Encouragement From Past Trials
From time to time I go back and reread old posts that I’ve written. It helps to encourage me in the areas that I have overcome in my life. It shows me what God has brought me through and then I am reminded that He will continue to get me through every new struggle, trial and test. I always encourage others to keep a journal of their life. You will get so much inspiration from reading the things God has done for you throughout your life and then you will gain strength from those times to get you through the current situation or test. This is what has happened for me.
I felt lead to write a follow up to “The Harsh Judgement of Others” because I am currently in another tough spot. But seeing how God intervened for me then encourages me to know that He will do it again. I wrote that blog during a heart wrenching season in my life. I was conflicted on whether or not to continue caring for my grandmother that lived with me. She has dementia, kidney failure and can no longer walk. It was mentally debilitating. It was physically impossible to do alone. Extended friends and family had their opinions that would make their way back to me through closer friends and family and their judgement depressed me. I tortured myself daily over a decision that had to be made. I knew the right answer but yet I did not want to be the one to make it. I cried out to God daily. I begged Him to intervene. He did.
The last morning my grandmother spent at my home God showed up in a big way. She was extremely lethargic. It looked like she had thrown up blood overnight and I immediately called the doctor. They told me to take her to the hospital. I could share more but the bottom line was that we had a choice to make. We could sit there and watch her suffer or call the rescue squad. Deep down I knew if we called the rescue squad she would not be coming back to us. As the paramedics rolled her away on the gurney I felt weak, light headed and faint. I would have collapsed if it had not been for my dear friend and my aunt holding me up. Thousands of thoughts flooded my mind along with emotions of anger, sadness, relief and curiosity. What was going to happen now?
Fast forward two weeks down the road and her doctor told me that for her sake she needed to be placed in a full time nursing facility. He then went into great detail about her declining health and the care she would need around the clock. He said unless you have these specific things for her at home I will not release her into your care. Those things cost a small fortune and her insurance would not cover most of it. We explored every avenue and consulted every resource. There simply was no way to bring her back home. God had moved. He made the heart wrenching decision for me and for her. God did what neither one of us was strong enough to do.
Blessings began to flow after she went to her new home. She started eating again. Even the doctors said it was a miracle. She started to put weight back on and could hold a conversation. All things she was not doing before. More family and friends went to see her because of her new convenient location and she was right up the hall from her youngest son who had been placed there just a few months prior.
My husband and I had been talking about downsizing for years. Now we could...but before the decision was final something happened that forced us to have to sell our home. I couldn’t help but praise God that things with my grandmother had been settled before this happened. God knew. He was already paving the way and I am so thankful.
I learned that there are always going to be people out there that will judge you but when you know that you know that you belong to God you can rest assured He’s got your back. It didn’t matter what others thought or said. God was working it out.
Life is always going to be filled with tough decisions. The only voice that you should be listening to when these tough times come your way is the voice of the Lord. He is the only one that won’t lead you astray. It is good to seek council and wisdom from others that have been down the same path but when it comes down to it, if it doesn’t line up with the Word, then it’s not the right choice. Now, we are in a new difficult season, but seeing how God moved on our behalf in that major life altering season I know He will do it again.
It brings me so much encouragement to look over my life and the down right unfair situations I have found myself in and see how God intervened on my behalf. He always has. Sometimes I wish He would move a little faster but then again when He does finally make His move I am left in awe of His perfect timing. Be encouraged that He is working it out for you too...it’s just His timing...not yours.
I felt lead to write a follow up to “The Harsh Judgement of Others” because I am currently in another tough spot. But seeing how God intervened for me then encourages me to know that He will do it again. I wrote that blog during a heart wrenching season in my life. I was conflicted on whether or not to continue caring for my grandmother that lived with me. She has dementia, kidney failure and can no longer walk. It was mentally debilitating. It was physically impossible to do alone. Extended friends and family had their opinions that would make their way back to me through closer friends and family and their judgement depressed me. I tortured myself daily over a decision that had to be made. I knew the right answer but yet I did not want to be the one to make it. I cried out to God daily. I begged Him to intervene. He did.
The last morning my grandmother spent at my home God showed up in a big way. She was extremely lethargic. It looked like she had thrown up blood overnight and I immediately called the doctor. They told me to take her to the hospital. I could share more but the bottom line was that we had a choice to make. We could sit there and watch her suffer or call the rescue squad. Deep down I knew if we called the rescue squad she would not be coming back to us. As the paramedics rolled her away on the gurney I felt weak, light headed and faint. I would have collapsed if it had not been for my dear friend and my aunt holding me up. Thousands of thoughts flooded my mind along with emotions of anger, sadness, relief and curiosity. What was going to happen now?
Fast forward two weeks down the road and her doctor told me that for her sake she needed to be placed in a full time nursing facility. He then went into great detail about her declining health and the care she would need around the clock. He said unless you have these specific things for her at home I will not release her into your care. Those things cost a small fortune and her insurance would not cover most of it. We explored every avenue and consulted every resource. There simply was no way to bring her back home. God had moved. He made the heart wrenching decision for me and for her. God did what neither one of us was strong enough to do.
Blessings began to flow after she went to her new home. She started eating again. Even the doctors said it was a miracle. She started to put weight back on and could hold a conversation. All things she was not doing before. More family and friends went to see her because of her new convenient location and she was right up the hall from her youngest son who had been placed there just a few months prior.
My husband and I had been talking about downsizing for years. Now we could...but before the decision was final something happened that forced us to have to sell our home. I couldn’t help but praise God that things with my grandmother had been settled before this happened. God knew. He was already paving the way and I am so thankful.
I learned that there are always going to be people out there that will judge you but when you know that you know that you belong to God you can rest assured He’s got your back. It didn’t matter what others thought or said. God was working it out.
Life is always going to be filled with tough decisions. The only voice that you should be listening to when these tough times come your way is the voice of the Lord. He is the only one that won’t lead you astray. It is good to seek council and wisdom from others that have been down the same path but when it comes down to it, if it doesn’t line up with the Word, then it’s not the right choice. Now, we are in a new difficult season, but seeing how God moved on our behalf in that major life altering season I know He will do it again.
It brings me so much encouragement to look over my life and the down right unfair situations I have found myself in and see how God intervened on my behalf. He always has. Sometimes I wish He would move a little faster but then again when He does finally make His move I am left in awe of His perfect timing. Be encouraged that He is working it out for you too...it’s just His timing...not yours.
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