Bridget A. Thomas
Every day is a gift!
Jehoshaphat’s Story – Introduction
Worry, anxiety, fear, stress, dread. Do these emotions sound familiar? For some of us they are a constant companion. For others, they might just be an acquaintance. But no matter who you are, we have all felt these emotions at some point. And I think we all can agree that these emotions are not fun.
Often times these feelings come when we are facing something difficult in life. However, even when things are going well in our lives, the world around us can bring us down. From tragic reports on the news to the persistent negativity that surrounds us – life can be overwhelming.
But here is the good news – God wants more for us. He doesn’t want us to feel stuck or fearful all the time. Jesus came so that we may have an abundant life. And living with endless panic or apprehension is not living life abundantly.
When the pandemic hit us a couple of years ago, and it seemed the whole world need a faith boost, I decided to dig into the Bible for insight. I found many stories of great faith. These stories were ones that I had read before, but they appeared in a new light. And one story in particular that really struck me dealt with King Jehoshaphat of Judah, found in 2 Chronicles 20:1-30.
In this story I discovered the secrets to strong faith. I knew this was how I wanted to live. I wanted to face life with confidence and strength, knowing God was by my side.
I am not perfect in this area. I still need to remind myself of truth. But I imagine I am not alone. Therefore, I want to share what I learned with you as well. So, we are going to walk through this story together in the coming weeks.
Does fear ever stop you in your tracks? Does worry rob you of a joyous life? Has anxiety made itself at home in your life?
I am here to tell you that there is hope. We can be brave no matter what life brings to our doorstep, because we are children of the Most High God.
We are going to use King Jehoshaphat’s story to learn how to stand tall with unshakable faith, even when facing life’s battles.
Before we begin this journey, I want to start off with a bit of backstory. During this time period, God’s chosen people were split up into two nations. After the death of King Solomon, there was discord which led to the division of the kingdom. There was Israel in the North and Judah in the South. Jehoshaphat was one of David’s descendants and one of the kings of Judah. At the time when Jehoshaphat reigned, Israel saw three kings – Ahab, Ahaziah, and Joram. We won’t necessarily touch on all of these other kings during our study. However, this helps us understand where Jehoshaphat was in Israel’s timeline.
And something else to note. Many of the kings of Israel and Judah were despicable. But Jehoshaphat was one of the good guys. He wasn’t perfect. However, we are told that “the Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he followed the example of his father (ancestor) David. He did not seek [to follow] the Baals [the false gods], but sought the God of his father, and walked in (obeyed) His commandments, and did not act as Israel did. Therefore the Lord established the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat, and he had great wealth and honor. His heart was encouraged and he took great pride in the ways of the Lord; moreover, he again removed the high places [of pagan worship] and the Asherim from Judah.” (1 Chronicles 17:3-6 AMP)
Perhaps you are already familiar with the story of King Jehoshaphat found in 2 Chronicles 20. Or maybe it is one that doesn’t ring a bell. Either way, I hope you will gain some new insight as we journey through this story together.
If you want to get a head start, I have the text from 2 Chronicles 20:1-30 below. I hope you will join me over the coming weeks as we walk through this inspiring story together.
I will be forming my July prayer list this weekend. If you have any special prayer requests, please let me know. Based on what some of you have told me in prior months, you will remain on my list and I will continue praying. But if you have any new requests to share, please do so in the comments. Thank you for reading. I hope you have a blessed weekend.
2 Chronicles 20:1-30:
1 After this, the Moabites and Ammonites with some of the Meunites came to wage war against Jehoshaphat.
2 Some people came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Dead Sea. It is already in Hazezon Tamar” (that is, En Gedi). 3 Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. 4 The people of Judah came together to seek help from the Lord; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him.
5 Then Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the temple of the Lord in the front of the new courtyard 6 and said:
“Lord, the God of our ancestors, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you. 7 Our God, did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend? 8 They have lived in it and have built in it a sanctuary for your Name, saying, 9 ‘If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine, we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us.’
10 “But now here are men from Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, whose territory you would not allow Israel to invade when they came from Egypt; so they turned away from them and did not destroy them. 11 See how they are repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession you gave us as an inheritance. 12 Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”
13 All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there before the Lord.
14 Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph, as he stood in the assembly.
15 He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. 16 Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. 17 You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’”
18 Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the Lord. 19 Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice.
20 Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.” 21 After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying:
“Give thanks to the Lord,
for his love endures forever.”
