Let me go over the purpose of this blog again, just to make things clear.
In 2014 - has it really been that long - my Dad was let go from his job. He was notified in early April and was officially out of a job by July. He got his next job in April of the next year. The months in between were a pain and, during that time, God blessed me with being able to speak His promise - of security and love.
I started this blog to publish what I wrote to a wider circle, and Lord willing, touch more lives and bless them. So, on August 30th, 2014, I published my first post. Here it is:
"We're going through a hard time - who doesn't? God's definitely given us a new challenge and we're learning to trust in Him in ways that we've never done before. And at the beginning of our trouble, I really wasn't sure how we were going to get through it, or what was going to happen. Even now I don't know where our life is going, as a family and individually.
But God has something planned. I know He does. Over and over again, the Bible tells us God hasn't forgotten us, He will come to save us. He does have a plan. He plans peace, He gives love and He is with us now. I have seen this in the Bible, and He has shown me how He will take care of us: He's shown us by what He's done for our friends, our Country, our State, through random individuals who have gone through trials and come out strong, praising and thanking God. He's shown us in our own lives.
Sure, basically this whole year has been tough. But I can feel that God is with us by how He's taken care of us so far. We have been blessed over and over again - we are already saved! We have wonderful food, we have a beautiful garden, we have a working dishwasher, our fridge is still working, we have a good car, multiple discounts on things, we have friends and family, my Dad is finally out of a difficult situation, we have a lot of people praying for us, we've been able to do random things out and about - and I could keep going. Surely God is taking care of us - in our trouble He is watching over us - in our trouble He is watching over us in the big and small things. I look forward to seeing what He plans next.
Now, hopefully, I'll be uploading photos I've taken through this trialing time, of things the Lord has blessed my family and I with. It might take a while, because I've never done anything like this, but I hope you enjoy it."
It's interesting to read over it again, now. It's been a long time, and a challenging time. But it's especially interesting, because this Monday - only a few days away - my Dad has an interview for another, much better job. Of course, we don't know if it will be the right one. The thing is... it's in Washington, and we basically live on the other side of the Country.
In many ways, in a strange way, several of us have felt like we belong there. It just kind of feels right, so I am wondering...
Anyway, if anyone's reading this blog, we would appreciate the prayer. We need guidance about this...
and I know God will guide us and take care of us.
Friday, May 6, 2016
Thursday, November 26, 2015
Thanksgiving - Before and After
Psalm 6:8-9:
Away from me, all you who do evil,
for the Lord has heard my weeping.
The Lord has heard my cry for mercy;
The Lord accepts my prayer."
Last Thanksgiving we had a lot to be thankful for. The Lord had blessed us and we were safe. Our Thanksgiving was no less than ever. God was taking care of us while my Dad was unemployed, as I know He will take care of us in any other difficulty.
I read this Bible verse today, just because it was the next one for me to read in my schedule. I was hoping for something happy and nice, but this last part really got to me. I would recommend all of Psalm 6, especially if you are going through a difficult time.
During all of the challenging time, I was aware that we were in the middle of a tunnel and someday we would be out on the other end, and we would see how much God had blessed us.
I read this Bible verse many times in the last year, and I think that's partly why it really struck me today.
You wouldn't believe how often I wept and my cry for mercy. I read the verse, seeing that the Lord said He would hear our weeping and answer our call. I was filled with hope. Today I read it, and I knew that the Lord really had heard my weeping and seen every tear. He was right there when we cried for mercy and relief.
I don't know what you're going through. Maybe it's not even that bad, or you don't feel like it's worth praying about, it's not that big a problem. Maybe it's something that's consumed your every thought, and filled your nights with nightmares. Maybe all the world is dimmed by your fear or anxiety or guilt.
Let me tell you: call for the Lord. He has heard your weeping and knows what you're going through. Call on Him and ask for relief.
We were in the middle of a tunnel, and seemed like there was no getting out. But we are out. He heard my call.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! I do have a lot to be thankful for, if only to see how God has taken care of us.
Away from me, all you who do evil,
for the Lord has heard my weeping.
The Lord has heard my cry for mercy;
The Lord accepts my prayer."
Last Thanksgiving we had a lot to be thankful for. The Lord had blessed us and we were safe. Our Thanksgiving was no less than ever. God was taking care of us while my Dad was unemployed, as I know He will take care of us in any other difficulty.
I read this Bible verse today, just because it was the next one for me to read in my schedule. I was hoping for something happy and nice, but this last part really got to me. I would recommend all of Psalm 6, especially if you are going through a difficult time.
During all of the challenging time, I was aware that we were in the middle of a tunnel and someday we would be out on the other end, and we would see how much God had blessed us.
I read this Bible verse many times in the last year, and I think that's partly why it really struck me today.
You wouldn't believe how often I wept and my cry for mercy. I read the verse, seeing that the Lord said He would hear our weeping and answer our call. I was filled with hope. Today I read it, and I knew that the Lord really had heard my weeping and seen every tear. He was right there when we cried for mercy and relief.
I don't know what you're going through. Maybe it's not even that bad, or you don't feel like it's worth praying about, it's not that big a problem. Maybe it's something that's consumed your every thought, and filled your nights with nightmares. Maybe all the world is dimmed by your fear or anxiety or guilt.
Let me tell you: call for the Lord. He has heard your weeping and knows what you're going through. Call on Him and ask for relief.
