Broken Appliances, Termites, Fleas Oh My!

In the past year I have seen God answer prayer after prayer in the lives of my family and friends.  Specific answers to specific prayers.  It has been such an awesome encouragement to me as a mother.  Prayers I have prayed for literally years I am seeing answered and the fruit of sleepless nights on my knees in tears over the conditions of the hearts (including mine) in our home.  Even now I know God is working behind the scenes calling people to Himself, to salvation, obedience and surrender each and every day. 

Since January, we have been in a new church and have a new church family.  It has been hard, good, joyful, painful, exciting, exhausting all at the same time.  Family relationships usually are you know?  God has been transforming my husband giving him a hunger and thirst for His Word like never before.  In the Spring, we began to tithe out of obedience to God's Word and have been faithful in that for the first time in years.  He has been changing my heart and moving my hands and feet to follow His lead in submitting to the leadership of my husband; after all, he is the covering God has placed over me as a wife and mother.  We are now having time in the word as a family and in prayer all at my husband's leading.  AMAZING!  It has been so sweet. 

So, with all the good stuff happening in and around us, why would I title this post, Broken Appliances, Termites, Fleas Oh My ?  Because, in the midst of God's goodness, grace and transformation we been faced with irritations, aggravations, and problems each and every day for an entire year.   It began with a refrigerator that almost caught on fire.  In the middle of the night I woke up feeling like something wasn't right and went into the kitchen opened up our freezer and saw a red glowing light and heard popping sounds.  Thank God the Holy Spirit alerted me to get up and go check things out!  There would have been a fire in our wall.  At any rate, the refrigerator was "toast"!  A month later our microwave over our stove went out and our Bunn coffee pot died.  Next, our dishwasher quit working.  To top all that off, we had a water leak from the air condition unit which came ran from upstairs between the wall in the stairwell to my daughter's room.  So, the air unit downstairs was dead!  Then a few months later we discovered we had termites!  Now, we are dealing with fleas which are probably the most aggravating for me.  We have bombed, used powder on all our carpets and will be bombing again this week!  Just one thing after another.  It seems like everyday it gets harder and harder, little in comparison to eternity but nonetheless, still aggravating and irritating! 

This past month we went to a meeting on a mission trip being planned for Haiti and our hearts were stirred to put our "yes on the table" as our pastor says.  Since then, it has intensified.   Second round of fleas, still working on termite problem and this week someone broke into my husband's work truck and stole his work laptop and t.v.  It just keeps coming! 

I know the source of these attacks, the principalities and powers of the enemies arsenal.   What God allowed me to see this week is how God has strengthened us in the way we have chosen to respond to these pesky problems.  Through prayer, on our knees together me and  my husband who at one time were spiritually independent of one another have begun to take this battle to the Lord.  To the foot of the Cross.  We have become interdependent on one another and DEPENDENT on our LORD and SAVIOR Jesus Christ!  I am forever grateful for the trials, problems, irritations, frustrations, aggravations because "what the enemy meant for evil, God has turned into good".  He always does if we will recognize where the attacks are coming from.  Drop to our knees in utter dependence on Christ.  Depend on Him to get you through and get up and do what He tells us to do!

Several years ago, while attending a Beth Moore conference she did something I will never forget.  It is seared in my memory.  She was talking about taking back territory that the enemy had stolen in the lives of others.  She walked across the stage that was dark, and the lighting crew placed spot lights where her feet touched. As she stepped forward they would light up that area until every place she placed her foot was lit up with white light!  She turned to the audience and reminded us with a scene from Lord of the Rings - where the princess cuts off the enemies head and says, "I'm No man", that warfare is indeed real and when we get serious about the souls and lives of those around us and begin to through prayer, fasting and repentance begin to engage in the battle the enemy would be angry and the warfare would INTENSIFY! 

Now to some of you reading this, your battles have been much larger than ours, maybe cancer or death has invaded your life.  Maybe a wayward child (I know about that one),  maybe financial disaster has hit your home.  Maybe our "little" irritations seem small and they are in light of eternity, so we can bear it and move on forward with a kingdom focus, knowing this too shall pass.  But, this I know, it doesn't seem "little" when you are the one walking through it.  No matter the size, no matter the form the attacks come in, they are hard. 

I don't know what is coming next, but My GOD does.  If I don't depend on Him and hold His hand tightly as I am passing through this life I will miss out on His purposes, plans and promises.  I will not get to experience all He has for me this side of heaven.  I don't want to miss a thing.  I want to be kingdom focused and live intentionally each and every day.  Listening to His voice above all the other voices clamoring for my ear.  So here, we go down the "yellow brick road" of our faith in Christ.  Down the path the Master Planner has marked out for me and my family.  Trusting Him one step at a time.  One day at a time.  Some days, moment by moment.  The abundant life is just that.  Those who are serious about intercessory prayer are like the servants who got to see Jesus at the wedding in Cana, we will get to see Jesus turn the water into wine! 

I wrote this to encourage someone out there who might be experiencing difficult days.  Maybe not cancer or death or what we consider BIG events, life changing events but for those who are in the thick of the battle and feel the intensity.    KEEP ON PRAYING, DON'T GIVE UP!  The enemy of our souls wants us to quit.  Keep making disciples, keep teaching that class, keep loving those sheep hardest to love.  Keep praying for the lost, keep praying for that marriage or that child.    ALL by His might and His power NOT our own. 

Broken appliances, termites, fleas.... SO WHAT!  My God is greater, stronger and ABLE to help me jump over a wall, to run when I am weary, to not faint.   He will uphold those who love and fear Him, who are His treasured  possession!