22 As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. 23 The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another.
24 When the men of Judah came to the place that overlooks the desert and looked toward the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped. 25 So Jehoshaphat and his men went to carry off their plunder, and they found among them a great amount of equipment and clothing and also articles of value—more than they could take away. There was so much plunder that it took three days to collect it. 26 On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Berakah, where they praised the Lord. This is why it is called the Valley of Berakah to this day.
27 Then, led by Jehoshaphat, all the men of Judah and Jerusalem returned joyfully to Jerusalem, for the Lord had given them cause to rejoice over their enemies. 28 They entered Jerusalem and went to the temple of the Lord with harps and lyres and trumpets.
29 The fear of God came on all the surrounding kingdoms when they heard how the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel. 30 And the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every side.
© 2018-2023 Bridget A. Thomas. All rights reserved.
Don’t Give Up
The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in Him; though He may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with His hand.
Psalm 37:23-24
My husband and I have two favorite college baseball teams. One is my alma mater. The other is located in the town where my husband was born, and they are close to where we live now. Currently we are in the midst of the College World Series. The eight best teams in the country go to the World Series. My alma mater didn’t make it, but our other team did.
We were watching our team play in the opening round on television last weekend. (The event is always held in Omaha, Nebraska. Not close enough for us to attend. But it is on our bucket list.)
As you can imagine, every game in the World Series is important. Two losses and you go home. This goes on until only two teams remain. And then those two teams play for the championship.
In this particular game our team was the first to score, but they only got one run at the time. The score remained 1-0 for several innings. Then in the top of the seventh the opponent scored four runs. It doesn’t take long for the tide to turn. Suddenly we were losing 4-1.
In the bottom of the same inning, we got one run. We were still losing. 4-2.
In the bottom of the eighth, we got another run. But again still losing. 4-3.
One more inning to go. The opponent got another run in the top of the ninth. Score 5-3.
We only had the bottom of the ninth to make something happen. Some people we know had turned the television off at this point. They had given up hope. It seemed improbable that our team would be able to win.
My husband and I weren’t some of those that turned the television off. We continued watching. You might guess what happened. Our team scored three runs and won the game 6-5. (And a bonus – the team we beat is the same team that put my alma mater out of the running two weeks prior.)
This game reminded me how important it is to not give up. For the people that turned the television off early, they had lost hope. They had given up. They went to bed defeated.
But for those of us who stuck it out, we were rewarded with a spectacular victory.
There are many situations in life that can leave us feeling discouraged and defeated. When our plans don’t go the way we wanted or when we are hit with an unexpected trial, it knocks the wind out of us. And as Christians, we have an enemy who is eager to bring us down.
Sometimes it will appear as though we are losing the game, and we will be tempted to give up. But there is always hope. And when we stay close to the Lord, we can take comfort knowing He is molding us through this difficulty. We will walk away stronger in our Christian walk.
God teaches you humility, keeps you dependent upon Him, shows you how to follow Him and protects you from pride through trials. The good news is that dark moments of your life will last only so long as is necessary for the Lord to accomplish His purpose. If you’re obediently committed to Him, your relationship with Him will grow more than you ever believed possible. Therefore, whenever you experience a trial, thank God for what He is doing and commit yourself to honoring Him in all things.
Dr. Charles Stanley
Everything in our lives should be approached with prayer and listening to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. So there will be times when God asks us to lay something aside. But there are also times when the enemy tries to defeat us and get us off track, especially if we are working for the Kingdom of God. That is why it is important to stay close the Shepherd and listen for His voice. We want to make sure we are on the path He wants us on.
And if we know we are in the right place, we keep pressing forward. I know we might feel tired at times. We don’t think we have the strength to make it any further. But remember that God hasn’t abandoned you. God is with you. He has the strength that you lack. He will see you through.
The Lord does not want to destroy you – He wants to make you stronger. But He can only do that by showing you the frailty of your strength and earthly comforts so you will depend on His.
Dr. Charles Stanley
This baseball game also reminded me of how God never gives up on us. Do you remember the parables found in Luke 15 – the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son? These stories remind us that our Lord loves us so much, and He will do whatever is necessary to rescue us and bring us back to safety.
If any of His children is far from home, He wants nothing more than to bring that child back home. If we have strayed, His goal is to lead us back on the right path.
It doesn’t matter how far we’ve gone or what we have done. He welcomes us back with open arms.
