. I could only wonder what is God wanting to show me……. Nurse gave me a call asking me to come to ICU -room 10-3-206, good thing they had prepared us for all the stuff and I was not afraid as I entered his room. God met me as I entered the room, he held onto my heart thru all your prayers…I felt them! By 11 pm family arrived…helped me all through the next few days. …………………Which brings my walk even deeper and as I fall on my knees to praise him …he catches me and bring joy unspeakable!!! We have lots of positives and just as many hard times but Rod is taking bigger steps each day and so am I. May God bless you Beth and family/staff!
My biggest call to obedience was the day I married my husband 5 1/2 years ago.
You see, right out of high school I felt the need to marry my high school sweetheart. It was the longest relationship I had ever been in and the first time I truly felt that anyone had loved me. After that commitment was made he became a different person. He became violent, and angry all the time. Anything from pushing, and throwing me around, to pulling myself out of walls and being dragged around by my ankle. The Lord knew I would not leave him, mostly for fear of failure. 2 years after we wed, I caught him with another woman. Even then I still wanted to make it work, crazy I know! I lived in another state (I moved there to be with him) away from all friends and family, so I loaded up my car and moved back home to face my worse fear, lots of “I told you so’s.” The entire way home I prayed and told the Lord, “God I don’t know I can get through this without knowing I will one day be a wife and mother, I need someone, a Godly man to help me get through this!” A month after moving back home, I met my husband. At first I only wanted his friendship because my heart was still with my ex, but as time moved on my heart was still in another state. After a year of refusing a relationship with him, the Lord finally spoke to me and told me “you asked for him, I gave him to you, now take him before I take him away!” That week he proposed. I said “Yes!” Even though I was still completely broken from my ex, I knew God has spoken and he was the one, I just had to TRUST HIM! The day of our wedding (it was outside) I thought “Lord if it rains I”M OUT OF HERE!” It rained all around us that day, but not in our city! I’ve been happily married to the love of my life, a PASTOR for 5 1/2 years and we have 4 beautiful girls ages 4,3,16mo, and 10weeks. There isn’t a day that passes where I’m not grateful of my miracle family and how different my life is now from what it was before.
MOVING 3000 MILES AWAY FROM MY HOME-TOWN (that I had lived in my whole life) TO A 552 SQUARE FOOT ISLAND HELPING MY HUSBAND CARETAKE (before I moved here I barely cleaned my own house- let alone someone else’s house:)A 2200 ACRE RANCH THAT IS POWERED BY SOLAR AND GENERATOR!!
I love the city, love to shop, and LOVE to dress cute (I also LOVE good non frizzy hair days which is unheard of living in our humid island climate)- but I love God more than any of the above and decided 5 years ago that I wanted my life to be in complete submission to the Lord-
I knew He was calling me on the carpet for some serious fear issues I had- one of which was flying on an airplane- I took a huge leap of faith- took God at His word- that His peace would surpass all understanding- boarded an airplane, along with my 2 boys and husband bound for Hawaii with my Bible as my carry-on (so I could read every fear overcoming verse over and over until we landed) and FLEW to Hawaii with God’s peace completely covering me the WHOLE flight- At the time, when we landed back in our hometown I thought God would let me off the hook and never require me to fly again- hee! God, in His ever gracious way knew that I when I was up in the air- I had to surrender complete control to Him- He prompted my heart once again to get on an airplane (with my precious cousin) and fly to San Fransisco to See you Beth at Deeper Still (it was my second flight in my quest to over come my fear of flying- Thank you for your inspiration both at the deeper still and your Bible Study ‘Breaking Free’ as God used it to give me practical tools to be an overcomer). Fast Forward 4 years and 40 airplane rides later and I am writing this e-mail from Hawaii (my new hometown) because, still wanting to be obedient to the Lord, even when it seems to be constantly out of my comfort zone- this is where the Lord has called my family for now. Care Taking at a large ranch that is isolated, on an island that stays pretty much the same temp. all year long (great for vacation), and that is a total of 552 square miles (vast amounts of ocean is our constant scenery). Probably what stands out even stronger than all of the above is that God called me to be obedient in getting on an airplane and letting Him take my fear of flying away 5 years ago because He was preparing me to be obedient in HIS calling me and my family to live on an island that the only mode of transportation is an airplane. THANK YOU JESUS SO MUCH FOR THE CALL
OF OBEDIENCE ON MY LIFE!
