I just want to remind myself and whoever else might need reminding that God is boss. You and I don't answer to anyone but to Him. I'm 22 years old and I recently had to deal with a bully. Yesterday I was told by another "Christian" that I wasn't biblically right to go on the mission trip I just went on. This person said "women aren't called to be missionaries, preachers or whatever". First I'd like to say, I'm not a preacher. None of the ladies on the WOTW team are preachers either and don't claim to be. Only men called of God can preach! We went to encourage and exhort...does the Bible not say in Hebrews 3:13 "But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." Yes. Yes it does.
I prayed this wouldn't bring me down or discourage me but it kind of did. This situation involved a "Christian" who allowed the devil to use her to put a damper on what God just did in my life. I say to that...how sad? And "If God is for us who can be against us??" I am not ashamed of what God called me to do! I'm not ashamed and no one is going to make me feel ashamed!
I wanted so badly...more than anything to snap back, to say some very unkind words. But something in my heart was saying "be the bigger person, Megan". I am so thankful I have the Holy Spirit living inside me, guiding me and helping me to know the best decision to make! Sometimes to be the bigger person you must become smaller. You must keep quiet. You must not defend yourself. No one likes to be talked about, no one wants to be put down (especially when it involves serving God) but when (it will happen!) it happens we have the tool to overcome this opposition...prayer.
A simple prayer has the power to change a heart, change a mind and even change the world. He tells us in Matthew 5:44-->But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;.
What if God allows persecution to enter our lives just so we can pray for the person persecuting us so in turn God can change their heart!? When I look at the situation in this light I see it very differently. God wants me to bring everything to him. He will fight my battles. He will win my battles. I have victory because of Jesus Christ. But I also am given the opportunity to show love to someone who is "despitefully using me"/"persecuting me" when I bow my head and lift their name up to God. So here I am trying to love my enemies, trying to bless those who are cursing me, do good to those who hate me, and pray for those who are hurting me. Proverbs 31:26 says, She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. Sometimes the wisest thing to do is to keep your mouth shut...and pray.
This is my prayer. Lord, use my words to bless others and fill me with your wisdom. I want to speak kind words that encourages others. I don't want to make anyone feel the way I felt earlier this week. Help me to love those who stand against me. Give me a meek and quiet spirit, and a humble heart.
In Jesus name. Amen.
I want to be used of God. Don't get in my way...if you do I'll just pray for you ;)
Words can't describe what has happened in my heart over the past few days. I've tried to figure it all out but I can't. I just can't. I think I might feel the way Mary felt after Jesus was born. All I can do is ponder all HE has done and hide it all in my heart! I'm the kind of girl who sits in the back of the classroom. I never ask questions. I try to be invisible. I keep my mouth shut because most of the time I feel like what I have to say isn't worth making others listen to. I have very low self esteem. I am a very nervous person! I am so fearful. I freak out about everything! I act strong but I'm good at hiding what I'm facing and what I am feeling.
While in Nicaragua God changed me. The one big thing I begged him to do, He did. He changed me! I've always wanted to fall in love. I thought it would be to one person, not to a country. But things don't always go the way we think they should. His ways are not our ways.
One of the ladies on the team told me she thought I was very courageous. I laughed and said "why??" She opened her Bible and read a verse that tells us to "go" and she pointed at another that said not to fear. She said I was courageous by being willing to leave my family and "go". She said it took her many more years to get the courage to "go". I've never once thought of my self as a courageous individual. I've always thought I was the complete opposite. On our last night Mrs. Patti told us we were not "front porch ladies" but we were "frontier ladies". I keep thinking about that. I've always wanted to be a go-getter. Someone who isn't afraid to do whatever needs to be done and go wherever the work is. But I've realized I am "courageous"...ONLY through Christ. His word says we can do ALL things through him!
To be changed was my prayer for many months. I wanted so bad to be changed. I've been in a rut for a while and I needed God to do some major reviving in my life! My determination, motivation and focus was not what it needed to be. For the past 6 months I just couldn't keep my focus on The Lord. So much going on in my life but nothing going on between me and The Lord.
I thought me getting on the plane and 'going' would change me. I thought I would step off that plane and be a different person. I thought I would feel stronger. I thought I would have a sense of overwhelming peace. But when I stepped off the plane in Managua, I felt weak. I felt alone. And I felt scared. I started asking myself what I was doing there. How in the world could someone like me help these people?? How could I be a blessing? How and most of all WHY would God want to use me? I wanted to get back on the plane and fly back home. I wanted to run and hide. I missed my family. I really missed my comfort zone. The tiny place I've lived in for over 22 years. The place I felt safe. The place I didn't have to rely on God. That was my problem...I didn't know how to lean. I didn't know how to rely on his strength instead of my own. My whole life I've done things my way. But there I had to learn to let go. To lean. To become something I wasn't before I went.