And even if we are walking close to God, we each make mistakes. We stumble at times, we might say the wrong thing, we might react poorly to circumstances, or we might struggle to let go of an undesirable habit. Whatever the case may be – God doesn’t give up on us.
God never gives up on us. Our sins may drive us farther and farther away from Him—but even then, He still loves us and yearns for us to repent and turn to Him for the forgiveness and help we need. The Bible says, “But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness” (Psalm 86:15).
Billy Graham
Let’s praise God for His unfailing love and faithfulness in our lives!
Thank you for reading. I hope you have a blessed weekend.
Both photos above were taken on Monday, June 19, 2023, just 10 minutes apart. I stood on the back porch watching the sky change, moment by moment. Nothing compares to God’s artwork. 🙌🤍🙏
© 2018-2023 Bridget A. Thomas
Putting Jesus First
I’m a librarian at heart. I worked at the public library when I was in high school and I worked at the university library when I was in college.
When I went to college, I picked a school that had Library Science as an offered major. However, when I began my college courses, I was told that my university wasn’t accredited in Library Science, so I shouldn’t bother choosing that major. I don’t know if it mattered, but I took the person’s word for it. And I can’t even remember who told me that now.
It took me a while to pick a new major, but I did. I was able to go through some general education courses first. All majors required general education classes, so I wasn’t wasting time. One of the classes I took taught me computer skills. I enjoyed it so much and found a new major. I majored in Business with a concentration in Management Information Systems.
But I remember the struggle to find a new major. Should I major in math and become a teacher? Should I major in English and become a writer?
Back then I hated making decisions. I thought if I made the wrong decision it would be the end of the world. A couple of decades later, I have improved in that area. I’m thankful for that.
Perhaps part of it is that I am closer to God than I was back then. From what I can remember, I didn’t pray or read my Bible much at that time. I regret not finding a church to go to when I was in college. I do remember going to one Catholic mass with a friend who was Catholic. But that was it. In four years I can only recall that one service. Although when I went home for break, I probably went to church then. And I do recall going to my roommate’s church when I went home with her on occasional weekends.
(If anyone of college age or their parents are reading this, my number one tip is to find a church in your college town right away. And make going to church a priority.)
There are things I would do differently, if I could go back in time. And I am sure many of us would say the same about different seasons of our lives. In hindsight we see things differently. But reflecting on all of this has taught me the power found in putting the Lord first.
When we make decisions, such as which college to go to, or which major to pick – they seem like a big deal. We think it will be detrimental if we choose the wrong path. But in the grand scheme of things, it’s not the end of the world. Yes, it is important to stay close to God and seek His guidance. However, God is with us through it all. And no matter which road we go down, He will be beside us and guide us. We can find contentment in many paths. If we decide we made the wrong decision, we can always turn around. As I mentioned last week, each phase of our lives is like a stepping stone towards our future. And God will pull everything together and make something beautiful out of the pieces of our lives.
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
Romans 8:28 NLT
And sometimes we think we know what’s best, but we don’t. God can see the full picture. He sees the beginning and the end. He always knows what’s best. (I’m reminded of the old TV show called “Father Knows Best.” 😁)
So we trust God with each step. Place it all in His hands. Too often we tend to take on the weight of things that we weren’t meant to carry.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV
Ultimately, Jesus needs to be in the center of our lives. When we keep Jesus first place in our hearts, it transforms every aspect of our lives. We don’t have to worry because following Jesus is always the right path.
We can make major decisions without fretting because we bring them to the Lord in prayer and seek His guidance. We will have better relationships because we approach them with the love of the Lord. We will work harder at our jobs because regardless of who our paycheck comes from, we are working for the Lord (Colossians 3:23-24).
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.
Deuteronomy 6:5 KJV
Each day we makes the decision to put Jesus first. And that changes everything.
No matter where we are now, we can always choose to seek the Lord with all of our hearts. Whether we are near or far, we can turn towards Him. We can put Him in the center of our lives. When we do, we will be amazed at the peace we have. We know we are with our Shepherd and He is guiding us, protecting us, and providing for us.
Thank you for reading! I hope you have a blessed weekend!
© 2018-2023 Bridget A. Thomas
Stepping Stones
Last a Saturday, David at davidsdailydose.org wrote about Anxiety + Resiliency = Anxiliency! Yes, David’s new word will grab your attention. And I told David that I had to say it slowly at first. But with practice, it falls off the tongue smoothly. 😅
In his post, David talked about Romans 5:3-4:
Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.
