Hey, you lovely things! This morning early I got a very touching text from someone that made me start reflecting on so many ways that God seems to go out of His way (if that were possible) to make sure we know He’s got our backs. You know what I’m talking about. Ways that He whispers in your ear or maybe reverberates from the mountaintops that He’s aware of what you’re battling and where you’re hurting. Ways He tells you He has NOT forgotten. Ways He assures you that your prayers are not just hitting the ceiling. That He’s on it and that your life has not for the merest instant been swallowed up in a black hole. That in your WAIT He is at WORK.
So I tweeted these two statements this morning, one right after the other:
First one:
Sit up slack-jawed over all the ways God lets you know He’s got your back. He’ll tell people to pray for you who have no earthly notion why.
Second one:
Per last tweet, I’m glad God can tell people to pray without telling them why. Sometimes I want people in my burden but not in my business.
The responses that almost instantly flew up on my phone exhilarated me and built me up in my faith as numerous people told me that they’d experienced the same gorgeous phenomenon. The one bad (and sometimes GOOD!) thing about Twitter is that the space is too limited to get super specific. Now that my curiosity is piqued, I want to hear some testimonies! Tell your sisters here in this community one way God has done this kind of thing for you. Tell us a specific incident or sight or encounter or correspondence He used to make sure you knew that He was with you, intimately aware of your situation. Girlfriend, you ARE very much on His radar.
Let’s testify about some ways God leaves you thinking something like,
“You hem me in, behind and before, and You lay Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me. It is high; I cannot attain it…How precious to me are Your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!” Psalm 139:5-6,17
In other words…
Can’t wait to hear! Just so you know that no one was posing as your own Siesta Mama in that picture…
And that bleached blond right there loves you.
God has been showing me in so many different ways that He has me on His rader lately! Just reading this post gave me goose bumbs because I know that this was His reminder for me that HE IS STILL WITH ME! (Even when I feel “yucky” spiritually) Thank you Beth!
While my sweet husband was deployed in Iraq, I was overcome with great fear for his life. As I prayed for him, my reading that day just ‘happened’ to be in Psalm 91 (don’t you LOVE God’s ‘just happened’s’?. I knew that God was reassuring me that even if the unthinkable happened, God was on our side…He was bigger than any circumstance that came our way. Any time I felt fear during the deployment, I looked back to those verses and God continued to reassure me. It’s been 5 years since Curtis came home from his last deployment and God continues to teach me daily,,..He’s got my back!!! Thanks for the reminder Siesta Momma!!! Love you!!!!!
When I was diagnosed with stage four appendix cancer almost two years ago I went to a very dark place inside myself that I didn’t know even existed in me. I was functioning but not really present much of the time. I was totally overwhelmed. I could not even find words to pray. I didn’t even know what to say. All I could do in my head was repeat the words to a song I learned as a child at church, the joy of The Lord is my strength. I would wake up at night crying but that song would be running through my head. My first day of iron treatment before chemo began a sweet lady from my church came to our cancer center with a present for me. Even in my drug induced overwhelmed state right after surgery I knew to ask my pastor to have the church pray so Miss Lisa knew about what was going on when she brought the present. It was beautifully wrapped but I was in no mental state for a present. It went unwrapped for several weeks. All the while the song still ran through my head but no prayers formed. One day I decided to open the present. It was a beautiful plaque with a scripture on it. Of all the scriptures people had given me or said to me no one had mentioned Nahum 8:10. There on be plaque was that part of the scripture that had been running through my head day and night in the form of the song. The joy of The Lord is my strength. As I started to cry I felt in my heart God say I have heard you this whole time. The plaque now sits in my kitchen where I see it everyday and I am still singing that song.
Walking blindly in faith can be so hard at times and I appreciate the reminder that God has my back. About 2 1/2 years ago my husband resigned from his job as a Pastor and since then life has been to say the least…challenging. When he resigned he didn’t have another job lined up and I was a stay-at-home mom with our son who was 1 at the time. Through part-time wages and some very generous angels, we have never missed a payment on any of our bills. God has really provided for us and as I look back I can see how God has always had my back, even if I was blind to what was coming. Our job situation is still the same, but I know God has called us out here and that He will take care of us. He’s even blessed us with a baby girl whose name is Eliana which means “My God Answers.”
This past year I have been hanging by a very thin thread emotionally and spiritually. A dear sweet friend placed a book and a card in my box at church about a month ago. When I called to thank her she said “Oh, I have to tell you the story.” She proceeded to tell me how she had bought the book “A Grace Revealed” by Jerry Sittser for me as a Christmas gift. She had wrapped the gift and carried it in her car hoping to give it to me for Christmas. Time passed and she set the book on top of her car one afternoon and drove off. Needless to say, it was gone. She went back and purchased another copy of that book, wrapped it and put it in my box that Sunday. Now to show God’s not only got my back but He’s showing off – I keep a running list of books I want to read next to the computer. Guess what was the most current book I had listed? “A Grace Revealed” by Jerry Sittser.
I’m a time-driven person. He often uses the clock (or similar numbers) to “hug” me. It’s mostly 1:11, 11:11 or 2:22!!! I love it!! It happens very often. And even if it didn’t mean anything, it makes me think of Him every time which is awesome in itself!! But for me, it’s my hugs from Heaven!
