Last week Papa God had to remind me of these truths. My words, my declarations, were negative toward a person that I am very close to, about a subject that we have different views.
“We will never agree on this, and it will be an area that we will always struggle in.”
It is amazing how schedules, responsibilities, life, in general, can push a person. And before you know it two weeks has passed.
This is exactly how long it has been since I have been able to go for a run. Though as I looked out the patio door the sun wasn’t peeking over the eastern horizon as I would have liked. In fact, it was still cloudy as the thunder and rain were letting up.
With all that has been going on in my life, I needed to go run. That is when I told myself; Get your shoes on, a few clouds and misty rain is not going to hurt you. Just entering the outdoors seemed to quiet my spirit and I could feel my body release the tension I have been feeling.
It wasn’t long before I felt a bonnet of water resting on top of my hair [not soaking it completely] and my shoes starting to become damp. Thinking of what the people in Hawaii might be experiencing due to the tropical storm, I decided that I could handle the mist and dedicated to finish what I set out to do; 3 miles.
That lead me to pray for the clouds to open over that area in the Pacific, and I was instantly reminded of how prayer opened the storm clouds back in 1997. Read more… “Storm Clouds Part”
I am the type of person who tends to minimize physical symptoms when the onset of sickness of any kind starts to manifest. Some may call this denial, some may call this stubbornness. Either way the Lord again showed HIS faithfulness in keeping me safely tucked under HIS wings.
It was only about a week ago, when I was quietly sitting at the kitchen table reading that I suddenly felt queasy. Normally I tell myself that I am a child of God and no sickness can touch me. I would push myself on, brushing off the ‘feeling’ I was having. However, this time I was thankful that I didn’t hold off too long before running to the bathroom. I was somewhat surprised by what my body was doing – I mean its been a long time since I vomited so violently.
I try to figure out how God wants to use me in every situation. Though, I have come to realize that I don’t have to stress about it so much. I just need to ‘be’ as I have been trained by Papa God.
I try to practice (most times) that when the Lord drops a word in my heart, I must pause in my day and pray the way HE is leading me.
I have also felt in my heart that I ‘need’ to help with the household finances. So, I have been applying for many positions in the area. At first cautiously, but as anxiety grew inside of me I started applying for ‘everything’. Which lead to me accepting a full-time position at my previous employer.
Though my heart was heavy because I wanted to get involved in several ministries in the area , and I knew with the full-time job that I had verbally accepted, I would not be able to.
Even though I had a full-time job offer, I decided not to cancel an interview that was previously scheduled on July 5th at a staffing agency.
Side note: I had gotten the written offer from the employer in the mail, which I had signed and placed in my mailbox to mail back to them on Wednesday July 5th. But before the mail was to be picked up something inside me said; ‘don’t mail it out just yet, hang onto it, and drop it off at the office later.’ I really love how the Lord leads us.
Earlier on that day (7/5) I had a meeting with a Chaplin at a county office here in Elkhart. As he explained the different scenario’s and needs, my heart was stirring and aching at the same time. Stirring because I felt that I could be a support in some way (even if its intercession). Aching because I knew it would be difficult with the 10 hours a day my new position would have me occupied.
SO!
On my way to my interview at the staffing agency I had a talk with God and just got honest with Him: “Papa,” I said “I don’t want to work full time. I am going to pray very specific Lord, just like Gideon, and I am placing the bar real high. I want a part time job that offers me “X” amount of dollars an hour (which if far above what is normally offered in this area) and that’s within a 10-mile radius from my home. If Personnel Staffing does not have anything that meets that criteria I know this is your will, and go through with the plans with this full-time job.”
During the interview, I was asked; “What specifically are you looking for?” I confessed that I did have a full-time job offer, but because I wanted to pursue some heart desires I wanted part time. That is when the interviewer told me; “We don’t normally have employers looking to fill part-time positions and you should probably follow through with the offer you have. If something part-time crosses our desk, we will contact you. If we find a good match, you can just quit your full-time job.”