About six weeks ago I had to give a five minute speech for my department. I was asked to talk about something interesting pertaining to my job. I titled my speech “Stepping Stones.” I talked about the last 20 years of my career and how each phase of my job was like stepping stones.
Sometimes my job can be overwhelming. I enjoy my job and my work. But I get many things on my plate that I don’t feel adequate to handle. I create reports and dashboards for my customers, in order to provide them with needed data. But sometimes theses things can be really complex. When I am stuck on something, it’s frustrating. And I have had to pray for God’s help and wisdom often.
(My parents think I’m smart. Well the secret is out. I rely on heavenly help. 😅)
In the moment, the things on my plate can be painful. But standing here and looking back, I can see how each painful task had helped me get to where I am today. Task by task, I learned more and more. I wouldn’t be able to do the things I do now if they had been thrown at me in the beginning. But with experience under my belt, I can take on these complex projects.
In my job I can look back and see how suffering led to perseverance. How perseverance led to character. And how character led to hope.
But life is like that too. We face many things that make us uncomfortable or frustrated. Yet each time we press through, we learn and grow. Down the road, when something bigger comes our way, it is easier to tackle. And then we can look back at our past difficulties and see how God used them to strengthen us and mold us.
Take some time today to look back on your own life. Can you see difficulties from the past that you can be thankful for now? Did they help strengthen you or help bring you to a better place?
Praise God for His amazing ways. We would never choose to go through something difficult. But God’s ways are not our ways. We can thank Him and trust Him, no matter what we face.
Thank you for reading! Have a fabulous weekend!
© 2018-2023 Bridget A. Thomas
Greater Is He
Several weeks ago I wrote about The Best Thing I Did All Year. In this post I included a prayer based off of a couple of verses found in the Psalms. When I was typing up that blog post, the enemy tried to stop me from sharing it. The words I typed randomly disappeared from the screen. It was absurd. Yet I persevered and was able to get the post written. I wrote the blog post a few days ahead of time, and scheduled it to be published on that Friday.
There was more to the story that I didn’t mention in my post. After I scheduled it, I began to have doubts. Was this post really a good idea? I was tempted to alter it or scrap it. The truth is that when the enemy didn’t win via the route of meddling with my typing, he tried to get in my head. He couldn’t erase the words, but maybe he could get me to erase my own words. Even though I had doubts, I decided to stick with it.
But God…
After this debate in my mind occurred, I was reading in the book of Acts and felt a couple of nudges from God. There is a scene in Acts 5:17-21 where the apostles were in jail, but an angel of the Lord freed them, and told them to go to the temple courts to tell everyone about the new life of faith in Jesus. In my Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, Dr. Stanley wrote the following about this verse: “God wants His words of life to go forth!”
Later in Acts 5:40-41, the apostles were flogged and they rejoiced in suffering for Jesus. About this Dr. Stanley wrote, “The enemy does not attack backslidden believers who do not honor God, because they’re just as he wants them – complacent, apathetic, and fruitless. Rather, the devil focuses his worst onslaughts on believers who are making a difference for the kingdom.”
(Ironically the day that I read these words, and recorded them in my journal, was also the day Charles Stanley passed away.)
Now we have come full circle. Once again I feel awkward sharing this. I don’t want it to sound like I think I am a high and mighty Christian. I am not. But these words did help me to understand that the enemy was attacking, and he didn’t want me to spread praises and prayers to the Lord.
Not all Christians talk about the devil, but he is real. And he does attack. He knows we are secure in Jesus, so he can’t have our souls. But he will still try to trip us up and keep us from spreading the Good News. He might try to pull our desires to worldly things in order to tear down our testimony. Or he might try to bring division in our relationships, so we won’t be a powerful witness. These are just some examples.
I have heard of many Christian writers who have experienced hardships when working on a book. The Kendrick brothers, who have created several Christian films, have also talked about attacks with every film. Often the attacks are related to the theme of the film.
We will all face problems. But often times they are not a coincidence. There is a real enemy out there who wants to hold us back. As Jesus said in John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy…”
It’s important to remember that Jesus has already defeated him. Jesus already won.
Colossians 2:15 NIV says, “And having disarmed the powers and authorities, [Christ] made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.”
