Increasing Trust in the Lord through Daily Challenge

 But he who trusts in the LORD, mercy shall surround him.  Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous; and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!    Psalm 32:10b-11

Bobby had a strong-willed, bright, risk-taking personality from day one.  He challenged me every day and stretched my trusting capacity to the breaking point.  I learned to shoot up urgent arrow prayers in many situations and my faith in prayer strengthened with immediate answers.

            We were physically isolated in an extremely large country home with “workaholic” in-laws and husband.  Generally speaking it was me, Bobby, and the Lord.  I have a vivid memory of my two year old laughing with great delight as he rode his “big wheel” down our paved drive way, which was on a large hill, with no hands or feet!

My arrow prayers became extremely frequent, laser specific and to my great relief they were answered in like manner.  There was never a dull moment with Bobby!

Prayer: I surrender to your loving all sufficient care.  You are so worthy of my total trust.
Thought: I believe God puts us in situations beyond our control or ability to “fix” to mature our prayer life and convict us of who really is in control.
 

On my Knees before the Lord for Everything Needed to Raise Our First Born

 And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.           Isaiah 65:24

All parents can relate to the responsibility of having their “first gift from God” placed solely in their hands.  Nothing will bring a woman to her knees in prayer faster than that weighty yet longed for duty.  Robert Anthony was born on June 6, 1981.  It was a difficult delivery and Bobby had severe colic for the first six months of life and croup for the next six months.  Sleep for me was not possible.

We were in the process of building our dream home in the country with my in-laws as neighbors.  When Bobby was four months old our small city house sold faster than we had imagined.  We moved to a small apartment attached to my in-law’s house.  It was not ideal for a family and Bobby’s croup grew worse.  We managed for eight months until our new home was completed. 

During that time we made two trips to the emergency room, once when Bobby rolled off a high bed onto the wood floor and once when my exhaustion overwhelmed me.   Bobby suffered no lasting effects but I was diagnosed with exhaustion and osteochrondritis, a condition of inflammation of both bone and cartilage of the chest.  I had held Bobby 24/7 on my chest when his colic was severe with only small “cat naps” and the irritation mimicked a heart attack.  The physician gave me pain medication that put me to sleep which was useless! 
Prayer and the Grace of God assured improvement in me.  Shortly before Bobby’s first birthday we moved into our new home.

Prayer: Teach me that my first cry for help should be to you, Lord.

Thought:  When situations and people fail miserably our Lord never does!  Our faith is built up in the one and only “I Am”!  Does God allow difficult situations so that we learn to turn to Him first?
 
 

Persistence and Tenacity in Serving God
 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.  Ephesians 3:16-17
      Mark and I were married on July 11, 1975 and began discovering significant spiritual details, like both receiving our first bible on September 30, 1962, that indicated our destiny to be life partners.  We honeymooned for six years until our first born changed the dynamics of our family.  We attended and served in the church where we married.  I was impressed with Mark’s faithful attendance and service and followed suit.  We were “doers”.  We did anything asked of us.
      We were saved but we did not have a personal relationship with the Lord.  We had no idea of relationship with Jesus and knew nothing of spiritual gifts or what our gifts were.  We simply served as unto the Lord and enjoyed Christian fellowship.  We avoided “church politics” and arguments among the laity.  We had each other and were very fulfilled knowing the Lord would increase our knowledge of Him at the perfect time in His perfect way.

Prayer: Thank you Lord that there is a time and place to simply serve and wait on You to give us wisdom, maturity and reveal specific gifting.

Thought: If you do not know what your spiritual gifts are as in I Corinthians 12; Romans 12; Ephesians 4; I Peter 4, serve in all capacities until you find that area that you are really good in and satisfies a longing to serve God as effectively as possible.  You may have many gifts.  Don’t limit God’s revelation to you!
 
 

Healing of Self-Image
 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion…So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.                                                                                                            Genesis 1:26-27 (KJV)
 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.  My substance was not hid from thee…How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them!  If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.                                                     Psalm 139:14-18
Mark showed me unconditional love and respect for the first time in my life except for my grandparents.  After high school graduation I went to a state college and Mark went to a local one.  During the next two years I was shown respect and consideration from my peers and teachers that began to heal my wounded self-image.  Maybe, I was not as damaged as I previously thought!  All these people could not be wrong.
             My maternal grandmother passed to Glory during my freshman year and I was devastated but college life went rapidly on.  Mark visited frequently and our telephone conversations got so long his father threatened to make him pay the telephone bill!  The physical distance between us made our time together more precious.
Prayer:  Lord, help us to see ourselves as you see us.
Thought:  Have those closest to you convinced you that you are less than what the Lord thinks of you?  Is their “truth” more valuable than the truth (the Bible)?  Read Ephesians chapter one and the prayer in Ephesians 2:14-21 to begin understanding who you are in Christ! He loves you with an everlasting, unconditional love not because of what you do but because He is God and you are His.