Oh Deanna, me too! For 15+ years, God has used 1:11 or 11:11 to proclaim His great love for me, and his perfect watch care over me….and it truly is a “hug” from God. He’s done it at pivotal moments so many times…..when I was on the way to drop my oldest off at camp for the first time and was crying out to Him to watch over her…..when my young family was stranded on the side of an unfamiliar highway in our broken down van in the wee hours of the morning…..when I was praying through tears for my father who had just suffered a heart attack. It’s been such a consistent sweet part of my day-in day-out life with my Father, that there are times now when I feel compelled to look at the clock and just know before I even look that it’s 1:11 or 11:11 and God’s reminding me that He’s got my back. So glad you shared!
EVERY DAY, He goes before us planting His treasures for us, as He holds our hand and we trust Him for every step. IF we run ahead, we miss His treasures and our Almighty God, Himself.
I’m currently doing your James study again. I promise, for almost five years now, I’ve pleaded with God to write His word on my heart so I won’t sin against Him. I think that’s a Psalm. Anyway, a couple days ago, I arrive at James 1:21. I have read this verse probably 50+ times over the last few years. But, this particular time, God made His word become even more alive to me. V.21b) “and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.” AND…BOOM!!! Just like that, He said, “My Beloved, just accept the implanted word with meekness, I’m already doing it, stop pleading with me and be thankful.” Isn’t HE SOOOOO BEAUTIFUL like that in a million different ways? Like my BFF in Houston says, “He is life to me.” Meeee tooooo. 🙂
Thank you for your message.it really hit me good.I have a lot going on and need Gods strenght.
Wow! My sweet sister sent me this blog yesterday and said to read it because it made her think of me! (Beth, you always have a way with words and a precious message God speaks so well through you! Thank you so much and Blessings to you today!) This scripture came off the page and wowed me instantly! Yes, He has shown me exactly what “hem” me in means!I am single,and 55 yrs. old, divorced, have two children , and 4 grandchildren. I retired from teaching (32yrs. in public schools) this past June! Not knowing what I would do next,but praying for God to guide me. A dear friend of my sisters, told her about this small, rural Christian school, not far from where I live, that I should go and check out. So in July I drove out and asked if I could apply to substitute teach in the fall. When I was called and went to sub there, I was completely blown away by the scriptures on the classroom wall, the Bibles on the shelves, and the crosses everywhere…in a school!(Not something I was used to seeing in a school).I walked into this classroom in which I would be a substitute that day,and looked up on the wall and there was “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”!(That became my scripture verse 4 years ago when I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer,Praise God I am a 3, almost 4 yr. survivor). I had such a precious experience with the students that day and fell in love with this little school! Meanwhile, I went to work part time at an insurance company! The week before Christmas I got a call from the secretary from this precious school, and she said they were going to need a teacher ASAP…and would I be interested! I didn’t even hesitate…I accepted the job the next day, met the parents that night, and the faculty the next morning, and have been there since January! God placed me right where He wanted me… Being single, and retired, and not knowing what the future held, I must say looking back God did exactly what this scripture says…I love where He has placed me and I love the children, the parents, and the school! Children have always been my passion….but being able to share about my Jesus with children and teach….just makes me cry just typing these words. I am so blessed that He has Hemmed me in… exactly where He wanted me….God is more than amazing and His timing is always right on time! Blessings to each of you today!
P.S. Thank you my sweet Beloved Sister for all you have done!I love you! di
This may sound strange, but right now my husband and i are struggling with some very deep, dark issues that have led to our separation and where things stand, unless God does a parting of the waters miracle, I`m not sure how we will be able to work things out. The strange part is that even in the midst of this time, I have never felt closer to God. I have questions and some confusion as to how things came to this, but He told me in His still, small voice that though I feel as though I am walking in darkness right now and can`t see the path ahead of me, that He knows the way and is leading and guiding my every step and that this will not destroy me or my girls. My biggest concern through all of this is my two teen aged daughters and God told me He has them in the palm of His hand and will use this time to strengthen them and draw them closer to Him and I have perfect peace about them now. I don`t know what is going to happen in the days and weeks to come, but I know my God is Faithful and that no matter how this turns out He will use it for good and I chose to praise Him in and through it. Some days I`m not sure I`m going to make it through and then someone out of the blue calls me or comes up to me and tells me that God put me on their heart and they`ve been praying for me. These are people that don`t even know what is going on. Like was mentioned in the commentary,”Sometimes I want people in my burden but not in my business.” We will have trials in this life but we have to believe that if God allows it to happen, that He has a plan to get us through it!
About 6 weeks ago our landlord called to say the house we are living in was facing foreclosure. So our family of 6 was going to have to move. (We’ve been there 6 months). I was disappointed and working very hard not to become despondent. We’d put a lot of work into it & had hoped to purchase it at the end of our lease. A few days later one of the older women from our church called me. She said that since she’d seen my husband and I that previous Sunday she had been praying for us. She ended the conversation by saying “Whatever you too agree on God is going to make it happen.” Little did she know but that was the last conversation that I’d had with my husband before the phone rang. Needless to say, we are moving next week into a home that is perfectly suited for us. Our landlords irresponsibility pushed us into our destiny. That phone call reminded me that God was listening and working on our behalf! Be encouraged sisters.