We can declare victory, thanks to Jesus. The Messiah has overcome. And thanks to Him, we too are victorious. We can stand strong and confident, knowing the Lord is beside us. Our Almighty God is more powerful than anything the enemy throws at us. As it says in 1 John 4:4 (KJV), “…greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”
Remember your true identity in Jesus:
- You are a new person. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
- You are a child of God. (John 1:12)
- The Holy Spirit lives inside of you. (1 Corinthians 3:16)
- You are forgiven. (Colossians 1:14)
- You are as clean as snow. (Isaiah 1:18)
- You have been adopted into God’s family. (Ephesians 1:5)
- You are a joint heir with Christ. (Romans 8:17)
- You are the light of the world. (Matthew 5:14-16)
- You are the salt of the earth. (Matthew 5:13)
- You are chosen and appointed. (John 15:16)
- You cannot be separated from God’s love. (Romans 8:38)
- God rejoices over you. (Zephaniah 3:17)
Thank you for reading! I hope you have a blessed weekend!
© 2018-2023 Bridget A. Thomas
Thankful for Prayer
Yesterday Matt over at Jesusluvsall posted about how he was Thankful Prayer Is Not Like Internet Connection.
The title of Matt’s post immediately grabbed my attention because I just happened to have connectivity issues while on an important meeting yesterday. It was frustrating and embarrassing. Thankfully the other participants on the call were understanding.
So the brilliant title of Matt’s post really struck me. And I appreciated the excellent points about prayer within the post as well.
(Before I continue on the topic of prayer, I want to mention that Matt just published a book called Jesus Understands Trauma. You can find it on Amazon here.)
Matt’s post yesterday got me thinking about prayer. I wonder if we take it for granted sometimes that God is always available to us. But if we stop and ponder we will see what a gift we have in prayer. God is always there, ready to listen. How incredible that the Creator of the universe actually wants to hear from us!
In the past I used to wish I could become a prayer warrior, but I thought this was only for certain people. It took me time, but I realized we all can become prayer warriors. It just means we have to put in the effort. Daily we have to show up.
(Side note: If you have never seen the movie War Room, I highly recommend it! It’s about prayer and very inspiring.)
Once we make prayer a priority, we will be amazed at how much prayer can impact us, how much God truly hears us, how much He changes us through our prayer life, and how much He works things out for the best.
In Luke 18:1-8, Jesus reminds us to “always pray and not give up.” I have to wonder if there are situations in our lives that would have gone differently merely if we kept praying. We may never know the answer.
And is it possible that not praying is actually a sin? I heard a sermon by Pastor Jentezen Franklin a few months ago in which he mentioned a Bible verse that really struck me: “As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right.” – 1 Samuel 12:23
Please note I am not trying to make anyone feel guilty. Trust me, I am the last person to point fingers. In the past I used to avoid prayer, because I didn’t want to think about the things that were worrying me.
Over time, though, I have made changes to pursue a better prayer life. And I have to say that I have seen how prayer has drawn me closer to the Lord. And I can see how He has used prayer to mold me.
If you feel your prayer life is stale, get creative. Prayer isn’t just asking God for things. It’s a conversation with the One who loves you like no other. So try talking to Him about your day and the things you are walking through, good and not-so-good.
You could also try writing out your prayer on paper. This helps me to focus. The devil will try to distract you, and steer your mind in different directions.
You might consider getting outdoors to pray. There’s something special about that. I always feel closer to God when I have only the sky above.
You could also write out a poem to God.
Or you could even write your own Psalm, as Rainer over at The Devotional Guy™ has been doing. Check out this post where he talks about this and shares one of his Psalms as well – Kicking Off 2023 Writing My Own Psalms [Modern Psalm 7].
You could also read from the book of Psalms in the Bible and use them as prayers.
There are also many outstanding books out there that help us with our prayer lives. I’m currently reading On Our Knees by Phil Wickham and I highly recommend it. (And in case that name sounds familiar, Phil is actually a musician, singer, and songwriter. You may have heard his powerful song about prayer – Battle Belongs.)
When we make a commitment to pray daily, our hearts are changed. But don’t take my word for it. Find out for yourself! ☺️
With all this talk about prayer, I also want to say that I will be forming my June prayer list soon. So if you have any special prayer requests, please let me know. Or if you want me to continue praying for something that you already shared with me, let me know that as well.
Thank you for reading. I hope you have a blessed weekend.