After almost backing out of a choir ministry trip to avoid an awkward weekend after a falling out with a dear friend, I went. A new, wonderful friend invited me to room with her. Prior to deciding to go, I kept hearing the words “Don’t miss the blessing.” Got to know my new friend through deep conversations and times of prayer. On the bus ride home we shared the excitement of reuniting with our husbands and little girls. As i started to walk to my car after the bus dropped us off at church…i realized that i hadnt said goodbye. I ran back to my friend and gave her a big hug. Who could have known that the next day she would be called home to be with the Lord? I could go on and on…I did not miss the blessing of knowing her and I am so glad that I listened and obeyed!
My husband and I are just ending a season of walking in tough obedience. It ends with a purchase of our home and a clean credit report. Along the way, we have faced opposition from banks, family, and friends. We have also experienced peace, pain, and pleasure! But sometimes all you need are a few, wise, mentoring voices, a word of scripture or two, and the amazing but quiet urging of the Holy Spirit to stand and trust in order to give God complete access to your heart and will. What a testimony of His faithfulness…even in the last hour when all seemed lost, God said, “Stand, don’t run.” So we stood! Now we are standing in our own home after 15 years of marriage, 3 kids, and many miles of bad financial decisions. Thankfully, the Lord is true to His Word and redeems the years the locust have eaten! My God is faithful and true!
My story is very similar to another poster. I am in the midst of an unwanted separation and pending divorce. From the time this nightmare started, the Lord has called me to “be kind and tender hearted, forgiving one another. . . ” and although I don’t always ‘feel’ like it,I am determined to be obedient. I am an unemployed 50 year old who has not worked ourside the home in 5+ years and the Lord keeps telling me “do not fear”, “wait for the Lord”. There is nothing in ‘this’ world that looks like it will get any better, but I am completely confident in my Father. “. . . weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning”. It is unending comfort to know this season has a purpose and that it is a ‘season’ for crying out loud. God is indescribably faithful and has blessed me so much. I can truly say “it is good for me that I was afflicted…” – I had no where to turn but to God and now I love Him more genuinely than I ever have before. I started the memory verses with the blog last year and kept up with it on my own this year and the obedience of memorizing scripture saved my life – on two occasions, I felt a darkness so deep that I was almost overcome and I started crying out my verses and when my memory failed me I grabbed my spiral and to God’s great glory, His word is alive!!!
Praying for you, P.
michelle
I was dating a guy for 5 years who was not a christian. God told me from day 1 not to date him but I disobeyed. Finally 5 years later I surrendered that relationship to the Lord. I told the Lord all I wanted was Jesus, to fall in love with Jesus. 3 months later I met my husband who I wasn’t even looking for 600 miles away from my home town while visiting friends in another state. Not that there is a formula that if I do this I will get that but God really blessed me above and beyond when I surrendered that which He was calling me to give up. 10 years later happily married to my best friend and father of our 3 girls!
I am still in my journey right now. A couple of years ago there was a huge rift at our church. Our pastor was asked to leave. I know there was fault on both sides but I allowed myself to be consumed with my bitterness and resentment for “them” – those who had the power to “get their way.” I have several times decided I was going to leave this group of disappointing Christians (funny I know). Each and every time the Lord has made it clear that I am to STAY. I have been angry at Him, frustrated, and confused but obedient, not understanding how this could possibly be the better thing for me. After letting me stew in my unrighteous attitude until I got sick of myself, the Lord has shown me SO MUCH about myself – my self-righteousness, my lack of love and grace, etc. I now see some changes taking place at our church that only God could orchestrate but by far the greatest benefit has been what I have learned about myself. The joy for me comes in knowing He loves me enough to be patient with me and that He allows my “suffering and pain” so I can grow!
Hi Beth, This is my first post. I just need to say real quick how much I love you and thank you for your ministry. I was in a relationship with a man for close to five years when around year 3 I knew in my heart God was calling me out of that relationship. I was trying to live my christian life (doing bible study, church on Sundays, etc), while at the same time living “sinfully” with him. It was very clear it was time to end it. With tears and fear, I broke up with him on Valentine’s Day, (it just worked out that way). I went in my house got down on my knees and prayed to God asking him to lessen my sorrow, and I told him I was truly sorry and serious about getting real with Him. Not only did He lessen my sorrow, He immediately removed any feelings I had for him. When I thought of him, I just felt “nothing” good or bad. Two days later I met my christian husband of 12 years. I can’t tell you how perfectly God orchestrated everything when I finally said YES to Him. He was waiting on my obedience and surrender!
Hi there Siestas! Thank you so much for sharing your stories. They’ve been such an encouragement to me. God is calling me to stay at my place of work and all I want to do is leave. But each day He show’s me how He’s carrying me and how His strength is being made perfect in my weakness. I don’t have to be strong – I just need to trust. Your stories have been such a blessing to me today. God bless!