We were in the middle of a tunnel, and seemed like there was no getting out. But we are out. He heard my call.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! I do have a lot to be thankful for, if only to see how God has taken care of us.
Monday, November 23, 2015
The Beginning......
First of all, let me explain the title of this blog, which I've basically only named over the last day, rather than my usual month or two thinking over a name. The beginning part "Chronicle of..." I just liked the sound of. The second half "... Good Courage" came from a wonderful Bible verse I saw on our refrigerator.
Psalm 27:14 NKJV
Wait on the Lord;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the Lord!"
All of Psalm 27 is amazing, so I would recommend reading it, but that part is so important and beautiful. It was encouraging to me even before my Dad lost his job- and it is so true. God strengthened our hearts so often it was absolutely amazing.
I feel like I should explain the whole thing a little, so you can understand what it was like. But I don't think I can explain it. We were under satanic attack, and had been, for a long, long time. It took the last 10 years, possibly a lot longer, for 2014 and unemployment to be as bad as it was.
If you've ever experienced unemployment in some way, you probably know what it's like.
First you find out the job is gone. Thank God, we had a few months warning before they let him go. And then there's nothing. No job possibilities, no answers- just questions like, is there such a thing as another job possibility out there? Then there are possible jobs, interviews, another interview or two, maybe one in person, and then it goes away. Nothing again. Another job possibility, interviews, it goes away. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Another job possibility or two. They go away. Nothing.
I'll stop now. I can look back at it now and praise God that it's over. But I know there might be someone out there, reading it, who knows it all too well. I'm sorry.
Well, that's what this blog is for. It's not just for the people who are currently unemployed, but might be going through some problems, like health or marriage or relationships. It's here because we are here. We didn't get sucked down. We were not forgotten. You are not forgotten.
You'll find here some things I found helpful throughout our struggles. I'll be including the posts I wrote while we were going through the unemployment, probably including some thoughts I had behind it, or what was happening when I wrote it.
I don't really know how to say this, because I feel like if I compliment what I write, I'll be saying I'm wonderful. Well, I'm not complimenting myself. I'm not wonderful. I'm probably repeating what you already know! But God wrote His Word for us to read over and over again, even if we might know some of it well or it stuck the first time. We need to read it again. And God inspired me to write this. If ever there was a time when something was inspired or touched by God, this is it, and I'm not ashamed of it.
And there's something else. I'm not a show-your-emotions-all-the-time kind of person, and it's easy to think that unemployment isn't as bad as, say, fighting for your country (which, obviously it isn't) But it's OK to admit it is hard. I came to appreciate a song last year, a part of it saying: "He's there when you feel like letting go."
I didn't realize it but I felt like letting go. I was just so tired and ready for something to be better. So, dear readers, it's OK to admit you feel like letting go of life. It's OK to say you feel like everyone is attacking you and there is literally an enemy watching for you to falter.
God is there. I am the proof of it.
I don't know how to say that any better. God is right there. He can and will help you.
Psalm 27:14 NKJV
Wait on the Lord;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the Lord!"
All of Psalm 27 is amazing, so I would recommend reading it, but that part is so important and beautiful. It was encouraging to me even before my Dad lost his job- and it is so true. God strengthened our hearts so often it was absolutely amazing.
I feel like I should explain the whole thing a little, so you can understand what it was like. But I don't think I can explain it. We were under satanic attack, and had been, for a long, long time. It took the last 10 years, possibly a lot longer, for 2014 and unemployment to be as bad as it was.
If you've ever experienced unemployment in some way, you probably know what it's like.
First you find out the job is gone. Thank God, we had a few months warning before they let him go. And then there's nothing. No job possibilities, no answers- just questions like, is there such a thing as another job possibility out there? Then there are possible jobs, interviews, another interview or two, maybe one in person, and then it goes away. Nothing again. Another job possibility, interviews, it goes away. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Another job possibility or two. They go away. Nothing.
I'll stop now. I can look back at it now and praise God that it's over. But I know there might be someone out there, reading it, who knows it all too well. I'm sorry.
Well, that's what this blog is for. It's not just for the people who are currently unemployed, but might be going through some problems, like health or marriage or relationships. It's here because we are here. We didn't get sucked down. We were not forgotten. You are not forgotten.
You'll find here some things I found helpful throughout our struggles. I'll be including the posts I wrote while we were going through the unemployment, probably including some thoughts I had behind it, or what was happening when I wrote it.
I don't really know how to say this, because I feel like if I compliment what I write, I'll be saying I'm wonderful. Well, I'm not complimenting myself. I'm not wonderful. I'm probably repeating what you already know! But God wrote His Word for us to read over and over again, even if we might know some of it well or it stuck the first time. We need to read it again. And God inspired me to write this. If ever there was a time when something was inspired or touched by God, this is it, and I'm not ashamed of it.
And there's something else. I'm not a show-your-emotions-all-the-time kind of person, and it's easy to think that unemployment isn't as bad as, say, fighting for your country (which, obviously it isn't) But it's OK to admit it is hard. I came to appreciate a song last year, a part of it saying: "He's there when you feel like letting go."
I didn't realize it but I felt like letting go. I was just so tired and ready for something to be better. So, dear readers, it's OK to admit you feel like letting go of life. It's OK to say you feel like everyone is attacking you and there is literally an enemy watching for you to falter.
God is there. I am the proof of it.
I don't know how to say that any better. God is right there. He can and will help you.
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