© 2018-2023 Bridget A. Thomas
Trusting God With the Unexpected
We recently invested in storm doors for our home. But it was a bit of an ordeal. We ordered them from one of the big chain home improvement stores, and we also paid to have them installed. We were given a date of when the doors should arrive at the store. And we were told we would be contacted by someone to set up a time for the install.
The day arrived when the doors should have been in the store, but we never heard anything. My husband went down to the store and talked to them; however, they couldn’t find our order in their system. I went down later that same day, with proof of payment in hand. I talked to the same guy who placed our order several weeks prior. (We will call him Alex.) Alex did some digging and was able to locate our purchase. However, he explained that it didn’t seem to be in the computer the way it should have been. I was in there for a good length of time, but we thought everything was straightened out. Alex even believed that the doors were on the premises. But he said they could still be in a truck, waiting to be unloaded.
I was contacted several days later by an independent contractor to set up the install. (We will call him Jed.) We agreed upon the day. All seemed to be well. When the day arrived, Jed called me back and asked me if I had the doors at my house. I didn’t because Jed was supposed to pick them up and bring them to the house on the day of the install. However, Jed was at the store and apparently the doors were no where to be found. He got some employees to help him. They searched all over and couldn’t find them.
Again my husband went down there and spoke to someone. They weren’t sure what happened. But at this point we had some options. We could either place a new order for the same doors. Or they had very similar doors in stock that we could purchase instead. We opted for the doors that were in stock, and we even got a little money back because they were cheaper than the original doors we ordered.
However, we still didn’t get the doors that day. When the doors seemed to be lost, Jed had moved on to a different project that day. Several days later I heard from him, and we scheduled a new install date.
Finally that day arrived and Jed did the install of the two doors. The storm doors were just what we needed. There was one more hiccup, though. I got a call approximately a week later from the store saying that my doors had arrived. I quickly realized the lady on the phone must have meant the original doors. So I explained to her what happened and let her know we already had doors installed. She thanked me and we ended the call. I guess they either put those doors out for sale or sent them back. I thought it was humorous that the saga continued. But that is not the point of my story.
Let’s back up a few weeks. When I was in the store over a month ago talking to Alex about the mixed up order, he kept apologizing. He sincerely felt bad about the whole debacle, even though it wasn’t his fault. He was the same guy who took our order, but he was a seasoned employee. So I believe there must have been some sort of glitch.
When he apologized again, I said, “It’s not the end of the world.”
His reply to me was, “I’m glad it’s not to you. But to a lot of other people, it would be.”
I knew Alex was right. For some people, an inconvenience like this could seem like a catastrophe.
My husband and I have been through a lot of stress recently. So this additional item on our list could have easily caused us some angst as well. When problems pile up, it can be difficult to take one more thing.
And I don’t know about you, but for me personally, it is usually the unexpected bumps in my day that cause me grief. Seemingly small things that disrupt my plans. But I am learning (sometimes more slowly than I should!) to hand those inconveniences over to the Lord.
While this story is a minor example, we all have had bigger issues that blindsided us. Our initial reaction might be to panic or to get angry. When we are taken by surprise, especially if we are already stressed, we feel vulnerable and shocked.
However, one important thing to remember is that whatever comes our way is not a surprise to God. He knew it was coming. And He already knows the outcome. He often allows obstacles in our lives for a purpose. We won’t always know the reasons why different things happen. But we know the One who is in control. And He can see us through whatever we are facing.
But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you. I praise God for what he has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me?
Psalm 56:3-4 NLT
This takes trust. Trusting God can be difficult for different reasons. Sometimes we are used to being in control and handling everything ourselves. Or it could be that the obstacle in front of us is so big that we just can’t fathom how God will work it out. The good news is that we don’t have to worry about that part. When we put it in God’s hands, He will work it out.
Keep in mind this doesn’t necessarily mean we do nothing. There might be action on our part. But if we lean on the Shepherd, He will show us what path to take
Trusting God means looking beyond what we can see to what God sees.
Dr. Charles Stanley
If you are facing something unexpected, God can help you through it. He is always there. And the best part is that He actually wants to help you with whatever obstacle you might be up against. What a loving Heavenly Father we have!
Dear God, thank You for walking beside us, in front of us, and behind us. No matter what unexpected circumstances come our way, it is comforting to know that You are there. Help us to remember to lean on our Shepherd, who will guide us and show us the way to go. We are so thankful for You, Lord! And we love You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Thank you for reading. I hope you have a blessed weekend!
