So much pain it has to be good!

I have always believed that the more stresses and issues that face my life and family the more work God is about to do. Evidently God is about to do something awesome on Easter Sunday. This has been a week filled with extraordinary stresses in our life. It all started on Monday when I spent the whole day wondering if our basement was going to flood again. I don't know if you have ever had a flood-prone basement before but it really ways on your heart and mind every time in rains. In this case they were predicting as much as 2 inches of rain in a few days time. Needless to say I fretted about it for two straight days and didn't sleep for two nights. I must have checked the basement about 10 times each day during the rain. It turns out the basement didn't flood.

All was good...that is until we discovered that our van has some major issues that might cause us to have to get rid of it more than 3 years earlier than we had planned. That is enough to make you sick to your stomach when you have your financial plans working for you and all of a sudden you are unexpectedly looking at having to buy another vehicle. That was weighing heavily on my mind yesterday when we discovered some possible health related issues with someone in our family. I stewed on that until late evening last night. However all is well with that issue too. Then I wake up this morning to 4-6 inches of snow on the ground the day before one of the biggest Sundays 0f the year at church...Easter.

This has been a very stress filled and distracting week. I have felt Satan's tug all week long. He has been trying to pull me off of my game and I believe God is wanting to do something big, really big. I have once again learned a lot about how God provides for us and how my stress and worry does nothing for me. It gets me all worked up and in the end it doesn't do anything. All it does is distract me from the good things God wants to do in me, through me, and around me. How often do we render ourselves ineffective because we are so caught up in our worries and concerns? I believe and experience these testing moments and trials as a chance for my faith to grow in God. Let's face it, without struggles, temptations, stresses, and problems in our life there would be no reason to rely on God. In these moments we really find out what our faith is made of and hopefully in most cases find it growing in the face of adversity.

It was an amazing moment for me when I was struggle with one particular issue this week that would have normally gotten me all worked up. Instead I chose to focus on some recent issues that God had already taken care of. It was this moment of remembering God's prior acts of faithfulness that allowed me in this instance to trust him even more. I figured in my mind that if he showed up last week in my life why wouldn't he show up today. In the end He did and He prevailed as He always does. I am so easily stresses in the presence of a perfect living powerful God. Lord, forgive me for those times I do not trust and thank you for your might power that provides for my every need. Every time the going gets stressful I am looking for something huge from Him. I believe tomorrow morning is one of those powerful moments. I pray you all have an awesome Easter and may God bless your life. Blessings, Your Dreaming Pastor