Exodus 14:21-22 "Then Moses raised his
right hand over the sea and the Lord opened up a path through the water
with a strong east wind. The wind blew all that night turning the seabed
into dry land. So the people of
Israel walked through the middle of the sea on dry ground with the
walls of water on each side!"
I love hearing the story of the
Israelites and the Red Sea and telling the story to my children. My
daughter is pretty good at re-telling me all about the separation of the
Red Sea. In chapter 14, the Israelites went
into the wilderness with grumbling and complaining. They saw the sea
before them, and thought it was a dead end, an impossible possibility.
When I read about their doubting hearts, my first thought was to blame
the Israelites for not trusting God. I certainly
would not do that… at least, I hope I wouldn’t do that… or would I?
Didn't they remember that God delivered them and provided for them? As
much as I don’t want to admit, I can unfortunately identify with their
doubt-full hearts in the face of an impossible possibility. It is so
hard to see the suffering and pain in my life
and not start to doubt. I have my own ideas about my life. I think I
know the best way that God should accomplish His purpose in my life. In
the commentary of my Bible on suffering, it says that "when we face what
seems to be detours, it may be that we are
in fact on the straightest possible path to the destination God has for
us."
My family has lived in several places
over the past 13 years, but not at the time we thought nor in the city
we planned. I have loved our time in every place we have lived, and I am
so grateful to have friends scattered
all over the place! When we first found out we were moving to San
Antonio, Texas, we were both in shock. We knew absolutely no one in San
Antonio and with my health, I needed help. At least in Ohio, where we
lived at the time, my husband's family lived 30
minutes away from us. My family lived in Georgia, not even close to
Texas. Didn’t God know that? Didn't God care? Why were we moving to
Texas? So far away from our families and the help I needed?
In Jeremiah 29:11, the Bible tells us
that "the Lord knows the plans He has for us." In Proverbs, the Bible
tells us to "trust in the Lord and lean not on our own understanding."
In Texas, we were quickly surrounded
by new friends… friends that became our family. My health did not
improve; in fact, my MS got worse. However, not once did God not provide
and did we not see His hand in our lives. Sometimes we had to look
really hard, and yes, at times we doubted, but God
never left us!
Four years later
we moved to Charlotte. Once again, we had not planned on moving to
Charlotte, but God did. I had tried so many treatments for my health,
and I just kept getting worse. Two weeks after moving, I developed
vertigo and was unable to drive. I was so discouraged and felt
hopeless. I had three growing kids and a husband with a busy job; how
was this going to work? Also, have I mentioned I am an extrovert and
love being around people?! Was I just expected to sit
around the house and not go anywhere? It seemed really unfair, and I
felt like God didn't care. But as I've learned over the past 10 years,
God shines in the impossible because He is glorified! He has provided
friends that take my children and I everywhere.
One friend takes me to the doctor and my children to gymnastics, soccer
and piano. Other friends take us to church when my husband is working. I
have another friend that takes me on field trips so I can be with my
children, and she also takes me out of the
house to places around Charlotte. These friendships are such a
blessing, and it has been humbling to see the way God has provided for
our family… for me. Trust in Him because God can make it possible when
it seems impossible!
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