I’ve been attending an exercise class and trying to form connections with the women there. I’ve been praying for an opportunity to reach out to the other women; especially the instructor. A couple of weeks ago the instructor came in that morning and announced that it was her birthday. I asked her if we could take her out for coffee the next week after class. Now that seems like nothing to most of you but you have to understand that I am very, very introverted. I didn’t know if the other women might be interested in coming, or if the instructor (who didn’t come off as super approachable) would think that was “wierd.” But she said yes. When I got into the car, I was struck by the fact that on one would ever suspect how hard that was for me. Then I was struck by the fact that no one except God truly knows our hearts, truly knows my little, scared, shy, but trying to be obedient heart. And in that moment I felt the intimacy of being so, known and so pursued that tears sprang into my eyes. It was such a simple thing but also, so profound.
I’ve been suffering with the same affliction for almost 15 years. I’ve become so incredibly close with Jesus because of it and through it. I’ve had numerous prayer warriors come up to me and tell me they are praying for me. I just love Jesus for them. This past October I had oral surgery that truly had me down and frustrated. Little did I know that God was allowing the infection, then surgery to help get me off a particular medicine to help me break free once and for all from this affliction/stronghold. I love Jesus for His continual forgiveness and patience for all the times I’ve fallen prey to this horrible gigantic devil. Anyway back to the story, I’m still battling the demon but I’m farther along than I was before the tooth affliction. I would not have decreased the medication on my own, God did it. I didn’t yield to His many whispers for the past year. He had to be aggressive with me. Thank you Jesus and thank you Beth for allowing me to share.
I am been struggling for the last 35 years (since coming to Christ) over a sin I was not seeing God’s forgiveness for…it just seemed so big. Just recently my struggle was very troubling and overwhelming when the Lord led me to the scripture in Hosea that talks about the redemption of Isreal. That it had nothing to do with their righteousness because they had played the harlot and gone to other gods. How God loved them and accomplished their state of forgiveness by His own desire to show mercy. THEN I finally took it to Him again and asked Him to help me to leave it with Him and to walk away with a full understanding of my forgiven state. I am free! The consequences are still the same but the fact that I do not have to walk with it on my conscience anymore is fully understood now. I am walking in a new freedom and so very thankful for this gift that God has given me in my desperate state…How He is there to meet every need that I have and now I live in the lack of condemnation that He intended for me! Hallelujah!
He has been showing me His tender loving care most recently after a slanderous attack from a “friend”/work colleague led to the need for legal help and deep discernment. He is leading me through this with love and provision for each need. I am deeply thankful!
God is such a personal God. I am 42 years old now and since high school, the number 356 has been very special to me. (Absurd, I know.) God has used that number so many times to say to me, “I am here, baby girl.” The most recent was a couple weeks ago, I got a call that my husband was being rushed by ambulance to the ER. I was 3 hours from him when I got that call. When I got to the town he was in, I hit every red light there was! So nervous and frustrated, about the 5th red light, I looked over and a huge sign has the gas prices on it… Price of gas that day on that corner, 3.56!! God is sooooooooooo good! Thank you, Father.
On March 9th, 2011 my husband was diagnosed with cancer. That very morning, the Lord showed me the verse Job 5:24-27.” You will see your children grow up. Your family as love Gand graceful as orchard grass. You will arrive at your grave ripe with many good years, like sheaves of golden grain at the harvest. This is my word of honor. Take it to heart and you won’t go wrong.” (MSG) Interestingly enough, I found it on the Lpm blog AND when I looked it up later on the blog, I had MISREAD the book! It was supposed to be JAMES 5:24-27! Two years later, my husband has clear scans and we have this verse framed in our bedroom. Our Lord is inconceivably personnel!
All is well with my soul ….wriiten by Robin Mark….has been used more than once by God to remind me that He has my back….and He is working all things together for His purpose in my life and the lives of my two young adult children
I know not all His, plans, but I know I’m in His hands.
February 28th, 2007. I had bought a new prayer journal and had written out prayers for my dad, who was in his 80’s, living at assisted living in our town, fighting numerous ailments. I wrote prayers that evening for good things for my dad (strength, peace, etc), which were answered within a few hours, when my dad entered heaven. He had not been sick, but tended to fall alot. I was still awake at 11:45 PM, reading my Bible(even though I had to get up for work at 5:30 AM the next morning). When the phone rang at almost midnight, I knew it was something about my dad, as he fell alot and we spent several nights in the emergency room over the years after my dad had fallen. It was by the Lord’s grace that I was awake and alert when the phone call came that he had been found down and did not have a pulse. I was able to calmly and rationally answer the question about whether to call an ambulance, calculating that my dad had probably been down for more than the 3-5 minutes before brain death occurs without oxygen. I know it was the Lord helping me to be prepared, and also answering my prayers for good things for my dad, even though the prayer was answered in an unexpected way, by my dad receiving the good things in heaven just a few hours later. Looking back, I don’t know that I could have handled that situation without the Lord’s help, as I’m an only-child and was very close to my daddy.
It’s a LONG story, but week before last I turned down additional (paid) duties at church – the extra money would have been wonderful, but my heart wasn’t in it. I told my husband “If it was the girls’ school offering me a job, I’d take it in a heartbeat. I love being at school. But I don’t want more responsibility at church, ’cause then I wouldn’t be able to volunteer so much at school.”
