His Trials

Recently I got an awesome new scrapbooking design program. I have been able to make a book of our wedding, a family calendar, and postcards for our youth group kids. Last month I made a wife's prayer book. I used the book "Power of a Praying Wife" to create a daily prayer book to pray for my husband. I had it bound and gave a copy to my mom as well as some of my other friends. Now we can pray each day for a different aspect of our husband's life. I also included a verse to go along with each topic. This has helped me to be able to pray in a more effective way. Also, it provides an accountability aspect with my mom.

Today's topic was "His Trials." This morning when I flipped to today's page, I was a bit confused. A few days ago I had prayed for his temptations and wondered as to why the author of the original book had choosen to use both of those words. They seemed somewhat synonymous to me, trials and temptations, they seemed interchangeable in my mind. For my devotions today, I decided to do forego my typical study and did some research on the difference between these two words. What I found was that trials are certain situations or circumstances that God brings into our life to test and improve our faith and patience levels. Temptations on the other hand are specific sin issues that test our sin nature. One is meant to develop and one is meant to destroy. We can bear the weight of both of those things if we have a solid footing in Christ. While temptations are linked with sin and human nature, trials are linked to growth and spiritual development. I honestly hadn't thought about the two words before today, yet now I see how they are completely different. One seeks to develop and one seeks to destroy. Currently, one of our pastors is doing a series on Job. I guess my devos thoughts today tie in directly. Isn't it cool when something like that happens? Job was faced with trials and temptations. The trial was meant to improve his faith in God while the temptation was intended to get Job discouraged, frustrated, doubtful, and ultimately according to his wife, to curse God and die. I wouldn't blame him if he did all of those things. Honestly, it sounds bad, but that kind of pain and heartache seems so difficult to comprehend. Yet, that trial, brought on by Satan, allowed by God, was to prove Job's faith in God and to also improve his faith in God. "Blessed be the name of the Lord"

So, all that to say, may we seek to turn away temptations and to praise God for his faithfulness even in whatever trials may come our way.

God, I pray for Matt and his past, present, and future trials. May he use his past trials as a bringboard and memory of your faithfulness over time. May his present trials teach him lessons of your goodness and provision. May his future trials be light and his heart ready to bear whatever comes his way.

The Past

I just kind of rediscovered my own blog today. I realized that I am not a big blogger. I am a thinker. I spend SO much time thinking but feel frustrated or overwhelmed when I even consider recording my thoughts on either paper or computer. I want my handwriting to be legible, my grammar to be proper, and know that I will spend too much time rereading and analyzing my own writings. Pretty pathetic attitude laced with OCD tendencies, I know...all that to say, that I wish I was more of a journaling person. I reread my xanga site from college the other day. It is so funny to see how naive and fun-loving I was. I spent time blogging about completely unimportant events yet now I simply laugh at those memories. I was able to read about the first time I hung out with a "new friend" named Matt. WOW! I am thankful I do have those memories recorded...now just how to get them off the vast world wide web and into a book. (Perhaps a new project I will embark on. :)

When we first got married I had every intention of journaling so that I would have those memories to look back on. Memories of the honeymoon, our first week back in our new home as a new couple, our first fight, the struggle to make ends meet, the many provisions and direct answers to prayers. I wholeheartedly regret that I did not pen those memories as they were happening. I'd love to go back and read the emotions linked with our first fight or the joy abounding as God provided a car for us. I have those memories in my head and my heart but they are distant, clouded, and faint. I wish I could hold on to those raw emotions and see more vividly how God has worked. Right before we got married I heard a sermon about the children of Israel and how they made an altar to remember God's deliverance. Then the men took those rocks home as a daily reminder of God's ever present hand at work. The speaker encouraged each person to start collecting items for an altar box. Since our marriage, I have done that. I am so thankful to have that small box filled with little reminders. A note from a casual friend that accompanied $300, a photo of the car God provided, the note Matt wrote me on my first day of subbing, my first official teaching contract....the list goes on. So, even though I don't have the heat-of-the-moment emotions documented, I have those simple reminders forever. May I use those small items to recall the emotions and details of each scene as I review the filmstrip of my life, each scene flowing perfectly into the next. By looking backward, may I be reminded to trust the director as the future snapshots come into focus, each a polariod that only becomes clear in His timing. For now, contentment in the future because of His faithfulness in my past.

I'd like to be more of a blogger, I really would. I'd love to have experiences documented, thoughts shared, and blessings recorded. Let's see where this gets me...