Have I told you lately...

How very much I LOVE my church? Krissi, I know you are already saying oh brother here she goes again, but really, I LOVE my church! The Spirit of God is so active and present there and in the people and in the staff and leadership. It is truly awesome and I am so very blessed to be a part of it!

A little background before I get into how God spoke to me today very loudly and clearly...I have been doubting for the last couple of weeks. Was it really God who allowed us to buy this house or was it just our own desire that led us here? It felt so much like God had his miraculous hand on the whole thing at the time, but here I am...doubting. I was even telling a friend of mine on the phone YESTERDAY that I was wondering if biting off such a huge chunk and having to struggle and watch every penny was really the best decision or should we have bought a smaller house and been able to live very comfortably without worry, especially with the current economic struggles going on. (Gee, this looks like...hmm...would it have been easier to live by our own power or step out in faith and have to live by God's provision?) Later after I was off the phone, I prayed about it, and I asked God if He would just confirm it to me again that He was why we are here. I was desperate to just be where God wants me and my family.

Okay, so back to the sermon at church today. Our pastor was preaching on something that at the surface seems so simple, but is really incredibly deep and powerful. The sermon was on Jeremiah 29:13 which says, "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Then he began to explain what all that really meant and he referenced over to another scripture and that is where God showed me again who He is. It is Acts 17:24-28. You can look up the scripture and read the whole thing for yourself (really go do it, it is an awesome and powerful passage!!) but here is where it hit me. "26 From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; AND HE DETERMINED THE TIMES SET FOR THEM AND THE EXACT PLACES WHERE THEY SHOULD LIVE. 27 God did this so that men would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us." I honestly have not a clue what the pastor said after that for a couple of minutes (at this point, Valinda is saying "something shiny" and yes, God had something shiny to show me all right!) because I was just reading that part over and over again and peace that passes all understanding washed over me and I wanted to weep.

So all of you out there (all three of you who read this blog) can hold me accountable to this. Whenever I come to that place and begin to doubt, lead me back here to this day. I have already written it all down along with a prayer in my journal. I don't take notes in church because I have a tendency to get distracted and miss too much when I do, so I had to write it all down in my journal as soon as I walked in the door at home. Then I decided that I needed to put it on my blog as well so you all can remind me when I start doubting that God DID bring us here, and He DOES have an amazing plan to work through us here. I just need to desperately seek Him, pray, study His word every day, and obey what He commands. EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. And believe that He is who He says He is.

Thank you Lord Jesus, that you are big enough to handle my doubts. Thank you for settling my doubts and fears and filling me with your peace. Thank you for being so very near. Jesus, lead me where you will. Amen.

Okay, my family would probably like to have lunch now so I better go!