About 5 years ago God lead me to separate from my husband of 9 years. He was a alcoholic and was starting to get abusive physical and was always mentally abusive. For about 4 months I thought my marriage was over. But I noticed when he came to visit with our daughter his whole appearance and attitude was drastically different. To make a long story short,he was seeing a court order social worker and she was a Christian and she used her beliefs when she was Counseling my husband. He is a recovering alcholic and has been somber for 5 years now and gives God all the glory. He was baptized about 2 years ago.There is much joy that God has given us.
It’s been a difficult year for me. Just over a year ago, my husband fell into a pattern of sin that threatened to destroy our whole life, and the lives of several of those most dear to us. The ramifications of that sin were staggering (and are still being fleshed out). Devastating. Yet now, a year later, I have a husband who has repented from his sin and broken the yoke of slavery to it. A husband who seeks the Lord, and leads me in a time of sharing His Word and prayer together each and every morning. Through deep pain and disappointment, the Lord has brought me something I prayed desperately for — for YEARS — a man of integrity who is after God’s own heart. Would I have chosen the path it’s taken to get here? Absolutely not. Yet beauty from ashes and redeeming love have truly become my song, and if this is what it took for the Lord to bring my husband into a genuine relationship with Christ, so be it. So many blessings from the buffeting.
My heart both aches for you and sings with you, sweet Heather. May your marriage be a light for those who have been in similiar circumstances and need to see that there is indeed beauty from ashes…
Oh boy, do I remember that time! About 2-3 years ago God led me to deal with something in my past. I’ve been married for 26 years in Nov. and this happened before I married my husband. I had asked God’s forgiveness, and gotten it, but I had not completely dealt with the whole situation. Anyway, I felt I had been living a lie my whole marriage. I wanted so desperately to get closer to God and it was like I had gotten as close as I could get and couldn’t get any closer. For about a year God dealt with me to tell my sweet husband about something that happened before we married. It was something that I knew would hurt him, but I knew God was telling me to do it. I saw forgiveness in the human flesh as if it were God Himself. When I sobbed the truth to my husband, he sat there for a second and then he held both arms open wide. It was literally as if I were seeing God. Now I’m not calling my husband God. Not for a minute. He is a very godly man, but God is God and my husband is not Him. But that was part of the sweetness of it. I wanted to get closer to God, I obeyed Him and immediately I saw Him. My husband and I have always had a very good marriage. We have always been best friends. But the closeness we share now is so deeper. It’s like we’re in love that much more. God does indeed bless obedience! He sets captives free!! He is an awesome God!!
This time last year, God called me to leave the church we had known for 10 years since moving to Jackson. I had the privilege of being on staff for 5 of those years. However, God was clearly calling us to leave. This was so hard when I absolutely LOVED every thing and every person within those walls that I was able to do life with. I wasn’t prepared for the sadness and wilderness that has followed. However, God has landed us in a beautiful new church home and the wilderness is being replaced with beautiful milk and honey. He WILL take care of us when He asks us to do the really hard thing. Love you all. Praying for those who might be in that wilderness right now.
I’ll be in freedom November 16th from over 10 years of debt and spending outside my means. Its been a long journey of half obedience- not fully surrendering to ALL that Christ wanted to do in my life to truly release the hold the addiction of spending and trying to appear a “certain” way had become. July 16th I told a friend “this has to stop, you have to hold me accountable”…I haven’t bought a single thing other than food for over three months- no clothes, books (even Christian ones), iTunes, you name it- and “dumping” every bit of money I didn’t need to live on to pay off the debt. FULLY Obeying the LORD has brought joy I can’t even express, it isn’t always fun to go without, but complete obedience has deepened my relationship with the Lord in such an amazing way. A scripture the Lord gave me about two years ago was, Jeremiah 31:3-4a…”The Lord appeared to us in the past saying, I have loved you with an everlasting love, I have drawn you with loving kindness, I will build you up again and you will be rebuilt.” God’s loving kindness and our full obedience rebuilds what was torn down by sinful choices.
Nearly 5 years ago, I learned that my one month old nephew was in foster care in Minnesota. He had been born premature with cerebral palsy. I was childless, single and self-employed in Florida. But, I felt compelled to do something. For months my church prayed and ultimately at 10 months old, Gabriel came to live with me. 6 months later, his adoption was final! Today, the child they said would be a vegetable is five years old, walks, talks and began kindergarten this year! It was tough. I obeyed and the best thing that could possibly happen happened: Someone calls ME Mom!