© 2018-2023 Bridget A. Thomas
Surrounded by God’s Love
One of my dogs, Tucker, has separation anxiety. He thinks he should always be with his Mom and Dad. When we leave him home, he might bark, whine, howl, sulk, or all of the above. He seems to have a fear that we are abandoning him. Perhaps he wonders if we will ever come back home.
I talk to my dogs like they are people, meaning I try to explain things to them. They don’t always understand. But they do feel my tone of voice. And they are smart enough to remember what certain words mean.
Sometimes I will try to explain to Tucker that we love him, we will never abandon him, and we will always come back. I was thinking recently that if Tucker just understood how much his parents loved him, then he wouldn’t be so quick to freak out.
I’m sure you can figure out where I am going with this. Yes, this made me think about us and God. If only we knew how much He loved us, we wouldn’t freak out when we are hit with a situation that brings us fear, grief, or worry.
God loves us so much. He is trustworthy. He has our backs. Even when something takes us by surprise, it is no surprise to Him. He allowed the situation to come our way. And He will use it for a purpose.
I know just saying these things is easy. But what’s difficult is getting that into our hearts. So how do we get to the point of knowing deep down that our Shepherd loves us beyond measure and that He is watching out for us?
Spending time with Him is a good start. Making a choice each day to pray helps us to draw closer to Him. Reading the Bible also helps because not only do we learn about God’s character, but we are also bombarded with truth. Reading in the Psalms has helped me to get a better awareness of God’s love. And several verses that I read recently struck a chord. I want to share a few with you. One of them is not from the Psalms. But it might be familiar to you.
“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 8:38-39 KJV
“He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD.” – Psalm 33:5 ESV
“Many are the woes of the wicked, but the LORD’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him.” – Psalm 32:10 NIV
Aren’t the words in these verses comforting? Nothing can separate us from God’s love. The earth is full of the love of the Lord. And the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in Him. Reading the last verse, in my mind I can see God’s love surrounding me like a blanket. A few days ago I was worried about something, and I kept repeating the words from the latter part of that verse. This reminder brought peace and comfort.
I hope these verses bring you peace and comfort as well. And I hope they remind you how much God loves you. May we remember that if God sent His One and Only Son for us, then surely He loves us enough to go to the ends of the earth for us, to provide for us, to protect us, and to see us through whatever we are facing.
Thank you for reading! I hope you have a blessed weekend!
© 2018-2023 Bridget A. Thomas
Hold On
I have two dogs whose personalities are very different. Even when we are in the car, their personalities show. Buddy doesn’t move a muscle and sits as stiff as a statue. He is quiet; and you might even forget he is in the back seat. But Tucker paces from window to window, squealing and panting. He makes his presence known. (And make sure you wear a hat.)
When Tucker is in the car, since he is always on the move, I try to prevent him from taking a spill. When I need to stop or slow down, I apply the brake slowly and ahead of time. But something else that helps is to tell Tucker in a loud voice to, “Hold on!”
If we are approaching a traffic light or a stop sign – “Hold on!”
If we need to make a turn – “Hold on!”
If the traffic in front of us is slowing down – “Hold on!”
The other day I was playing some praise music, singing along, and shouting “Hold on!” every so often. Then I started to giggle at how funny this would seem to an onlooker. But then something else occurred to me as well. I thought about how “Hold on” is good advice for us as well.
The right reaction is always to focus upon the Lord and to trust Him.
Dr. Charles F. Stanley
We need to hold on to Jesus, no matter what lies ahead on the road. If life takes a turn, we need to hold on. If a “stop sign” appears, don’t forget to hold on. If the “traffic” gets congested, it’s best to hold on.
In the Message translation of Psalm 63:8, it says, “I hold on to you for dear life, and you hold me steady as a post.” I love the idea of holding on to God “for dear life.” Whether we are on top of a hill or down in a valley, our Good Shepherd is there. We need only to hold on.
According to Merriam-Webster, one of the definitions of “hold on” is “to maintain a grasp on something.” And that is exactly what we need to do with the Lord, no matter what we are facing.
I don’t know what you are going through right now. But I do know that God is there. And if you hold on to Him, He will not let you down.
