March 4, 2015 A Fresh New Start for a Somewhat Neglected Blog

I think God really meant for me to read the devotional book Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. In January, a friend gave my friend Laurie and I a copy. Neither of us had ever heard of it, but we both started reading it. I couldn't believe how it spoke specifically to each of us, particularly Laurie at the time. She was going through a hard time with jobs. She just couldn't find one that paid enough money or had any room for her to grow. She was very discouraged and worried about her future. 
As I read the daily entries her name came to mind every day. Over and over, God was saying, "I am in control. Trust me. I know the plans I have for you." I knew Laurie knew this and had heard it over and over throughout her adult life, but it just gets harder and harder to trust when you never see any progress. And then it happened. Out of the blue, a friend who owns her own business called and offered me a job. She was desperate for help from someone she could trust to work hard and conscientiously. The pay was pretty good, too. The timing was just bad. Lindy retired a year ago, and this is my last year teaching. I have been looking forward all year to calling it quits in June and just being wife, Mama, and, especially, Gramma Debbie. So, I turned her down. And then, just before I ended the conversation, I thought of Laurie. This job had Laurie written all over it!! It's office administrative work, paperwork, invoicing, and payroll. NOT my cup of tea. But Laurie? She was MADE for this kind of work, and this job was tailor-made for her.
Long story, short, Laurie has a new job. A great job. She resigned her other dead-end job and set up her office at home and started work. She is ecstatic. Flying low, to be exact.
On February 14, Wende, our friend and Laurie's new boss, flew us both to her home in Indiana to train Laurie. I just went along for the ride, to see Wende whom I've seen only once in about twelve years, and to play in the snow. (The snow was gorgeous, but that's another story.) 

Wende's husband picked us up from the airport and then went to pick Wende up. She was at the bookstore buying Valentine gifts for us. Guess what she got us. Yep, Jesus Calling. With our names inscribed on the front. How about that for affirmation?

Surely, God must really want us to read this devotional! I have to admit that I had not been reading it faithfully every day. I intended to, but it didn't always happen. So, I got the hint, and I decided to start over at the beginning in the book Wende gave me which was a different version and had space to write under each entry (JUST my cup of tea) and read more than one page a day till I caught up to the correct date. 
Over and over in this book are two recurrent themes - rest and trust - which actually work together to bring about the main theme of living in the Peace of God's Presence. While we were there, a dilemma arose. Laurie needed to stay longer for more training, the weather was going to be bad the day and night before our flight (more snow, high winds, and ice), and I just wasn't ready to go home yet. So, I had to make a decision. Staying longer would mean not being here for the student I homeschool or to keep my grandchildren three afternoons. I was torn. I felt selfish. I felt obligated to go back, but I so wanted to stay a little longer and use that time to rest. I've had a very busy year, and I really wanted to be able to take that break and enjoy the beauty of that snow (which we never have in Coastal Georgia). And I dreaded calling them to tell them I was staying three more days. I HATE feeling like I've let someone down. I read Jesus Calling looking for answers. I prayed. And I called Molly, my spiritual mentor. Molly said, "You should be reading today's devotion. God wants you to rest. He wants you to take this time for yourself. You need that renewal." (not exactly her words, but that's the gist of what she told me. I LOVE my friend Molly!!!) At the time I was still reading past entries to catch up. So that morning, on February 17th, I turned to that entry, and guess what? God told me to trust Him and spoke directly to my heart telling me He wanted me to open my eyes to all He had prepared for me on this precious day. I won't say my stomach wasn't still in knots. I am a worrier and a fixer, but that's what this book is all about for me. It's teaching me how to not worry and how to trust God to be the Fixer.


So, I sucked it up, laid it down at God's feet, and asked Him to take all the loose ends and take care of them the way He wanted to according to his will, stayed and took quiet walks in the snow, and it was wonderful, 

and everything worked out back home so that Lindy kept my grandsons, and my student had a break he probably needed, too. Since I've been back, he's been doing better than he has all year.

So, this book is teaching me some wonderful new lessons. It is literally teaching me how to quit worrying. That is a miracle in itself! For a long time, I have tried to think of a theme for my blog. Something to write regularly about. As I've been reading this book, God has put my blog on my mind more and more until I just couldn't ignore it anymore. So, my journey into His presence and learning to walk daily hand-in-hand with Him is going to be the theme of this blog.

I AM who God says I am. I just haven't always remembered or even believed it, but He is helping me with that. He is teaching me to trust with a thankful heart. I'm getting there. One day at a time, one step at a time.