I absolutely LOVE this story! What an amazing testimony of love and acceptance that little boy is going to grow up with. You modeled the truest form of love for him. Love it!
I am SO enjoying these testimonies! Praise the Lord for His ineffable love & faithfulness to us!
I married Jack 21 years ago. We have four wonderful children and a rather difficult life together because of my disobedience – I married unequally yoked. Eighteen months ago ago Jack lost his job in a plant closing. He fell into a deep depression during which I was vigilant over him as I feared he would resort to suicide.
During that first six months I was a constant by his side, trying to help him keep his head above water and often getting frustrated and resorting to “preaching” at him. He withdrew from the family as well as from me and I invested all I could into saving our marriage.
But I wasn’t praying.
God, in His goodness, began teaching me how to handle things. I began praying and He showed me how to lay aside my pride and words and simply be a servant to my desperate husband.
It has not been easy, but I am exceedingly encouraged by 1Peter 3:1-2. I actually don’t talk to him about God at all anymore. I live it & I pray about it. I used to pray that Jack would love me again. Now, I pray that he will fall in love with God.
It has not been easy to lay aside my inclination to “teach”, but God has made it worth it. The changes I’ve seen encourage me that while Jack has breath, there is hope!
And while I have found little joy in my life over the last two years, I have found much joy in Christ & my faith is strengthened because of His faithfulness in responding to obedience.
The Joy of the Lord is my Strength!
p.s. God gave Jack a job a week ago. I can’t wait to see what God holds for us in the next 18 months! 🙂
I’d like to share an old one to me. When I was in college, I was dating a guy that I shouldn’t have. The Lord told me no, and I didn’t listen. I made up excuses to justify this relationship for years. Finally, and mercifully, the Lord took control. The guy cheated on me and broke up with me, and I of course was devastated. But relieved!! The Lord was so merciful to me. I met my husband just a few short months after that, and I have more joy in my marriage that I could have ever imagined. Praise the Lord that even when I disobey, he is FAITHFUL!! Every good gift comes from above.
Mine came when I was but 15 years old or so. I was so tired of the constant fighting, drinking, smoking, no food, filth I lived in every day that I really wanted to just kill myself. I wrote the note had it all planned out, date, place, and time. But God had better plans for me than that. He spoke to me…Told me he had plans for me, to come to him and he would protect me. I put my trust in him even though I was not totally sure what that was. True to his word 40 years later I have had a great adult life and love God like no other! Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path. Psalm 119:105
Back in 2008, my younger sister was marrying a guy I didn’t agree with. I met him the night she told me they were engaged and all the things I knew about him weren’t flattering. I had an incredibly hard time throughout their engagement. It was a very trying time on my relationship with her, my parents, and the Lord. God was calling me to obey him in trusting His plans for my sister – even though I fought it tooth and nail. I finally got to a point where I just gave up. I laid it all before the Lord and told him I trusted what He was doing, even though I didn’t like it and I was scared. Almost 3 years into their marriage, I couldn’t imagine her married to another man. He’s the perfect fit for her and am amazing guy. He fits into our family like a glove and we couldn’t imagine him not being around. I’m so thankful for him! And so thankful for the hard, yet joyful lesson I learned about trusting the Lord 100%.
Beth,
First of all I want to tell you how much I enjoyed being at the taping of Wednesdays With Beth this past weekend. I had no idea you taught five one-hour messages in those two days. Incredible teaching! I loved seeing so many Siestas and hugging their necks in person after talking via Facebook etc. Thank you for the hard work you do! My husband and I watch you every Wednesday night after church.
I’ve always struggled with obedience in the area of fear and trusting God. I’m 50 years old and grew up in a wonderful Christian home and have been a Christian since I was 8 years old, yet I always felt insecure & fearful.
This specific story comes to mind:
In 2006 you came to a conference in OKC. That very day my husband called to tell me the company he worked for had been sold. Guess what your topic was that night in OKC? Trusting God. We did and God took perfect care of us. My husband was one of a handful who actually stayed in that large building for about a year until it was all settled. He never missed a paycheck or any benefits during that year. There were several changes throughout the year and then it sold to a solid company and he received a larger salary than before, more stock, bonuses etc. with this new company. Throughout that year of the unknown, God taught me to trust Him. I did and He took perfect care of us!
so glad you asked, I had been to a couple simicast that you had lead at another church. I so loved the way you shared the word of God and made it simple to understand. I mentioned to my church ladies that we needed to do a bible study hoping someone would volunteer to lead ( I am not a teacher or leader by no means). Long story short no one ever did but thought I needed to. We are 4 studies later believing God, breaking free, Ester and now daniel, I still dont claim to be a leader but absolutely know now it was God’s calling for me to take that on.
