This past summer, I had the opportunity to be a part of an amazing ladies' Bible study at church. The study was part of the Deeper Still series. Priscilla Shirer, Beth Moore and Kay Arthur each contributed to this amazing study about David. It was a great study. My favorite part though was seeing my mama in a different roll. She was the Bible study leader. She is an amazing teacher!
The "big" thing I learned from this study was how God blesses us and the incredible opportunity we have to stand back and say, as David did, "Oh God, who am I that you have done this for my family."
I was excited when a study - "Jonah" - by Priscilla Shirer was chosen for this fall. I have to admit that my thought was that I really needed to go so that my friend Susan would go (sorry Sus). It would be so great for her as she deals with some amazing struggles in her life. And, oh, if Tammy would go, it would compliment what God taught her in the last study. The problem was that I thought that I didn't have an "interrupted life." My life was good. Things were looking up. We were getting back to normal after a crazy summer.
And then, IT happened. We came home from church on September 8. I got the kids to bed and was excited to finally get some dinner when Brian said we needed to talk. I tried to blow him off, but he persisted. He needed to tell me that his job was being moved to Southlake, Texas, and that we had until December to decide what we wanted to do. WHAT???!! TEXAS!?!?!? My mama is not in Texas. Didn't God know this? My friends are here. Yes, Karen is in Texas, but she isn't in the Dallas Metroplex. You see, I had an interrupted life.
Jonah was called by God to go to Nineveh. He didn't want to go. He hated the people of Nineveh, and he had no desire to be around them let alone to lead them to God. He could have cared less if they perished. Through a series of events, Jonah ended up coming to the the point that he realized that He had a choice to make: he had to choose to put aside his feelings and OBEY God. He didn't like what God had called him to do, but he did it.
That was where I had to get. I didn't like what we were facing, but I HAD to obey God. He had called me to it, and He would get us through it. I have learned to put my money where my mouth is. If I am going to trust God, I have to do it fully. I have to trust that He is in control and that His grace is enough!!
The Lord really dealt with me over several things and continues to do so. He has softened my heart about different ministry opportunities at church. He is teaching me to see every interruption as a divine intervention. The possibilities are endless when we will follow Him. I have to admit that I begged God to leave us in Little Rock. I prayed constantly that God would give us a miracle - a new exciting opportunity for Brian that was here in LR.
Brian has found a new job with the same company. He is going to be able to stay in LR which means our kids can continue at AB and life goes on as normal. His pay, our benefits, everything remain the same! We are so blessed. Brian's schedule will change. He begins working nights in two weeks. You know, it's OK. I know that God has called us to do this, and I am thankful for the opportunity.
This was NEVER the course I would have chosen for us. However, the lessons we learned over the course of September and October are ones that I will never forget! I pray that I will never take them for granted.
If you ever get the opportunity to do this study, please do it! You can watch the videos online.
