He Sees, He Knows, He Cares

As the elderly gentleman got back in his truck, I thought, "That is just like God!" and smiled. Let me rewind....the very next morning after my last post, I had an elderly gentleman stop by and talk to me about some trees. As we visited, I told him I was a homeschool mom. He asked me why I was homeschooling the boys. Fair question. But it helped me reaffirm to myself why I do what I do as I explained why. He then asked if I was a Christian. I was delighted to tell him that yes, I am! Long story short, he is a veteran Christian homeschool dad with three grown children living for the Lord! He encouraged me, commended me for what I was doing as widow mom, and I could also testify of God's provision and care through the years. Which of course, encouraged my heart as I look to the future. Less than 24hrs after I sat in discouragement as a mom and homeschool teacher, the Lord sent this man to my door!  Like I typed before, that is just like God!

Hard Days

I want this blog to be a "real" blog. And I will admit, real life is hard. Some days are overwhelmingly wearisome and stressful.  Recently I read this post of a fellow blogger: A Prayer for You When You Want to Quit. It was exactly what I needed that day. And exactly what I needed to reread again tonight. Life is hard. Jesus never promised it would be easy. He did promise to be with us always though. Long ago I listen to a speaker who emphasized those three phrases: He sees, He knows, He cares. Comforting words to remember.

"From the ends of the earth will I cry unto Thee, when my heart is overwhelmed:

lead me to the Rock that is higher than I. For Thou hast been a shelter for me,

and a strong tower from the enemy." Psalm 61:2-3

Back To Blogging

At a graduation ceremony, my pastor talked about a man's gifts, to know your gift and operate in it.
I believe writing is a gift my Lord has given me.  It was been a year since I took a break from blogging. It's time to begin again.

It didn't feel right to try to add to my first blog. That blog was a sacred time. A time of God's working on my shattered heart and bringing me to a place of acceptance and healing. God is still working on me. On all of us...but I feel less like a widow and more like one of many single moms in this nation. Just like Snurr's birth started a new chapter in my life as a single mom to three boys, surviving ten years without my beloved Jim seemed like the closing of a chapter to me. So that is why I titled this The Next Chapter.

If any of you are new to my blogging, I encourage you to go to bb4thelord.blogspot.com For years I wrote about the Lord fingerprints on our lives as a young widow with three young sons. Snipp, Snapp, and Snurr are now all in double digits and either are taller than me or will be soon. Oh, there are still days of longing for my best friend, my husband. There are times that tears fall and my heart aches. But I am no longer raw with pain. I have learned to function as half of me. And though I fall many times, the Lord is ever faithful to catch me and help me get back in the game.

There came a day when I took my wedding ring off my left hand....though I felt married, to the world I was not. I had my ring resized and wear it on my right hand. Similarly, this blog will continue to share God's fingerprints on our lives. But not as a limping, staggering young widow clinging to the Lord trying to just breathe, instead as a rehabilitated widow holding Christ's hand walking side by side with just a limp in my step every now and then.

Thank You, Lord, for Your tenderness and mercy to me. Thank You for all the times You hugged me close and caught all my tears, for giving me Your strength and direction every time I fell to my knees weak and wondering what to do. Thank You for calming my fears and teaching me to fight against the enemy of my soul. Please stay close because raising teenage boys without a dad is a whole different ballgame then when they were little. Help me to lay them at Your feet and for them to look to You as their Daddy, their Abba, their Everlasting Father. They are being weaned of me, Lord, I must decrease and You must increase in their lives. You have been there through so much already. May we all keep our eyes fixed on You as we begin the Next Chapter. I love You! Amen.