Dear Heavenly Father, the road of life has many twists and turns. But You are always there, through it all. Help us to remember to hold on to You, no matter what. We thank You for Your faithfulness and trustworthiness. How amazing it is to know that the One and Only Almighty God will never let us down. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
© 2018-2023 Bridget A. Thomas
Finding the Blessings
Hi, Friends! I hope you are all well.
I want to start off by sharing a wonderful poem written by Daryl Madden. Last week, you might recall that I shared a personal prayer with you. But when typing it out, it seemed the enemy was attacking. So I mentioned how real the spiritual world is. Daryl has such a way with words, and crafted an amazing poem from that thought. Check out Daryl’s poem here!
I also want to share a video about the late Dr. Charles Stanley and his life. It is very inspiring. But make sure you have time on your hands first, as the video is an hour long. You can access the video here.
Now onto my post for today. A couple of weeks ago I talked a bit about what I learned during Lent. Something I didn’t mention was that while I was offline during Lent, we had a death in the family. My Uncle Alan left this world. And since his birthday was this week, I wanted to share a little something about him today.
When we first hear about someone passing, there is shock, grief, heartbreak, and devastation. This was a heavy time for us.
Also, when we hear about a death, this might make us wonder about the afterlife. Was the person ready? Will we be ready when our time comes? So I don’t want to miss an opportunity to say, if you or someone you know isn’t ready, perhaps these links will help: Accepting Jesus and An Eternal Mindset. If we are Christians, we can look forward to seeing our saved loved ones again. What a joy that will be!
In addition to that, I could say a lot about my uncle. I could talk about his sense of humor. I could mention that he drove out of his way to pick me up from college on Friday nights so that I could spend the weekend with family. I could talk about his life and how much he loved his family. But today I want to touch on something I learned as my family and I traveled for the service.
When I look back at the time surrounding the service for my uncle, I can see many things to be thankful for. Even in the midst of sorrow, we can find blessings. Perhaps that is why 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NKJV) says, “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
Many of us had to travel in order to attend the funeral. For my friends who do not live in the US, see the map below. I have New York circled in red, North Carolina circled in purple, and Florida circled in blue. Please excuse my sloppy lines 🙂
The funeral was in North Carolina. My parents live in New York and I live in Florida. However, it just so happened that my parents were in Florida at the time, so we were able to travel together. That was a blessing.
Shared meals, lots of conversation along the way, good laughs. All blessings in the midst of the sorrow.
My sister and brother-in-law live in Pennsylvania (circled in green on the map), and they traveled for the service as well. I had not seen them in nearly three years. And my parents hadn’t seen them for many months either. It was a blessing to spend a little time together.
My cousin and his family didn’t have to travel, but we rarely get to see them. So visiting with them was a blessing as well.
On the drive there, we were in terrible traffic thanks to two bad accidents. It took longer than we would have liked. But the important part is that we got there safely. A blessing.
When we arrived in town late at night, in the rain, it was stressful finding our way. Thankfully we were able to figure out where we needed to go … after a u-turn or two. But still a blessing.
We all went out to dinner one night. And afterwards we gathered to talk for a bit. Blessings.
Sharing memories and stories about my uncle. Blessings.
Texting family and friends along the way. Knowing you have people praying for you and your family. Blessings.
Extra hours to read good books, a cup of coffee when it’s needed, cool weather. All blessings.
Traffic on the way home was better than the traffic on the way there. A blessing.
I am not making light of this sad event. But I did want to point out that no matter what we are going through, we can still look around for blessings. Yes there were things we could have complained about during this trip as well. But we have a choice. Will we look for the good? Or will we look for the not-so-good?
There are silver linings around those dark clouds. There is still goodness in this world.
I’m reminded of one of my favorite songs – Alive and Breathing by Matt Maher. As long as we are on this earth, we can find something to praise God for. We have the Good News of Jesus to share with others. And there is joy to be found in the world around us.
Our hearts can find beauty, even in the difficult times. And perhaps when we are facing something hard, that is the most important time for us to look around for beauty and for the goodness of God.
Thank you for stopping by and reading my musings. I hope you found a bit of encouragement.
One more thing. I want to start a new routine of making a fresh prayer list at the beginning of each month. I know many people already do something similar with their prayer journals. This will ensure I am praying for current concerns and it will lead to leaning on the Good Shepherd for all of our needs. So please let me know how I can pray for you in the coming weeks.
Thank you and have a blessed weekend.
© 2018-2023 Bridget A. Thomas
Bridget A. Thomas 