And I did. I gave him my weakness and he gave me power. I feel so different. I am nothing special but God let me be apart of a special assignment. I was a part of the "best team ever" as Mrs. Patti called us :) I wasn't the main speaker or anything like that. I did small things. Small jobs. Whatever I could do to help. I got to teach the children 3 times and share my testimony once. I can't wait to go back!!!
Nicaragua WOTW Team 2015
Somewhere between getting off the plane and getting back on the plane yesterday morning to come home He changed me. I labored and I loved. I laughed and I cried. I loved people who spoke another language. I fell in love with so many kids even though all I know is 2 sentences in Spanish! (I took 3 years in high school and that's all I got out of it lol) how in the world does that even happen!? God. It's was just God. I opened my heart and love poured in and love poured out. I wanted to be a blessing but oh how he blessed me!
A few days before we left for the trip I had lost my excitement. I was very nervous and honestly I began doubting whether He wanted me to go. I know now it was just fear. But it crossed my mind about not going. Something inside of me was begging me to stay home. Oh how I love my comfort zone. But I just want tell everyone I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOO glad I went!!!! I'm so glad I obeyed and was willing to go. I learned so much. I grew so much! I got so many hugs and kisses from sweet ladies and children. I did have to give up some things in order to go, but what I received was sooo much more!
I learned God is God even in the tiniest details. He cares about the smallest things just as much as the big. He has a perfect plan even for the tiniest stitch on the biggest blanket. I learned I need to pray about everything...the things we don't pray about are the things that God isn't Lord over in our lives. I learned it's very needful for us to have a vision. He wants us to dream.
Just a few months ago my dream was shattered. For a while I haven't wanted to dream. I've wanted to keep things small and simple in my head. I've been afraid to ask, to believe, to dream, because it hurts when things fall apart. But I'm ready. I'm ready to dream again. I'm ready to let God give me a vision. It can be big or small. Whatever he wants. I know he wants to make my life beautiful. He wants me to have a beautiful story. I want that too. That's why I'm letting him be the author. Whatever and wherever. ❤️
Today I went to a wedding. Weddings are always exciting. This wedding was the sweetest wedding I've ever been to. One of my closest friends Gerry Ann Touchet became Mrs. Henry "Hank" Bates. She's been counting down the days since she got engaged on Christmas Eve this past year. And finally today was the day.
I waited in anticipation for the wedding to start. When the clock hit 2, Gerry-who'd been waiting almost 23 years- didn't have to wait any longer. I watched with tears in my eyes as she and Hank said their vows to one another. It was beautiful because I know their love story.
Gerry waited. She waited and trusted God to give his best. She put her heart in God's hands and allowed him to write a beautiful love story. And he did. Hank was her first real boyfriend. Her first "I love you." He was her soul mate. They were made for each other. Now they get to live happily ever after.
I'm so happy for my friend! I really am. But just being honest...I've had some jealous feelings here lately. I look around and see others falling in love, getting engaged, married, and starting families and sometimes I feel like God has left me out, and let me down. I've been at a place in my life where I can barely stand to watch any Halmark movies -which are my favorites!- Because can hardly stand to see someone fall in love...because it's not happening to me.
When these feelings of doubt, jealousy, and impatience creep in all I can do is take them to Jesus, be honest with him and tell him exactly how I feel. So many times I've tried to act perfect and spiritual before God by trying to hide what I'm really feeling. The truth is he already knows. He knows everything. He is acquainted with all my ways! He knows I'm human and that I'm not perfect.
Today I asked The Lord, "When will it be my turn?"
I wish I knew but I don't. It's not my turn yet, but everyday I get a little closer to my turn. I often feel like my life is on pause and I'm not going anywhere. I want to get on with my life but God wants me to be still and wait. So here I am waiting for my turn. I've waited. I've been waiting and I am still waiting. I'll keep on waiting until it is my turn. I can't trust my feelings and I can't believe the lies of the devil. God has a beautiful love story for me too! God is trying to teach me to be content with Him, by being still, and waiting.
Satan is not happy that I'm waiting. He tells me to give up. Settle. Waiting isn't worth it. But I've seen God write too many love stories to give up this far into the waiting game. I've waited 22 years and I'll wait as long as it takes.
If you also struggle with trusting and waiting here are a few verses that might be an encouragement to you.
Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him...-Psalms 37:7
O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. -Psalms 139:1-3
Be still, and know that I am God:
I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. -Psalms 46:10
If we are friends on FB or followers on Instagram you probably heard about what happened to our family early Saturday morning. My brother Josh has been out of town working nights for over 3 weeks. He is a vendor and works outages for Duke Energy. Friday morning he got home and went straight to bed. I had a rough Friday at work but I knew seeing him would make the day better! When I got home he was still sleeping. Finally a few hours later he got up. He wanted to go glow bowling with his friends. My mom told him she didn't want him to just because he had been gone and the weather was bad. He told her he would be fine and left for the bowling alley. Around midnight I was writing in my prayer journal and praying for him like I always do! I went to bed and an hour and a half later I hear my mom saying to my brother And sister that Josh had been in a wreck. I have no idea how I heard her considering I was fast asleep with my bedroom door shut. I sat up in bed. The first thing I remember was that I had been praying for him earlier. Oh how glad I was that I had prayed! My brother had called my mom and told her he was ok but his car had been totaled.
My mom and sister went to the scene of the accident. I was freaking out still lying in my bed. I began to cry and pray but I had peace that he would be ok. Just knowing he had called moma was a good sign!
The accident happened around 2:00 am Saturday morning. My brother was heading towards Easley (where we live) and was near the Central Walmart exit on 123. The speed limit is 65. I usually go around 75 when I am in this area. So when there are car wrecks they are always bad! I know many people who have died on that road. Josh was driving his 2004 Mazda RX8 (i called his car "drake the RX8" lol) and his friend was following him. On the other side of the road cars were flashing their lights so he thought there was a cop ahead. Next thing he knew he saw one dim head light coming right at him. He swerved thinking it was a moped. He was hit almost head on. The guy who hit him was so drunk he had no clue what he was doing. My brother's car spun around and he thought he was going to flip. Thankfully he did not flip!
My mom and sister went to the scene and they said they both began to cry because of how bad it looked! Pieces of the cars were at least 1/4th mile scattered down the road. We all knew God had intervened in this situation!! Josh was ok like he said but his chest was hurting so they took him in the ambulance to Greenville Hospital. My mom came and picked me up so I could go be with them.
A little while later they let us go back 2 at a time and see him. I'd never been in the trauma area at the hospital so it was all new to me. They had him laid out on a stretcher with just blankets on. He had IVs in his arms and looked pale. I couldn't help but smile seeing him alive and okay! Less than an hour later he was discharged. The lady who took his X-rays said this was a rare case. She said most people are taken up to ICU but not Josh. He didn't even have a scratch!! You can not tell me there isn't a God watching out for us!
Later Saturday night me, my mom and Josh went to clean out his car. All the air bags were deployed, the front left tire had came completely off. Again I was amazed at God's protection! The owner said Josh's car was the worst looking car on the lot. #butGod
A few weeks ago at church my pastor preached on being thankful in all things. I believe the Bible and I try my best to live by and follow it but somethings are just hard to do! He told about brother Andy Wells and his family went on vacation a few years ago and someone broke in their hotel room and stole all the money they had saved up for the trip. They were all upset. I know I would be too in a similar situation. God told him he was to be thankful in all things. Even though it was hard to do he began to pray "God i thank you for robbers and theives..." God turned it all out for good and they were blessed a few days later with the amount of money that had been stolen. they were able to give the money to someone who really needed it. I have been thinking about that story since I heard it. I prayed God would help me to be able to thank him for every thing. It's so easy to thank him when things go good. The hard part is thanking him for the bad, the hurt, and the hard things- those things we don't understand.
In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. -1 Thessalonians 5:18
This is hard to write because I know my brother could have and probably should have died. But I am thankful for drunk drivers. Yes I said that correctly. The Lord taught me and reminded me of a few things this weekend. Life doesn't make sense and the truth is it's not supposed to. Life isn't fair and it's not always easy. One of my friends sent me a text saying there was another wreck the same night and this person died. I am so amazed and thankful my brother got to live. I'm also thankful the guy who hit him got to live as well. When we heard it was a drunk driver that hit him we were mad! We were even madder when we found out he didn't have insurance. Now my brother has no car and a hospital bill all because this guy didn't have enough decency to call and get a ride. Or better yet he didn't have enough decency to not get drunk. Alcohol is never the answer. He chose to get behind the wheel completely drunk and drive...down the wrong side of the road. He endangered many people and could have killed my brother! Through this I realized how precious life is and how undeserving we are of the God who created all things to even care enough to protect my brother! I can't get over it. Every time I think about what God did that night I can't help but cry and say "thank you Lord". I don't understand why this had to happen but I know God knows best. Maybe just maybe, through this the guy who hit Josh might get saved and get his life cleaned up. I pray he does! Through this God showed me once again how real and caring he is! "His eye is on the sparrow so I know he watches over me." I was also reminded of how many people care about me and my family. Many, many texts, calls, comments on Facebook and private messages letting us know they were praying meant so much.
