It’s been almost 10 months since I’ve blogged … so let’s just jump right out of the gate with this:

“I don’t trust easily” … as a matter of fact, “I trust barely at all.” Now, that may seem rude, rough, and completely stupid to you. And you would be right; however, if I’m honest with you and honest with me, the statement, “I don’t trust easily” applies 100% to me. Why not trust do you ask? Pride; desire to be in control; feeling that I don’t need anyone else; been lied to by people in the past and yes, I’ve lied to people as well. For all of those reasons and more, I just don’t trust easily.

God knows that I don’t trust easily; so recently He ran me through a series of tests to see how much I would rely on Him. Well, to be honest; I failed. 6 Weeks ago, my wife felt led of God to go back to a FT position. We prayed about it and felt that was what God wanted us to do. Unbeknownst to us, our Landlord was in the process of selling our house at that same time. 4 weeks ago, he came to me and said he had sold the house and we had 30 days to move. Within a week, we had found a house, signed the lease and started the process of moving.

Clearly to anyone, God was in complete control the entire time and all I had to do was trust Him and follow His direction. However, because I don’t trust; and even though I could see God’s hand at work the entire time, I found the time to complain to God; get frustrated with God; get frustrated with the process; etc. Thankfully, God didn’t punish me for my lack of trust. He provided in spite of my lack of trust.

In the middle of all of this, He provided even more blessings than a house so quickly. 

He provided a brother-in-law, sister-in-law and mother-in-law to come down here and help us move. He provided my parents to help us move. He provided 6 more men to help load and unload the truck the day we moved. I must also mention it was Memorial Day Weekend. 

So, these families took time off of their holiday with their families to help us move. He also provided 3 women to help unpack and set up our kitchen and living room. Finally, He provided a family that came in, unpacked and set up our Guest Room and Benjamin’s Room. Then yesterday, He wasn’t through and provided a meal for us from a family in our Encounter Class.

What an amazing God we serve that He would reach down and bless us where we were completely moved out and almost completely moved in our new house within 2 weeks of finding out we had to move.

Like all of my blogs, this one is for me. I needed to write these things out as a reminder to trust God in ALL circumstances. To Let Him LEAD me throughout HIS plan for my life. Along the way, I need to ensure that I live a life of Thanksgiving; verbal Thanksgiving and active Thanksgiving.

I’m going to end this particular blog with two things:

#1 – I can’t thank enough the following people for being such a blessing to us:

Robert & Alice Fleshman

Janet Howard

Russell & Dana Howard

David & Jesse Barrett

Jim & Jacob Daniel

Jesse Berry

Edgar & Stephanie Cabrera

Luke & Erin Bowers

Jenifer & Dwight Siemens

I can’t thank them enough for reminding me what the love of Christ constrains us to do; for reminding me what a blessing our Church continues to be to us; for reminding me how I am to follow through in the same manner helping my fellow christian brothers and sisters. Thank you for the Christ-like example you are to me.

#2 – Lyrics from one of my favorite hymns:

1. When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word, What a glory He sheds on our way! While we do His good will, He abides with us still, And with all who will trust and obey.

o Refrain:

Trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

2. Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies, But His smile quickly drives it away; Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear, Can abide while we trust and obey.

3. Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share, But our toil He doth richly repay; Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross, But is blessed if we trust and obey.

4. But we never can prove the delights of His love, Until all on the altar we lay; For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows, Are for them who will trust and obey.

5. Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet, Or we’ll walk by His side in the way; What He says we will do, where He sends we will go; Never fear, only trust and obey.

Let me be the reminder for you … 

God wants us to simply put our trust in Him and show thanksgiving to those around us. God uses others to be a blessing. We must be willing to be that blessing to others just as others have blessed us.

Have a great weekend!