Next day, when I went to sign in at my daughters’ school to run the book fair, the principal asked me if I’d be interested in a part time para-pro job – they’d just had someone put in their notice. WOULD I EVER?!! 😀
God knew exactly what I’d take in heartbeat. And the extra money is, of course, wonderful, but not so wonderful as being able to be where I love to be and do what I love to do every day… for money, even! lol
I love this post and reading through all of the comments. I too have felt God’s presence in my life so many times (He is such a faithful God!) but the one that stands out the most happened right after I lost my mom to suicide. Philippeans 4:7 “a peace that surpasses all understanding” washed over me immediately and has carried me through to this day. I have no doubt God blessed me with that peace.
two days ago a ‘friend” posted something critical and untrue about you(Beth) on her facebook page, followed by a bunch of mean and harsh words in the comments. i felt so hurt and defensive for you, my sweet friend, zealous for justice and overwhelmed by the pure hatred in people’s hearts. i was so upset i could hardly sleep, prayed instead and silently recited james to myself which offered perspective and wisdom. still this morning my spirit felt heavy and i was just asking the Lord how anyone can stand the pressure of ministry when i clicked on your blog and got a quick and straight answer: HE HAS YOUR BACK! that’s how! i will pray for you but the Lord himself will carry the weight of the opposition and hold that heavy shield around you! love you!
My Darling Little Sister, thank you for your tender heart toward me. I am moved by it. Yes, God so faithfully has our backs. Things like that are painful – sometimes very painful – but I often think that God uses it to keep us from being addicted to people and their approval. And for every mean thing one person says, I’ll hear something so loving from a dear sister just like today. May Christ cover you always with such love.
thank you for your kind words! seriously made my day. i have listened to many excellent speakers and bible teachers from a very young age but there is no one that has God has used more powerfully to restore my heart and bring me to Jesus. i have done nearly all your studies and could write you pages and pages of the way God used the material in such specific and personal ways. you are my all time favorite teacher, i have no doubt that you are anointed and set apart.
i am a peacemaker and people-pleaser at heart but i will stand by and speak in love on your behalf even in the face of being misunderstood and attacked by strangers on the internet. perhaps i will even consider it nothing but joy 🙂
may words of love outnumber mean ones in your life by the thousands! see you in eugene. Astrid
Our Prince truly does have our back! Just watched one of those family friendly Princess movies and they so put me in the “I’m a Daughter of the King” moods! I love these times – like when you are reminded by Beth in “Living Beyond Yourself” when she and her daughter dressed as Princesses that we truly are ROYALTY as Daughters of the King – the Eternal Father of the Universe! As I meditated on our “Princess” theme as true Daughters of the true King, I began to do the study of Jude that we are doing here in Flagstaff, AZ. As I was writing my questions through the text, I was overcome by WHO we are in verse 1! As believers we are: “the called” – John 15:16 says that we have not chosen HIM but that HE chose us – that is some kind of “called” – HE has done the calling. Jude also describes the recipients as: “Beloved in God the Father” – if I remember right, the word “Beloved” means “divinely” loved – now what princess does not want to be “divinely loved” – what woman does not want to be “divinely loved” – in all that purity and holiness, you and I are “divinely loved!” WOW!! I get goose bumps just thinking about it! The finale for me at this moment is the fact that we are “kept” FOR Jesus Christ – our eternal Bridegroom! WHEW! THAT is called “having my back!” The fact that HE is keeping me for HIMSELF means that my back is covered – at all times – for HIM and for HIS sake! – WOW – now that is something worth living for – Girlfriends – we are CHOSEN by the God of the universe – HE divinely loves each of us – so much – that HE is KEEPING us for His Son Jesus Christ! I don’t know whether to – as the song goes: “dance before you Jesus – or in awe of You be still – should I sing Halelujah – or should I even speak at all”!
I SO want to cast off the lies the enemy tries to throw my way about myself and LIVE THE THING (as our Beth would say!) 🙂 To LIVE IT OUT: “chosen, beloved/divinely loved and kept for none other than Jesus Christ Himself! Amen! Halelujah!
When I was in 6th grade (10 years ago… wow… ) I had a teacher Named Mrs. G and her and her husband had invited me to church so I went with them. None of my family went. They would always hug me and tell me they loved me (I knew them before she become my teacher.) And they became mom and dad to me. She was always there for me.. when I got into 7th grade I started hanging out with the wrong kids and my life was complete chaos… I was super emotional and a tad bit hormonal. Laughing. And she would always find me in the morning and come hug me and tell me she was praying for me. Got through 7th grade barely and that summer my dad started working out of town… my mom and I fought like crazy and I honestly hated my life. I started cutting and acting out. By the time I was in 9th grade I was every teachers worst nightmare and I was doing things that were stupid…. I had very little rules at home, a dad who was never home and a mom who didn’t pay much attention when she was home. We would go over to our friends house on school nights and be there till 4 a.m. and then I would drive my mom home cause she had drank.. My brothers got pretty far into drugs and I was left to figure out how to do things. My mom was still in the picture but more as a friend. Mrs. G texted me one night and told me that she was thinking about me and how she loved me and couldn’t wait to see me…. she had no clue that that night I had planned to end my life. She had made me feel so important and so valuable that I decided to wait and see what would happen.. and now I am very good friends with her and she still texts me and tells me she loves me! I see now where God had my back through it all! I didn’t see it then cause I was so lost but I am so thankful that He used her in my life! She planted the seed for me! I was saved in July and baptized in September and she was so excited! I have heard several times that God can do amazing things with messy lives and oh I am so counting on it!
