Prelude: Learning to Hear the Voice of God
>> Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Has anything like the "tree ordeal" described by Elderedge happened to you this year? Share the ordeal with us, if you like. What do you make of it? Think about it. Did you ask God about it before hand? Did you think to ask Him?
4 comments:
When we moved here from Corpus Christi, we ran into all sorts of problems. You name it, it probably happened. My mom was flying with the boys and I, while Zach, my dad, step-dad and our old cell group loaded up the truck and he drove. We got stranded (with a 4 year old, 2 year old and 6 week old) in Dallas. After hours of delays, the airlines wanted us to "just hold on tight" to the kids as they drove us without carseats to an offsight hotel for the night. Arguments followed. After they finally agreed to provide a hotel room across the street, we hiked for what seemed like forever with all of the kids (cranky, tired and hungry, not sure if we had enough diapers to last a second day, no clothes or toothbrushes)through the airport and across a dark parking garage, we finally ate, slept a few hours and got up at about 5 am to catch the first flight in the morning.
On Zach's end of things, a transformer had blown on base in the building where he was supposed to check out. He was unable to check out and leave until the following day. Some of our stuff was given away to family and friends because all of it wouldn't fit in the truck. My step-dad had to take off and leave Zach behind so that he could check out the next day. He then had to travel 12-14 hours in the minivan with two boxers and a dachshund, finally arriving at about 2:30 in the morning.
I had turn and ask Zach if we had prayed about the specific day that we left. I think that we had prayed so much about other aspects of the move, that we just assumed that move itself would be blessed. He had made it blatantly obvious that we were supposed to move here, so why wouldn't He bless the trip..we thought. Or, obviously, we weren't thinking. Anyway, circumstances just lead us to pick that as "moving day" due to the fact that it was the weekend, my parents were coming to help, it was the day he was supposed to check out and we were ready to get the family settled. I honestly don't think we ever thought to ask, "what day should we move?" We just kind of went with the flow of the circumstances.
I left a comment but don't think it took so I'll just sum up what I said.
I can't think of a specific instance right now but I know that daily I can see a difference in the day when I actively seek him and his will for the day rather than do my own thing. Unfortunately, I tend to do my own thing more often than His
I do have a similar ordeal. A little over a year ago I was working more than full time, and learning still what it meant to be a mommy to my 10 month old. Everything seemed to be going well until my childcare provider decided to leave. I was left with no options. We did not live in an area where childcare was abundant. So I took it to God. I began to pray fervently about my childcare problem, or need. In the meantime I called over 100 people in search of an option. My husband and I started to work different schedules so that while one was at work the other was with the baby. We were like two ships passing at the dinner table....the tension in our relationship was unbearable. But I kept praying....and praying. Nothing was turning up. My boss offered to allow me to work from home...Ha! Anyone ever tried getting anything done with a toddler around? Impossible! I could not understand what God was trying to tell me! And then it got worse. First my son fell at home while a family member had agreed to watch him for the afternoon...I had not been gone from the house more than one hour before I got the phone call. He was fine, but had gashed his head pretty good and needed to be glued back together...and I never made it back to work that day. Then, he came down with the Rotovirus and had to be on an IV for a week. Work for me was impossible, and my son needed me there with him more than ever....it was finally sinking in. Being a stay at home mother was a secret longing I had always hid in my heart. God was telling me that I needed to "let go." So, my husband and I made the decision that as soon as we could fianancially afford it, I would stop working. Within two weeks, our house sold, and my husband was granted a transfer to an area that was more economically feasible for us.
So I learned the hard way that going to God with questions might not get the results I am expecting. I have to learn to step outside of MYSELF, and really listen to what He is saying.
Wow, Ash! I remember all of those crazy things happening in your life and kind of knew that you wanted to be home with W (and now D!!), but didn't realize that they were in any way connected. I wouldn't wish all that you went through on anyone, but it is just awesome to me that God was allowing those things to happen in your life to help get you to a place that you had been longing to be in your heart!
Post a Comment