I am in the VERY MIDDLE of that obedience to His call, right now! I leave for my first missions trip in 10 days. I have never wanted to see first hand the suffering of the poor, sick and forgotten. I do not like bugs or heat. But God has COMPELLED me to go to Africa for 13 days. So, in obedience I am going. The emotions vary from excitement to fear. But I have already experienced the joy of His promises and faithfulness to me in the paying for, planning of, and prepping for this trip. And I am SURE of those being KNOWN to me in very real ways when I have completed this call. There is real….REAL joy in obedience to Him.
I will see you in Rapid, the week after my mission, Dear Beth. THAT is also an answer to be obedient…but I will save that for another Tuesday!
Blessings in Him,
Melana 🙂
This happened years ago, but, the fruit is being borne now. Before I became a Christian I was dating a guy in high school who was also not a believer. Once I became a believer, we continued dating but I knew that the Word taught not to be unequally yoked. He and I loved each other and got along very well. At that age, what young woman doesn’t want to get married. We continued our friendship through college although we had stopped dating. At some point after college, we had the marriage discussion again. He just could not submit himself to Christ even after many discussions on our part. I had to walk away from that relationship. When I was 32 years old, I met my current husband and he is a strong believer. I am so glad I waited even though it was difficult and lonely at times. I often say my husband is not perfect, but he is perfect for me! He is the love of my life and I would not be the woman I am today (after 15 years of marriage) if God had not put us together. It was well worth the loooonnnnngggg wait!
Blessings to you Beth as you serve Him faithfully!
Laurie
Beth, My time of obedience has been the last 10 months. I was a real estate atty for the last 12 years. Because of the economy that we are living in my firms practice had declined to where I did not receive a paycheck for 12 weeks. I was in the midst of doing the breaking free study (2nd time) and realized that my stronghold was fear. Fear to move & make change. One friday while ironing clothes, God was speaking to me and he said, My dear child, you’ve been wanting to change your life for two years, I’ve been trying to give you that chance but you’ve been trusting your paycheck, so in order for you to trust me completely,i had to remove your paycheck.” I wanted to shout!! At that moment, I did say, “i got it God” I went in and quit/resigned from my firm that day. I’ve been living by faith everyday. God has given me a pottery painting business and is blessing me beyond measure. I love my life and my JOY is overflowing. Beth, I am the one that gave you the “MOORE” platter at our SMT Celebration back in January. I’m honored that you are a part of my testimony with your Bible Study “Breaking Free” allowing me to break free from fear and break free TO OBEDIENCE.
Thank you for the lesson last night Beth! You came and kneeled to pray in the aisle just 3 seats away and when satan attempted to throw darts at me this morning, God reminded me of that and I threw the dart right back and hit hin in his nose. Christy, the praise and worship service was awesome. I think HFB needs to look into a retractable ceiling before you lead us again! Thank You Father that I am in this generation to be inspired by Your Word through these two women last night.
The time that immediately came to mind was ten years ago when the Lord moved our family twelve hours away from any and everyone we knew. My husband had lived within 15 miles of where he was born for 41 years and we had a 12 and 14 year old. I knew God was telling us to go and I knew I had to be the positive voice. I thought He would establish us in a new church where we could minister and be ministered to and that is what I was claiming. We moved. The supportive church never materialized, but my children flourished and my husband came to love the area. My daughter met and married a godly man and my son is in seminary while he waits for the Lord to lead him. I learned to trust Him no matter how or where leads.
It was February 2009 and my husband had just been laid off from his job. His Facebook post read “Got my bonus on Thursday and my severance on Friday”. To say that we were afraid is a huge understatement. Knowing that we are called to faithfulness in all things we knew we needed to tithe off of the bonus and severance. I wrote the check and left it by our computer and waited….knowing my husband was struggling with the idea of us giving a significant amount of money to the church with no future job in sight. He surprised me one Sunday by putting the check in the offering plate stepping out with a huge leap of faith. We had designated the check to women’s ministry.