I am truly thankful for my God-sent people in my life! (:
My mom and I now have an awesome relationship(still more as friends) but hey, you gotta start somewhere!
Over n over in past 6 months or so, I have cried out in desperation “I cannot do this anymore!” I have wept so hard I have scared my husband and myself and questioned THE LORD and my faith. It has been an unparreled time of great suffering and affliction. One morning no matter time in prayer and His Word, I was undone and had cried out for more prayer intercession to be raised up for me .. telling the LORD I need more help and encouragement. Honestly sharing my shattered heart and the hopelessness I felt with Him. My phone rang. An long time friend gave me warm greetings with great cheer and encouragement in her voice and followed up with this message: , “my devotion this morning was to thank The Lord for someone He put in my life that has made a difference and to call that person and tell them and pray for them!” She shared her feelings as I wept with great joy in the true encouragement and need being satisfied that my life does matter and has value! Twice that day I received messages like this that helped to sustain me in my afflictions! I knew it was the LORD and His Grace and care of me! He sees, He knows and He does care although at times it does not seem like it! He is teaching me to believe Him and HIS WORD over my feelings and circumstances and yet when I am having difficulty doing this He has sent encouragements and hope builders! Thank you, Beth as The LORD HAS USED YOU MIGHTILY to help me delight in His Word and overcome! Psalm 119:92 If Your Law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction. May we truly live N DELIGHT IN HIS WORD… We will overcome!!! Love u, IN CHRIST FOR HIS GLORY, Deborah Mott
Last year, I was out on a run, a favorite time to pray, when God put it on my heart to pray for a sister in Christ. In my heart I heard the words, pray for Kim. I thought it was because her son was getting ready to go off to college. I later found it out that it was at that moment that her sister died and Kim was with her. Our God is an awesome God.
I am so amazed at how God works. I have been leading a verse or “thought for the day” and prayer for teachers at my school (I teach 2nd grade in a public school in Indiana) every Wed. am. We started this last year as the atmosphere was so heavy with all the pressures of the job and the burdens that are represented there through the kids lives. I am also on week five of the James bible study at our church and loving every minute of it. I am working at memorizing James, and what fun I have had. God has been talking so much to me about many things (how can he not going through James right?) but one thing he has been impressing on me is that we (us teachers) need to be not just sharing prayer requests but also giving witness to what we are seeing Him do in our school. The verse has constantly been going through my head “they overcame Satan by the word of their testimony”. After reading this blog today it verified that next Wednesdays thought will be what you wrote and what he has been talking to me about. Thank you so much. I love you like a sister Beth.
Mine doesn’t really involve outside people, but was totally God speaking to my heart and preparing me in advance for something He called our family to do in a way that I desparately needed to hear him BEFORE we were asked to make a certain decision. My husband has been asked to take on a pretty big leadership role and in our line of work it pretty much involves our whole family- stress level, amount of travel etc. We have 4 pretty young kids and the prospect of the whole thing was pretty stressful. For months, God had me back and forth from Psalm 127- way before this decision was even on our radar. One day, about a week before we were asked, the truth from this passage hit me square between the eyes. The “arrows in our quiver”, our precious kiddos, are part of our ministry, they are meant to be USED (arrows don’t stay in the quiver after all) and God spoke almost audibly to my heart that if we were asked to take this position he wouldn’t provide the strength for it IN SPITE OF our kids and the craziness of our lives, but if we were asked, it woudl be BECAUSE of our kids and the part He desires them to play in our ministry. Its’ kind of hard to describe here but I wrote more about the whole process on my blog- http://pinklaundry-kelli.blogspot.com/2013/01/because-of-not-in-spite-of.html
Several recently
1. He arranged for a $ debt forgiveness which was “over the top” and totally unexpected
2. He arranged a sell of some property, again “over the top” even though I would have loved to keep the property, the sell opened the door for me to take a break from a personal tragedy which is “over the top”
3.During my break, two different people totally out of my regular life shared how God used me to funnel God’s healing to them. I loved it!!! It is so reassuring that God actually will use us in our imperfection to touch another.