I was slightly disappointed but I knew what I prayed and felt secure that this is what the Lord had for me. Then all, of the sudden the interviewer looked at her computer screen and said; “Oh my goodness, this just came up 4 hours ago… It’s a part-time position (8am-1pm), and its located (she typed in my address) 9.5 miles from your home, and they’re offering (a dollar more than what I asked) an hour!”
Needless to say… I went for the interview and they offered me the job, and I started last Monday (7/10).
Note; After the interview, I did personally talked with HR of the employer that had first offered me a (full-time) job and explained what I had decide to do. I then sincerely thanked them for the offer but I had to follow my heart.
This part blows me away:
They said: “Georgia, if this part time position does not work out for you, please reach back out to us, we loved to have you.”
I am so humbled by how much they valued me as an employee.
SO, WOW!! Is that a PRAISE REPORT!! OH… MY… GOODNESS! I am just amazed!
Thank you, Jesus, for being so good to me!
The idea to add ‘Declaring His Faithfulness’ page to my website came to me when I visited a word given to me back in 2010: “Georgia you are a woman of perseverance James 1:2 and the knowledge you have gained is not to show off, but to bless God’s people. You see the world differently. And people will say; Look what the Lord has done for Georgia, I want what she has.”
God’s hand has helped me to preserve during the difficult times in my life. Remembering those times encourages me and equips me with boldness to continue, knowing HE is with me.
My prayer is that as I share these special testimonies you will see that God is truly for us and active in our lives in a personal way.
HE does speak to us
Back when I was still struggling with the ‘dos and don’ts’ of what I thought Christianity was about, I was very concern about my husband Bob. He was working long hard days Monday through Saturday to provide for us and our growing family. Every so often once punched out from work Bob would meet his co-workers to ‘unwind’ at the local restaurant to grab drink and a bite to eat. They would discuss the week’s dilemmas and how they conquered them. Or they would strategize how to fix the machines to run more efficiently (he was a part of the maintenance department). Either way the time would fly by and he wouldn’t get home till way after the kids where in bed. I became very frustrated. I believed that he would rather be with his ‘buddies’ than to be home with me and the kids.
Of course, the root of that came from my own insecurities. Which made being around me more difficult for him.
Each night I would meet Bob at the door and complain that he wasn’t around to help me with the kids. Lonely and hungry for conversation I would pressure him to talk with me. However, he was too exhausted to begin to try to maneuver in a discussion with me he would just say “I am going to bed.” This was a repeated scene at our house. And over time I came to believe that Bob was involved with someone else and that our marriage would eventually dissolve. But even with this belief I worried about him; where he was, what he was doing, if he was safe.
One day as I did my obligated ritual of taking the kids to Sunday school I was sitting in church grumbling inside because I was there again because Bob had to work. Stewing over my thoughts I heard something out of the blue. It was the Lord. Truthfully, it somewhat freaked me out because it was an audible voice that I heard. It was so real that I turned quickly around to see who spoken in my ear, only to find no one near me or even in the back-foyer area. Instantly I got goose bumps down my arms.
I would sit at the back of the church, so someone could have easily come up behind me.
The Lord told me: “Don’t worry about Bobby, I will take care of him.” That was it, nothing was said about our future together or what would become of me and the kids. But really that didn’t matter to me, I couldn’t get over the fact that the Lord spoke to “me.” And then a thought began to form in my mind; does God really see me? Does He see the struggles and concerns I have? Does He hear questions I ask? Could God really want to be involved in my life in a personal way?
I would like to say that I never pressured Bob to spend time with me again, because I did. But, ‘hearing’ HIS voice drew me into seeking out ‘who’ God is and realized He wanted to be involved in my life.
Over time my loneliness was filled with live changing experiences during my quiet times. Writing out my feelings and seeking scripture to find answers, I became more relaxed about being me and about my marriage.
Bob and I have had many ups and downs in our marriage, but Papa God has been faithful. He has taken care of both of us. Once I got my attention off what Bob was [or wasn’t doing] my focus was redirected. I learned to set my eyes on the throne, where it should have been.