Fast forward more than a year later. My husband had a new job that was moving us overseas to Singapore. I was in the throes of planning a women’s event at our church through a ministry that I had the privilege of leading. We had an amazing evening and tackled the topic of friendship….and not just the fun aspects of friendship, but the hard stuff too. I knew it was my last event before moving and it was a bittersweet evening for me and my committee. At the wrap party I pulled our women’s ministry director aside and told her that it was such a fun God coincidence, and one I had not realized until that point, that the exact amount in our budget for that event was the same as the check I had written almost one year earlier. She looked at me and told me it was no coincidence at all, but that that check is what paid for the event. If it had not been for that act of obedience, there would not have been the money in the budget for that ministry event. I was blown away by God’s faithfulness and provision in ways that are so incredibly unexpected. I was so blessed……not by enormous financial return from our obedience, but by being a part of a ministry that had blessed and challenged me. My last C3 was God’s gift to me. The topic, the night, the women that were there……every aspect was a gift. I serve an amazing God.
Hi ladies. I have never posted to this before, but I am currently right smack in one of those particularly difficult times. My daughter and her husband have just committed to be missionaries in Africa and will be taking their two children (my grandchildren!) of 4yrs old and 2 yrs old over there for a minimum of 3 years. My heart is devastated. I am struggling with wanting to be proud of them, but feeling rejected and discarded by them. We live only 2 miles away from them and they are a very large part of our lives. I KNOW they are following God’s plan for them. I have been praying and praying and praying, but don’t feel God’s comforting arms around me right now. Some day I hope to post to this same sight that God brought a lot of joy to me because of it. It just really hurts right now.
Janet, I will be praying for you and your family.
I know it must be difficult, trusting God is working through all these things in His time for His purpose and His glory.
My heart goes out to you…Proverbs 3:5.
in Christ
dearest janet,
I can hear the pain in your words, as well as the desire to want to be obedient to God’s plan for your daughter and her family. I believe you will in time, sense God’s presence around you, but I have words from the view of your daughter. God moved my husband and I and our kids 12 hrs. away just 2 yrs after my mom retired, built and moved cities to be in our neighborhood. Let me just say she did could not give her blessing to me or send me with the affirmation I so desperately needed. My husband is in full time ministry and it was one of the hardest things for US to be obedient! I needed her to trust God WITH me and tell me it gave her such pleasure to know I loved God enough to follow Him no matter what.Instead I felt sadness in our relationship that should have been met with great expectation. I prayed then that I would have the courage to remember that WHEN God indeed would call my own children to run after Him.
Please, please do not think I am not feeling your heartache. It is because I can identify with your situation that i feel compelled to respond. I am certain your daughter is feeling the tug as well. And I am no way saying you have not blessed her going. I have only shared what my experience was. It has been 5 years now, and as much as we want to return, God has not spoken that. My mom has definitely seen the incredible blessings of our going, and although she still does not verbalize it, I know she is at peace with it. She does love God very much.
I am praying for you as I type this. Praying that you can let go and in doing so HE will be there to hold you! I believe as you pour out your deep grief to Him, He, who already knows your deepest fear and hurt, is more than willing and able to meet you there. I k.n.o.w. And I stand with and affirm you believing that you will indeed re-post at a later time with a testimony of your own.I look forward to that, sister!
xoxo rene
Thank you very much, Rene. I will do my best to take your good words to heart. Guess I should maybe give my beautiful daughter all of the encouragement she needs right now, and take my fears and self pity up only with God. I will attempt to work towards that end starting this week. I have been having some long, long, but dry conversations with God, pleading to Him to show me comfort, and well, just His presence. I thank Him for the first answers to those prayers through you.
I can’t believe you’ve asked this because it’s so recent and I’ve cried over it many times. I had to break fellowship with one of my best guy friends who is not a Christian. I wanted so badly to continue being friends, because he was so fun to be around and we cared for each other dearly, but God’s purpose for my life would not allow for it. He required so much of my time with dinner parties, hang outs, showering me with endless affection and care. The problem was clear. We were in an emotional relationship and that was just as bad as declaring we were in a relationship. I tried to give myself a reason to stay connected. I would help him get to know Christ, but suddenly ANY connection with this friend became toxic as we started fighting over small things. Suddenly there was no peace. Such as desperate need on both ends to stay connected but, it was suddenly like the tower of babble! We couldn’t understand a word. I would look at him and he was seemed to wonder the same thing. “What is happening?” Yet I was the only one who knew in my heart what the answer was. I presented him to the lord everyday, but His answer was clearly “leave him to me”. I started praying with my bestfriend about delighting in the Lord and he lead us to fast for 7 days. I stopped talking to people unless it was extremely necessary. The Lord met with me all week. “Give us this day our daily bread” was the only thing I could pray. That he would be my delight constantly. That I would rely on nothing else. Meanwhile, the calls came, desperate emails,voicemails and texts. My heart broke and I knew the Lord was right. He saw through my diguised friendship and knew I wasn’t walking in the blessing of my singleness. When the Lord finally built me up for the occassion, I was able to tell my “friend”. I would praying for him, but I need to not be attached. We were going in different directions. I am finally at rest, but getting to that part was really hard.