4. During my “break” I have met a wonderful counselor who is assisting me through my “severed” heart situation- the future looks very risky, however with all the miracles so far, my trust is building- I’m physically, mentally and spiritually “coming around”- My greatest desire is to witness “my sons being taught by the Lord and Great will be the peace (wholeness, health, etc.) in the land of the living- xoxo Dear Blonde Sister in Christ
A couple Christmases ago, my dad gave me a purse and in it was some money to buy something for myself. We went skiing right after Christmas and as I was packing, I debated what to do with the money. Should I hide it? Leave it in the purse? Take it with me? I decided there would be no time for shopping, so I decided not to take it, but on my return, I could not remember if I hid it or left it in the purse! (Yes, I am over 50!) I looked all through the purse, which had multiple pockets, and in all the places I might hide something precious. Could not find it anywhere. I prayed about it for about a YEAR. It was not that I was greedy, but I felt stupid, for not remembering where it was and I also knew my sweet father wanted to hear what I finally spent his money on. I didn’t want to lie and make up something I had bought and neither did I want to admit I had lost it and seem so reckless with his money. One day I had a doctor’s appointment and received some bad results from a lab test. I was devestated. Later that day as I was waiting in the car to pick up my daughter from school, I was crying and praying about this new health issue. I finally calmed down and as I looked around me, my eyes fell on my purse that was on the passenger seat next to me. The flap was partially open and I could see a pocket with a zipper on the inside of the flap. I thought to myself, “I never noticed that pocket before.” I opened the zipper and there was the money!! I cried again, because I KNEW that God was showing me that He was right with me and that He was going to be with me through this health issue. I had such a feeling of being loved and being cared for at that moment. It was wonderful and I saw God’s sense of humor, too! Thank you Beth, for all you do, to help people like me who did not grow up in the church grow deeper in their faith. Love you!
On Tuesday, March 8 I took my car in to have the wheels aligned before going on a trip from Illinois to Viginia to Florida. Wheel alignment is all I knew I needed. Ah, but my Dad had my back!
When the car was in the garage everyone noticed a gas smell, a strong gas smell. They pushed the car over to the rack and discovered the fuel line was leaking. Upon further inspection a brake line was also about to go.
Had I not been prompted to take the car in on Tuesday, my friend and I might have been blown to Viginia or found ourselves without brakes going through the mountains. Neither one a very pleasant prospect. Thanks, Father!
There have been so many times in my life that God showed me he had my back, and even a few where He allowed me to be the person He used to show someone else he had their back, but I’ll limit it to the top 3 😉
April 1, 1997 my oldest sister was killed in a military plane crash. She had always been a “good” person, but I didn’t know at that time whether or not she was saved-I was tormented by the thought that she wasn’t. That first night, I poured out my heart to God, begging him to let me know whether she was with him, and He audibly replied, “She was always mine”-It was the only time I have ever heard the audible voice of God. The next morning we received a phone call from a friend of my sister’s, who she had visited just the week before, saying she called to let us know she & Vicki had talked about her salvation & she wanted to let us know she was saved. Only a God who knows me inside & out would have known that I would have needed that additional confirmation to keep from doubting the experience the night before wasn’t all in my head!
Then, in oct 2004, the company my husband worked for shut down, and just wks later during a routine ultrasound we found out the baby I was carrying had died in utero at 22 wks. Labor was induced the next morning, and when we were signing the paperwork they asked if we wanted to have testing done if the reason for his death wasn’t evident at delivery. I couldn’t make myself sign the consent, but knew I would always blame myself for his death if I didn’t-God was gracious, & the cause of death was obvious-the cord was wrapped around his neck 3 times-My OB dr told us that was very rare at that stage of the pregnancy (once again, God protected me from my own thoughts). If we had lost Benjamin 2 wks earlier, the hospital would have paid for burial in their baby cemetery, and if we had lost him 2 wks later, he would have been covered under our life insurance policy. My husband hadn’t yet found a job, and due to complications during delivery, I was paralyzed on one side and unable to leave the hospital until I could at least walk with a walker. I was devastated-I remember thinking I couldn’t take care of Benjamin in his life, and it seemed we weren’t going to be able to take care of him in his death either. But then God decided to show off ;)…the funeral & burial were paid for by family members, our funeral director dug the grave himself for free when he found out the cemetery was going to charge us $600, our church family & other friends flooded us with love, meals, babysitting for our other children, and enough in donations to pay for a beautiful soft blanket for Benjamin to be buried in and a bible to bury with him, as well as cover our other needs until my husband & I could get back to work. So many other needs were taken care of before we ever even knew the need was there.
More recently, God allowed me to see things from the other side-We had a potluck at work and there was still almost a full pan of leftover pimento cheese sandwiches. The person who brought them told me to take them home to my kids. They were a dried out & had been sitting out all day, but I didn’t want to hurt her feelings, so I took them intending to throw them away when I got home. As I was sitting at the stoplight, I noticed that one of the homeless men who live under the bridge nearby was standing at the intersection. I felt God nudging me to give him the sandwiches, but I was embarrassed to offer him the dried up sandwiches, so I kept driving. As soon as I cleared the corner, I was so convicted I knew I had to go back. I drove back around, but he wasn’t there anymore, so I parked at the corner store got out and went to the edge of the bridge & called out to him. He came over to me and when I offered him the sandwiches he grabbed them and swallowed several before he could even chew them. Then, with tears in his eyes, he said “I’m sorry-I’m just so hungry-thank you & God bless you”. I cried all the way home, so humbled that God would use the mess that I am to be His hands & feet.
Lord love you, sweetheart. What a testimony.
Susan, Jonesboro, AR
So I responded to the blog request for 5 songs that are spiritually “getting it done” for us.
My first listed and only hymn proper was Great Is Thy Faithfulness. Later that week I was already scheduled to speak and the hymn preselected before I started was Great Is Thy Faithfulness. I was feeling some love!
