A Season of Challenge

Hello all...

Since April I have been in a season of some challenging times. I have not posted on this blog nor have I written any new devotionals. Now that that things are calming down I can get back to my normal routine.

Early April I was told that my company could not longer afford for me to be a full time employee - basically - I lost my job. I was not horrified like I have been before because I was trusting that God would bring me through this one too - as He has before.

I was out of work - full time - basically 3 weeks. I went on some interviews and did some phone interviews and even a zoom video interview. Luckily for me the sister company to the one I worked for before had someone leave so I was able to slide in to that spot. Keep my benefits and keep working.

End of April my kids and grands travelled south to celebrate my Pop's birthday and my brother in law's birthdays. We were going for the weekend. It was a really lovely weekend with lots of fun and laughs. My sister has a back porch / yard / garden that is really an oasis so we spent a good amount of time back there. Ate great food and just really had a nice time.

When I got home on that Sunday evening my bathroom was flooded. The toilet had been running all weekend and there was standing water and the carpet in my room was beginning to get wet. I'm not going to go in to detail here but trust me when I tell you this has been a HUGE nightmare. I can't get my maintenance people to call me or tell me updates, the staff at my apartments say they don't know anything that maintenance should update me and long story short there is still a hole in the wall where the plumbing was repaired and the trades made a mess out of my bathroom. I did get a new toilet - grateful for the small stuff..grin

THEN - if that were not enough, my car broke down and had to be in the shop for several days. The man at the shop said, "Catastrophic damage" so the steering in its entirety had to be replaced.

So it's been some challenging times for me. I felt like the enemy was chasing me and honestly I was not sure there for a bit if he might catch me. But alas... I just needed to press in harder and spend my free time praying and seeking.

During these trials we need to remember that the storms will come, times will get tough every so often, the water may get really deep and feel like it's over our (my) head... when this happens just don't forget... Jesus could walk on water. He didn't let Peter sink and He won't let me (you).

James 1:2-4 says it wonderfully - Trials and Temptations 2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Dear Jesus - I am grateful for the tests, I am grateful for Your lessons. I thank You for always being there with me and for me. Jesus I ask that every person reading this is blessed by You today in some way. I pray that You give us all peace and love today. I thank You - Amen