This doesn’t exactly fit your topic, but it’s close. In the first bible study I took of yours (yours are the ONLY studies I do, as a matter of fact..) something you said stuck with me. You were talking about (forgive my vagueness) how you need to go to God and ask when you are in need. You can’t “…sit in your tent. You have to leave the tent with your hands out to receive what you need (manna)…”
Less than a year ago I lost everything. I lost my home to foreclosure, my ex was claiming not to be employed and had stopped sending child support, I was laid off, my 4 year relationship ended, my temporary housing plans fell through and I had to file bankruptcy. I kid you not, I was waiting for someone to die to complete the total picture of loss.
On November 7, 2009 I knew I had to seek emergency shelter for my two teenage boys and I, or point my car out of state to move back in with my parents. As I passed my favorite church, with tears streaming down my face, I cried out to God. “WHERE ARE YOU!” At that moment everything changed. Everything.
My good friend called to tell me “….I’ve had the bible study ladies praying for you and one woman, Dana, gave me her number for you to call….” Dana had an unoccupied house she wanted to offer to the boys and I, for free, for three months until I could get on my feet. She and I did not know each other. She said she felt moved by God to do it. We moved in. It was beautiful, beautiful. I thought, “I’m not going anywhere!” and started a business. It grew. I could afford to continue to live in the house after three months and began paying her rent. My business continued to grow. Less than one year after I lost everything, I earned more money, this past Monday, than I had ever earned in one day in my entire life.
Every time I begin a new job for a client/customer, I pray. I pray for God to bless the people I am doing work for, to help me do the best job I can, for me to be a light to them, etc…..
A few weeks ago my church contacted me. They want to share my story with the entire congregation on Christmas Eve. To say I feel blessed is an understatement. I am overwhelmed with gratitude to God. He listened. He was faithful to me. He carried me through those difficult times. I am in awe of my God.
I hope this isn’t more information than you want…
About 11 years ago I was doing this bible study called “Breaking Free” and felt God calling me to get rid of all of my smut novels. I was seriously addicted to them, but I felt Jesus was telling me that they were giving me a false view of marriage and of how your love life is experienced in marriage. My man couldn’t measure up to those fake men in the books. It took me somewhere around six months to be obedient and get rid of them.
I told Jesus I wanted to be obedient, but I really liked the stories. He said, “What happened the last time you read one?” And I said, “Well, I couldn’t read it. It didn’t match up to my values anymore and couldn’t stand to put the Holy Spirit though that.” And He said, “Why keep something you can’t even read? Do you want your daughter to grow up and read them?” (She was an infant at the time.) I decided then and there to do as He said. I got rid of the books and have never been happier. My relationship with my man has never been better and it’s real. 🙂
When I became pregnant with my first child, my husband and I both felt as God was leading us to become a single-income family and for me to stay at home with our child. I knew this was what God was asking me to do, but I had to give up my dream of being “super teacher” to children with special needs. I had wanted to be a teacher since I started school and had only been at it 3 years. I was finishing up my master’s degree and felt like it would be a waste for me to quit teaching. I could not “see” myself as a stay-at-home mom. But, I did give up teaching (cried the whole time I packed up my classroom) and now I LOVE my job as wife and mom (2 children now). I have been blessed with many friends who are also not working outside the home and have even been able to use that master’s degree–teaching a class for kids with special needs at my church.
It sounds so silly, but I was obedient this weekend in not letting our daughter’s sports get in the way of her desire to sit in on some wonderful Bible teaching time. It’s not that we are a huge sports family, but I’ve been known to tell extended family that we couldn’t do something or not participate in a church activity because of a soccer game. But it’s been a conviction and I decided several weeks ago that we would not be held captive by their sports schedules and I encountered a test of that this weekend. The joy was unspeakable to see my daughter choose the better part and be so actively engaged in hearing the truth of the Bible brought to life.
I echo the sentiments of many others that I am thankful that your time away from the blog is proving fruitful.
Donna
Oh and I forgot to add that I tweeted you a picture on Monday that I thought you might find amusing as it related to a story you told this weekend. 🙂
My husband is in the Air Force. We are a blended family. Shortly after marrying we moved to Spokane, WA. I was just settling in when we received orders to Okinawa, Japan. Afraid of water and not wanting to be a half a world away from family I went literally kicking and screaming. i was the only one in the family not wanting this. After a few months of major depression and being homesick, I made a choice to obey God and trust His plan. By the end of our tour 4 years later I had a testimony to faith and perseverence and my husband and children accepted Jesus there.
