Life around here has been anything but dull! {Hence, my absence from writing here.}
I guess that is to be expected. I have said that I am walking in a “New Normal”…no one said it would be calm, cool and collected!
This last week has been probably the closest to our old normal that we have had since June 6th. You have no idea how that brings all of us such a feeling of JOY! I believe that even though we are learning about a new normal of life – Jesus brings the things that we do know and that brings us comfort with back into our world to assure us that the new normal is going to be ok. And it might even be better than what we had before.
We were able to get planted our fall crop in the vegetable garden, Kevin has made his famous pizza, and tonight we made our favorite granola recipe…yes…its the little things that make life great!
The weather has been incredible here in south Georgia and the girls have pulled out the camping tent…{not that we have ever used it for any type of actual camping purpose} and have had the wiggles all throughout our school day to play outside and enjoy the cooler weather. So, we have taken that opportunity to do school outside!
It is amazing how much we take for granted – it’s the small things in life that sometimes gets crowded it out with other things.
We all do it.
Ours was just tagged with the word Cancer on it.
And I am beginning to be ok with that, because I continually see God’s miraculous hand in the big and the small.
For weeks, God has confirmed over and over through many God-like circumstances how it was apart of His design for us to home school. The timing was just right. I am not sure I would have seen it otherwise. The opportunities and teaching moments have been perfectly planned out by the Master Teacher Himself.
In a few weeks, we head back out to Texas for our last big hurdle of surgery. We leave on the 14th for pre-op and surgery is on the 17th. It is looking like we will be out there for 2 weeks. The surgery is a big one. Kevin will be actually be in the hospital for one whole week.
We know this is the last hurdle. Our faith is strong. {It doesn’t mean that we want to do it} It’s been the waiting for this last hurdle that is hard.
I read something the other day that spoke volumes to me and I wanted to share it. Wonder if you have ever had these thoughts of waiting, trusting and hoping…I now see how they are all so connected.
It is from a devotional book from Sarah Young called “Nearer to Jesus.” It reads like a letter to God. (Here is just a portion of it.)
“Waiting and trusting and hoping are intricately connected: like golden strands interwoven to form a strong chain. Trusting is the central strand, because it is the response from My children that I desire most.
Dear Jesus,
Often I feel as if waiting is what I do most of the time. I admit that it is difficult for me to wait: I prefer to make things happen myself, without delay. Hoping feels very similar to waiting; it is all about future things that are beyond my control. However, I have found that when I am actively trusting you, waiting and hoping flow naturally out of my closeness with You.
Beloved, trusting Me is crucial, and it gives meaning to your waiting and hoping. Without trust, your connection with Me quickly deteriorates. That’s why the Bible contains so many commands to trust Me. As you affirm your faith in Me, I empower you to wait with positive expectations. Waiting on me is actually a great privilege, full of promise and blessing.”
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Psalm 62:6-8
“He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken. My victory and honor come from God alone.
He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me. O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him,
for God is our refuge.”
Waiting..trusting…hoping.
Learning about these 3 words can be hard but good at the same time.
Just this morning as I finished up writing this the Lord showed me this verse…I do believe we have learned lots about waiting, trusting and now hoping. It is all apart of this journey.
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Psalm 27:13-14
“I believe that I will see the goodness of the Lord in this world of the living. Wait with hope for the Lord. Be strong, and let your heart be courageous. Yes, wait with hope for the Lord.”
This video has been one that I have watched for weeks, contemplating the words.
When your life has been shaken with any kind of faith shaking event you begin to value life, but more importantly, the little things in life. Those start to matter more.
Making pizza, working in your garden, special moments with your spouse or children, cutting fresh flowers, walking in the cool morning air and even drinking coffee in your favorite chair. Each moment is special and valued just a little more than it was before.
“I wanna live like there’s no tomorrow
Love like I’m on borrowed time
It’s good to be alive, yeah
Hold on
If the life that we’ve been given
Is made beautiful in the living
And the joy that we get brings joy to the heart of the giver
Then right here, right now
This is the song I’m singing out”
Blessings to all of you!
Strong Tower 
Amy, My brother-in-law was given a word for me earlier this week & it speaks to just what you have written about. I am calling it “patient indurance”. The scripture the Holy Spirit laid on his heart for me was the following:
Hebrews 10:35-36 NLT
So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.
Waiting… trusting… hoping… what an awesome and simple recipe for faith; nevertheless, I find myself constantly challenged by the pride of my flesh that somehow I know better, that if it would just go this way… Jennifer’s way… Putting my trust and hope in the Lord and in His perfect timing is something that requires me to truly deny myself, something I need to strive for daily… hourly… secondly. Thank you for being obedient to His calling, to share your journey so transparently. I love you!
Amy,
I can’t tell you how much God has used your writings to challenge me and Prepare me. We are going through a period of waiting and trusting now also. Our oldest son, who is 24, just graduated college in May and had just gotten a job in Warner Robbins, and I thought my fall was going to be busy helping him get set up in an apartment and buying clothes and things for his new life, but God had an interruption for us. After spending almost a week in hospital, and waiting a week at home, it looks like he has an autoimmune disease called Wegeners Syndrone. It attacks your kidneys and lungs. His kidneys were hit hard and his kidney function is way down. They have started treatment which has been successful in putting this disease in remission and we are praying and claiming God will completely heal his kidneys. It takes time and we wait to see what God is going to do. We have been praying for y’all and in fact we pass your house each morning on our way to school and cry out for Kevin to be healed. We now have a whole new appreciation for those dealing with many issues, but particularly medical issues that only God can touch. It sure puts trust in a whole new category! I am so glad I know who is in control, our Jehovah Rapha! Enjoy homeschooling and the freedom it gives and remember it is okay to do things differently and to get outside and “do school.” I homeschooled for 10 years and God was so faithful to teach them, but mostly me and they have both graduated from college and despite me are wonderful young adults. God is so good and so faithful in all things! Thanks for allowing God to work through you, and sharing your journey! You will never know who all it is impacting and preparing
Dear Amy and Kevin,
That is one of my favorite songs; I sing along to it as loud as I please when it comes on the radio. 🙂 I will be praying for Kevin and praying for the whole surgical team. You are in my thoughts. God’s Got This!
Love ya, Pam xo
@Shannon: just wrote that scripture on the chalk board in the kitchen. That may be God’s life verse for me. It’s sad but true that I need that “patient endurance” to keep me where I need to be…on my knees and in His Will.