Tuesday, cont.

Yesterday I cried out to The Lord about my bitter grief that son wasn't raised in an intact home, with two loving parents to give him the sort of life I see so many of his classmates have, why him? I don't mind being broken, but why him?

Last night in the sleepless night, God spoke into my heart that son and I are actually part of the best family ever-His family, where mothers, fathers, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, are just waiting to welcome & love us. This is a bigger family, a better family, and our Father is perfect and all-powerful, so how's that for a great family to belong to! And He said some of those families that you look at that seem so great are not what I think, that some of those kids-God forbid-will have bubbles burst, but we aren't even in a bubble to burst! Our future can only be bright with God, cuz we are starting at the bottom! The harder the struggle, the greater the victory! And God is protecting son from the lures & snares of the world, that God has it all worked out. Every time I see something that concerns me, I can say thank you, Lord, that this is being turned around right now, even when I don't see it yet. That's exercising faith.

It can be very scary to trust, cuz what if God doesn't come through? Then what? But those suggestions are just Satan's snares, just like with Eve. Basically repeating "Did God REALLY say...?" We are blessed because we don't have to rely only on memory, we have the Book! We can look it up, read it, then take it on faith, & keep exercising that commitment in our minds & hearts through prayer and ruminating on it continuously. Then exercise patience. Do not judge by what immediately occurs, wait for it with anticipation. He will come through for you, and it's usually in an unexpected, marvelous surprise that is tailor made for you & better than what you conceived. It will satisfy your soul, and bring joy to your heart. Life really is like an old Disney cartoon

He will take your past failures, addictions, experiences, and work them together to bless you & bring glory to himself which just blesses you more! There's no lack, no need, no greed, no fear of not having enough. There's abundance and you will eagerly desire to share all you have, because He just keeps filling you back up and bringing you even more joy than before. It's a true win-win, guaranteed. But you have to get yourself in the proper position of submission and obedience.

Faith without works is dead. We've been taught that's about salvation and entrance into heaven. It may be, but there's more! Just the idea of faith, without exercising it, working it, using it is dead! That's why so many people can't get over their hurdles. They possess faith but they are not working it out. Like we have a body, and we can pray every day with tears & total genuineness about wanting a body builders frame, but if we don't go exercise, all that prayer is futile. God will help you get that body, but you have to put in the work.

Faith should be always just out of reach or it's not faith. If you aren't reaching for something that you cannot grasp without God's help & intervention, then you aren't really exercising faith. You're just holding on to it like a souvenir. Thinking about everything in the past. Which is well & good, but you must keep it in the future for it to stay alive and not become dead.