The past year has been a hard one for me as Jesus has taken me through the fire and exposed life-long sin patterns. An eating disorder I once battled resurfaced and added to the battle and pain of the year. However, I have (imperfectly) done my best to follow the One that has amazing plans and purposes for my life. In the letting go of some control and preferences, something happened spiritually that made a way for my prayers for my mom to finally be answered. He gave me the amazing privilege to lead my mom to Christ as we were surrounded by other young and middle-aged women who had also been praying for her. My mom will not spend her eternity separated from Christ but will get to be alive in His presence forever. I’m so grateful!
The Lord used me one day to give some very direct correction to a young woman about how she was treating her In-laws. I was speaking to her out of my own newly wed experience 15 yrs earlier. I was quite transparent with her and felt very “good about myself” when I finished the conversation. As I was driving down the road, the Holy Spirit spoke to me and said, “You can’t give that kind of correction without asking forgiveness from the ones that you dishonored way back when”. So with heavy heart and oceans of tears I picked up the phone and called my In-Laws and asked their forgiveness for any heart ache that I might have caused them 15 yrs earlier. You talk about humble pie! However, as the conversation closed I can’t explain the feeling of peace that came over me. My relationship with these wonderful, Godly people who loved, raised and trained the Man of My Dreams is rich and full today.
I am in one of those moments right now. My husband and I are planting a church in Florida. We had our first service this past Sunday and it was wonderful! It has taken a year to get to this point and it has been the hardest ever. Financially we are surviving only becasue of the Lord’s provision and the enemy has been on our tail. Many times we have thought of packing up and going somewhere else BUT we know we are here for a reason. We have to be faithful to the call. It is very hard to see how the enemy is speaking so many lies to our daughter and is trying to destroy the family bond. It has been all out war BUT in the midst of it all Jesus is there carrying us and speaking truth to our hearts. I will not let the enemy win! My God is my everything and I have to obey! We continue to cling to the One who gives us hope and life.
He called me to remain in an Episcopal Church for a season of intercessory prayer. I was sitting in the pew whining about being there when He showed me His broken heart for the church I was attending. He poured out His spirit on intercession on me and I obediently pray over the campus, the sanctuary and through the service each week.
Ladies, I have a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes. You all are so incredible! What beautiful testimonies to God’s faithfulness and glory! We can trust him and are so blessed in our obedience. Thank you for sharing.
Praying for you all as you walk with Him.
Anna
Anna, I have to confess I have tears in my eyes too.
It’s overwhelming. God works in all these people’s lives and how?… He is awesome_words cannot describe!
So thankful, full of praise and oh, if we could just be at His feet to hear Him face to face, what a glorious day that will be. in Christ
I am at the very beginning of a huge obedience test. My husband has been called by God to plant a church. It’s not really what I would prefer, but I am ok with it….sort of…I’m such an introvert. You just don’t know how difficult the idea of planting a church is for me. I am overwhelmed by the thought. And God has been perfectly silent on the issue of the actual church plant with me, but Hubby is certain of his call. Strangely enough, God has been speaking to me gently, and consistently, to simply trust my husband. I just think it’s so amazing, and so like God, that He would use one act of obedience, the church plant, to teach Hubs and Wifey two completely separate lessons. Hubs is thrilled to be on his mission from God, and I feel tremendous peace about laying the responsibility for it at Hub’s feet. I can’t feel his call for him, and God is lovingly refusing to give me the same call, yet God’s call on me, to trust my husband, is the ultimate showdown after 14 years of a power-struggle marriage. I’m not at the joy stage yet, but the peace is there….and that’s saying a lot for a control-freak like me. Love you! Have a good week!
Hi Beth! I saw you at LOI this wkend and you were awesome! God gave me a very specific confirmation through your teaching. It is now time to obey! Anyone reading this: Please pray that my faith in Jesus is greater than my fear of obeying. Another time I have obeyed and found joy was a couple of weeks ago when I confronted a woman about something she did that was bothering me. Instead of gossiping about her to everyone or internalizing my feelings, I approached her (in love) and told her how I felt when she did a specific action. Instead of yelling at me or beating me up (my fears!), LOL!, she listened, apologized and thanked me for telling her!!! I was amazed! To obey is better than sacrifice! Unfortunately acts of obedience seem to get harder and harder but then again the greater the difficulty the greater the blessing!