Consider it a great joy

I am a huge Beth Moore fan. Through the years of following Beth, I've also come to respect her daughters. I read this on her daughter Amanda's blog and couldn't help but be overcome with emotion because it is exactly what we've been going through as well.

"I can't stop thinking about a video clip I saw of Michael Phelps' swim coach last night while I watched the Summer Olympics. Bob Bowman said he had purposely created chaos and caused many things to go wrong on competition days through the years so that Michael would be prepared to handle anything. He said he'd stepped on Phelps' goggles right before a race so that they'd fill with water. (Phelps went on to win a gold medal in Beijing with goggles filled with water.)  He'd even hidden his goggles before. He'd also caused them to get a late start to a competition so that Phelps would feel frazzled by the time they got there. Bowman had made Phelps miserable at times so that he would become steadfast and unshakable. This obviously bore good fruit, seeing as how Michael Phelps won his 19th Olympic medal last night and officially became the greatest Olympian of all time.

Curtis and I have definitely had some curve balls thrown our way this year. Some of them have been directly related to our church and others have been more personal. The hardest ones have been a combination of both. There have been times when I've thought, "Lord, what is going on here? Why are such weird things happening to us all the time?" Please trust me when I say that some of these things have been weird. I've always had a weird life but a few of these situations have been BEYOND. God has repeatedly reminded me of the words in 1 Peter 4:12, which says, "Dear friends, don't be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you to test you as if something unusual were happening to you." 

When I saw the interview with Bob Bowman I was deeply affected by it. It was obvious that Phelps' coach, who loved him and had his ultimate good in mind, had done him a huge favor by allowing him to go through all sorts of crazy trials. In that moment I thought of the most recent things we've gone through and I felt God's love for us. It was an incredible reminder that our Father is purposeful and loving when He plots our course. The minor irritations and the major tribulations are given to us - for us - to help us finish (and win!) our races.  

"Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing," (James 1:2-4)."

 

 

I would def say the last few months God has made 1 Peter 4:12 a life verse for D and I: "Dear friends, don't be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you to test you as if something unusual were happening to you."

Surprised... fiery ordeal... test... as if something unusual was happening... yes, yes, and yes... all of which is how we've felt. But thank you Jesus it was not done in vain. It was done purposefully and lovingly... for our benefit and for His glory.