Oh Christmas Tree

Where do I begin...the last few months of my life have felt like I've been caught up in a whirlwind. Just when I thought I was on the verge of a breakthrough, everything seemed to be FALLING through. Nothing was going right for me, nothing was going my way. It seemed like every time I turned around, I had another problem to face.

So what did I do? I made a choice. I decided that it was time for me to learn an all too hard lesson that the Lord has been trying to teach me. I had run from it long enough. I decided it was time for me to let go. Let go of the reins of control. Let go of doing things MY way. Let go of MY will. I decided to learn how to trust and have faith in God AND his will for my life. Fully. Rather than leaning on my own ways and my own understanding.

In Isaiah 55:8 KJV the Lord says: For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways.

Proverbs 3:5-6 KJV says: Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

In these two examples alone, God clearly wants us to trust him in all things. Even when we think we have life figured out or when we think we're secure in who we are and what we have, God can turn things around in an instant. If we aren't careful, when things go wrong, they can blindside us and leave us in a state of confusion. Oh but the Lord has a greater purpose for it all.

You see, in my story, God has truly done a work in me and in my life. I'm so truly grateful and humbled by all he has done. And so it goes...

I lost every means of financial stability that I had and instead of looking for work or trying to fix the situation on my own, I decided instead to WAIT and TRUST. I didn't know what to do in the wait. Some days it seemed as though God was totally silent and to be honest there were times I couldn't feel him. It was extremely hard for me. I've always been the type to fix it if there's something wrong. This time was different. I knew I had to trust God. I knew it was time for me to step out on the waters with him and show him that I truly did have faith in him.

You see, it's in the storms when REAL faith is tried and tested. The result is ultimately up to us. Will we jump ship when the storm is too rough? Or will we ride it out with Jesus? Will we take his hand and walk on waves or will we take our eyes off of him and drown? Will we allow him to be our anchor in the troubled waters or will we rely on our own tattered sails to direct us? If we allow God in, I mean truly let him in, then and only then is he able to move on our behalf. If we never take OUR hands off the wheel, how can HE steer us? It's up to us to let God be in control of our situation. Even in times where we feel like our lives are a complete mess, God is able!

In my situation, I can truly say he provided my EVERY need. EVERY time. He truly showed me that when I let go and let him work, that he does just that. He worked ALL things for my good! Right on time! He is good, ALL the time. Even when we can't see it, even when we can't feel it. He's working. The teacher is always silent during a test. He wants to see if we keep our praise, if we keep our faith and if we stay obedient regardless of our situation. In all things, TRUST. God is sovereign. He is on the throne and in our hearts and he will never leave us nor forsake us.

To top off this "season" of my life, putting up my Christmas tree has always been what gets me in the Christmas spirit. Well, this year, I wasn't able to afford a Christmas tree, let alone anything to decorate it with. But you see, God provided that too. And as I sit here admiring my little Christmas tree, I can't help but be so humbled and grateful. Just goes to show that the little things to us are big things to a loving God who cares for his children. What a mighty God we serve. So thankful for all his blessings. Especially at Christmas time. The time of year where we reflect on the greatest gift of all, Jesus. Thankful for his love and for his ultimate sacrifice. Even though we face things in this life, we have a hope in knowing who our savior was, is and that he is yet to come!

Merry Christmas to you all! I love y'all! Trust in him always and he will see you through!