We’re going through a rough time with a dear family member, and at the toughest point (loved one attempted suicide) God used a dear friend who had been praying along with us (and a baby goat who’s momma rejected it!) to show me He has our backs. My friend got up for the first middle of the night bottle feeding for the baby goat and couldn’t get my family member out of her head, so she prayed fervently. That was the exact time our loved one was attempting suicide and not a single family member was up yet, nor did any of us have the notion to pray in that direction, but my friend did. Praise God, it was a failed attempt and our loved one seems to be waking up from the fog they’ve lived in for so long. We are cautiously optimistic, but praising God for each new day!
Last week was one of the hardest weeks of my life. God has held my hand and continues to do so. He had my back before I even knew what was coming. Several days before he began showing me Isaiah 41:10-13 every where. I saw it over and over. He knew I was going to be frightened. He knew I was going to be terrified of some of the places I would have to go last week. I have clung to his word and those promises. I have had to preach them to myself. God is amazing. I ask you siestas to pray for me and my family as we walk through this dark valley.
Oh my, this post was so on time (like God ALWAYS is)! He showed me He had my back just last night. I went on a date with Jesus to this coffee shop. He placed Genesis 15-16 on my heart. It was getting late when I started reading it, and couples started to pour in! Me being in my single season (unmarried) & a boyfriend who is 8 hours away this was a great distraction to me! All kinds of thoughts came in my head (mostly jealousy & impatience). But the Lord’s presence is so sweet. He started speaking such love into my ear and heart! He poured out on me and let me truly FEEL the truth of Him as my Husband. I felt like a bride last night! It was so glorious sitting back and watching Him combat my thoughts FOR ME! Immediately He came to my rescue. And to top it all off He gave me so many awesome revelations from Gen. 15-16. He’s so gooood!
“He will remove all their sorrows and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. For the old world and it’s evils are gone forever.” Revelation 21:4 NLT
My marriage has been shaken at the foundation the last few months. We are doing better to the Glory of God. But a few weeks ago I was feeling so lonely for emotional/spiritual intimacy with my husband I just had to turn to the Lord. I was holding my 3 month old in my arms and was walking around and turning circles/rocking her. (You know how we do as moms) And I starting crying silently so as not to wake her. I said God I need your comfort right now. And as I live and breathe, I literally felt like I was my tiny baby girl and He was me…rocking me back and forth kinda slow dancing in his big ol’ loving arms. And my heart shifted in that moment and tears of sorrow turned to tears of feeling so loved.
Oh, Heather! I too have felt His arms wrap around me in much the same way–so incredible to have our Daddy hold us so tight in His tender arms. Keep holding on to Him! He will sustain you and so much more! Praying for you and your husband.
Thank you so much Siesta Betsy 🙂
For me too, this blog post was just what I needed to hear. God does have our back and knows our hearts and needs. I have been going through a season of attack from Satan and feeling so weary with back pain at work. Jesus used my sweet friend Dea to encourage me..she sent me a random text to tell me that her life was so blessed by me and that she had been specifically praying for me. Oh, how I needed to hear that at just that moment. God is so good and cares about the things that matter to us.
Thanks Beth for the above comment about how God sometimes uses painful things said or done by people to make us more dependent on Him and less dependent on others. I have always been a people pleaser…trying to learn and grow in that area.
Love to all you Siestas!
Stact
I am always in need of knowing God has my back and he is so faithful in showing me this. As a previous siesta stated in her comment about certain times he reveals himself, God does me the same when I see 3:33 and my favorite verse is Jeremiah 33:3 Call to me & I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.
This has nothing to do with today’s post I just wanted you and Travis to know that I just got my tickets for Greensboro. I will be going with one of my cousins from Va. I sm really excited as she has never seen you in person(I have twice in Jacksonviile Fl your 10th year & then with Deeper Stool in Orlando) See you next month.
Sorry for the late posting but I’ve been traveling. I am new to Living Proof, having attending LPL in ME, in November. My most recent experience of “God has your back” was, regarding Beth Moore! Recently, I was compelled/impressed to pray for Beth and family, not sure why. Then, I watched the most recent LiveStream and clearly, Beth seem a bit unraveled. God has your back, stay strong!
I stand amazed at how many times God has had my back. I asked Him to put good Christian people in my children’s lives. My adult daughter who needed a little nudge to get back to church, recently developed a relationship with a co-worker who invited her to her church which eventually led to a Beth Moore bible study. She called recently to thank me for being that consistent force of faith in her life. I cannot tell you how humbled I was. I am no special person, just loved by God. I could write a book since this is just one of the many times He has had my back. This was one of those wait on God times. I think one of the most important things I’ve learned in my second childhood is to let go of that control we girls seem to hold to so dearly, and let God show us His plan. Nothing could be more awesome!
I am late responding, but WOW! God has had my back so many times. As I have been studying Ephesians 1, I am seeing just how much He loves me. Not only am I chosen, adopted, redeemed, forgiven, and given an inheritance, but He has shown me the mystery of His will and sealed me with the Holy Spirit of Promise! If that isn’t God taking care of me to the fullest extent, I don’t know what is! Amazing love!