It is always difficult to forgive but when you know the person and love them it is easier. What's hard is when it's someone you've never met and they've hurt you or someone you love. That's when it's hard to forgive. But when we thank God it helps us be able to forgive and love. I'm reminded that God loves me even though I am the reason his Son came to die.
Life is short. Eternity is too soon and it is forever. Make sure you know Jesus and have repented of your sin so you don't have to face eternity separated from the God who loves you more than words can describe. No one knows how much time God will give us. Don't take the ones you love for granted. Forgive, forbear, love, live and let go and let God get you through whatever you might be facing. Get to where you can say thank you Lord. This is a way of saying, here Lord I give this hardship to you. We can lean on him and believe he will work it for our good. Just like he did for Joseph {but as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.-Genesis 50:20} because he had the faith to forgive his brothers he was given the opportunity (because of what they did to him) to save their families from the famine. God can turn your burden into a blessing for someone else if you allow him to.
So God, I thank you for drunk drivers...I thank you for your unseen hand. I thank you for being first on the scene. I thank you for those "But God" moments in my life! I thank you for the faith and courage to forgive. I thank you for another day with my family. I want to give you thanks in every thing because it is your will for my life!
This was our Easter family picture from yesterday. Josh is wearing the pink bow tie. Isn't God good!?
I am very close to my family. I love them more than anything else on this earth. Just the fact that we could been planning his funeral but we're not makes me so thankful! I seen a video on Facebook a few weeks ago about "the Unseen Hand". I was so amazed. You could see that God had intervened and protected these people. I was just talking about it the other day before the wreck. I am glad God did a miracle for my brother and for our family! God is good ALL the time and his plan is beautiful...we must believe that ❤
I have been doing a read through the Bible in a year program; right now I'm reading about the children of Israel as they journeyed along.
I noticed (like I always do when reading this part) how much they complain! It get on my nerves how they doubt God and turn from him so quickly and easily just because they are thirsty or hungry or whatever... Here I am complaining about their complaining :-) lol... Anyways this morning I was reading Numbers 21.
In verse 4 it says, And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom:and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way.
That "much discouraged" stood out to me! First let me say that just a few verses before this one they had prayed for victory in a battle and God gave it to them. There was "utter destruction" at Hormah that day. Despite the victory somehow they became discouraged. They were tired, doubtful and ready to give up. Did you notice that they walked along the side of the Red Sea...that's the same Sea that God parted for them so they could walk across on dry ground, the same sea where God killed all the Egyptians who were after them. The Sea they traveled across the night they were freed from the bondage they had in Egypt.
It says they were discouraged because of the way. It says in chapter 20 they wanted to pass through Edom but the people of Edom wouldn't allow them so they had to go a different way around.
We always want to take the easiest route. Be in the fast lane. Take the drive thru. We do not want to wait for anything. When we do we get upset. I know I would have been upset too if I were there. They had to turn around and go a completely different way. I'm sure it took twice as long if not longer. The bible says they were "much" discouraged. They forgot somethings... They got mad at God in the next verse. They blamed Moses. How often do we get mad at God and those who love us when things don't go OUR WAY?
If things aren't going the way you planned or the way you thought they would/should...ask yourself the next few questions.
How do we forget the blessings of God? How do we forget all the times he has provided? How do we forget all the times he has met the need? How do we forget his faithfulness? How do we forget that Jesus died for us?How do we forget all the times we have seen his glory? How do we forget all the victories he has given us? How do we forget that day he parted the Red Sea for us and we walked safely on the dry ground? How do we forget the "works of God" (Psalm 78:7)?
Psalms 103:2-5
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits:
Who forgiveth all thine iniquities;
who healeth all thy diseases;
Who redeemeth thy life from destruction;
who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things;
so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.
The truth is we forget. Just like the Israelites. We forget what God has done. We doubt God. We throw in the towel. We pout when things don't seem to go our way. We feel like God has forsaken us. All this happens because we put our eyes on the problem and not the problem solver.
If we're going to make it in this world we have to keep looking to God! Everytime I do things my way, I fall. Everytime I put my eyes on someone else they let me down. We should strive to follow God so closely that when the WAY changes we don't even notice. Just keep watching those footsteps in front of you. If you fall get back up. Stop forgetting and start reminding yourself...Jesus always cares and he is always there! Remember his ways are not our ways! (Is 55:8)
I painted this a few months ago...I'm so glad He works in ways we cannot see ❤ it might seem like a crazy way to you, but Gods way is always the best way!