My story begins in Baltimore during the taping of the bible study “The Patriarchs”. I attended that taping with a group of about 20 ladies from my area. Some of those ladies came with all sorts of huge family problems going on in their lives. But really my life was going well; I was really blessed just to be there. Little did I know what enormous ways that God was going to bless me that week? And also how He was preparing me for a time in my life when my marriage would be shaken to the core and not survive. The teaching was great God moved my heart in every session. Our group enjoyed a week full of great fellowship. The thing that changed my life forever happened in the very last session. I remember the set used for the week was very life like and the ceiling was transformed into the night sky. While worshipping that day and I looked up into that night sky, the spirit inside of me seemed to be right up in the stars communing with God in a way that I had never experienced. It was amazing how close He was that morning, as if He and I were the only ones in that night sky. I was absolutely overwhelmed at how much He loved me, cared for me and had me in His arms. Fast forward to 2 years ago because of decisions out of my control, my marriage ended in divorce. I was crushed to say the least; there were days I couldn’t function at all. But all through that time without fail I could recall that day of communion with my Father and I knew who had me and the plans for my future. The huge gift He gave me that day was that all I have to do to be transported to that exact moment is step out into the night sky. I am here to testify that that day was orchestrated for me by my Heavenly Father to show me exactly how important I am to Him. I can always think no matter what is going on here on this fallen earth that what I experienced that day is only a taste of what my eternal home is going to be like. We will be in eternal worship of our Father and all I can think is Wow!
I went to the doctor and got a very bad report. On top of this my family is in terrible turmoil. Plus I am dealing with trying to handle my 10 year old (who besides Jesus is my whole world) spending so much time with her father who left us last Octorber after telling me to choose either him or God. I was at an all time low.
I got a text from a co-worker that never text me that said “I am hear for you” then it had three crosses with Hebrews 4:16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Anyone who reads this, I sure would appreciate all the prayer I can get.
Krist, I’m praying for you now. Much love siesta!
As I prayed for a year about my husband becoming pastor of our church, the Lord gave me a promise that this was indeed his calling on our life. No one had asked him to even consider it yet but the Lord so graciously nudged me that this was His will. That was a tough year, and just when I thought i couldn’t handle the wait any longer as my husband juggled being interim and youth pastor of our 250 member church with 100 youth on wed nights (not boasting one bit, just saying that this family was TIRED), God would continue to gently remind me of His word over and over and over again. He would constantly give me scripture and have people speak into my life. Then the day of the vote, he reminded me 3 times all before 11:45. And once was after they announced that my husband was the pastor. Okay, God! I’m ready! I understand! You are faithful! You do not leave us!:)
I’ve been without full time work for nearly two years now (I’m a communications/marketing professional with emphasis in ministry and nonprofit work) and living with gracious folks from the church in the midst of it all. I’ve remained hopeful for the most part, but recently several people (Christians even) started to speak doubt into my life about God’s work in my circumstance. This past Saturday, at one of the lowest moments in my heart, I was walking through a Barnes and Noble and God directed my gaze toward a Chuck Swindoll book I was passing by. I turned around, picked up the devotional and here’s what my fingers flipped to:
God’s Plan For Hope
“For I know the plans I have for you… plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11
God knows, right down to the final nub, exactly where you are in life. He sees. He cares. He is aware. And best of all, He is touched by it.
The enemy of our souls wants you to think differently. ‘God doesn’t care. He’s left you in this mess for so many months. How unfair! Those around you, those at work, your neighbors, live like the devil, and they’re making it fine. And here you don’t even have a job. You don’t even have enough to cover the credit card bills. What kind of God is that?
Or maybe some young mother-to-be, stretched to the limit already with other young children and crushing responsibilities, cries out in her heart, ‘My situation is more than I can bear!’ And God replies, “My daughter, I know what I am doing. I know the pain of your heart right now. I know you feel overwhelmed, overloaded, pressed down. But believe Me, I am touched with your situation. And I have a plan! I am working out the details of your deliverance even now. Trust Me!”
My husband and I were in the middle of a BIG move from one storage pace to another.
Friends had graciously given us an empty building to store all our “stuff” from a painful closing of a business after 20 years. We had furniture and junk from 5 offices and a home. But, they had leased the building and we now had to move again.
Two times, when we thought we were faced with a day of moving by ourselves, God sent a person down the alley of the building right as we started each day! We were able to give some men needed money and they in return provided us with an extra set of hands and strength to move mounds. What we thought would take us four days was done in two!
God’s grace in time of need is humbling and honorable. One of the times He had my back – literally!
I’m a little late in adding my story, but still wanted to get it up here purely for His glory.
I attended the 2010 Living Proof event in Rapid City, SD. The Saturday of the event was my only child’s first birthday. But I live just three hours from there and knew that I could easily attend the event and make it back home to be with her for our special day.
During Friday nights’ session, my husband called multiple times — they were having a rough go of it. I talked to him on Saturday morning and he reported they had a terrible sleepless night. I was so overwhelmed and stressed and torn by needing to be in two places at once. I just started crying right there during the event on Sat morning. Thank goodness we were all singing! Maybe everyone thought I was just moved by the Spirit. 🙂
Then I had that feeling of peace wash over me and I KNOW that God spoke to me. The words were as clear as if someone had leaned over and whispered them into my ear: “I’ll take care of them, you just meet Me here.”
He did, and I did. What a beautiful, thrilling moment. I am a pretty new believer and had never had such a powerful feeling of God speaking to me exactly in a time of need. It’s such a wonderful feeling; once you get a taste, you hunger for more!