Where once faith stood so strong, other times, it must be rebuilt like the walls of a strong tower that have fallen down.
As Lewis got out of bed this morning, he showed me his “strong tower” that he built with daddy last night. He urged me to try to knock it down. He said, “you can’t make it fall mommy.” I nudged it…carefully 🙂 And told him it sure was a strong tower. Of course, my mind wandered to the Word and how God tells us He is our strong tower too. And I told buddy about that. He said, “mommy, I did not know that.” 🙂
This was the start of our day…a fitting start for this day.
I know I have faith that all things are possible with God…but my faith has been tested lately during times when each day seems to be so hard to get through. When my body is weak, my days can be hard. Here and there, I feel the Spirit enable me to do things I cannot do in my own strength…but it is not the Lord’s intention to take care of everything for me (although I know I wish for this on those days!). Making smooth and steady paths doesn’t mean taking care of everything for me. I’ve never thought of myself as one who averts hard work….but when my body is sick or weak…day after day…it does take extraordinary strength to do the ordinary things. I have to trust that if I give all the strength I have in this moment…that the rest of the day won’t be impossible to get through. It is a step-by-step process of relying on Him to continue to give me strength to do the things I need to do that day. He provides every single time–through extra strength that He gives to me, through a friend, through a babysitter, often through my husband, through sweet obedience in my children, through so, many, many different ways.
Today, I stepped out of my house with my littles, knowing we needed to get out (we couldn’t go to PWOC, because Hannah was sick), with all these days inside with sickness and snow storms. I couldn’t set my mind on where exactly we would go…but thought an idea would come to me during the process of getting out. As the door closed, My heart froze. Amongst Hannah’s screams, I thought “Did I just close the door? Did I have my keys? Oh, please don’t tell me that door locked itself again!” I felt the handle. It did. Our door seems to automatically lock when we step outside, no matter how many times we’ve had it fixed. The last time this happened, I prayed, I texted Brian for help, and then I thought I’d try the other door that is usually locked. Due to our fun snowman playtime a week or so ago (pictures to come soon!), the door was still unlocked. “Thank-you Jesus,” I whispered under my breath. This time, however, the other door was locked too, even after Brian and I ensured it stayed unlocked just a few days ago. I guess both doors just automatically lock… I wondered how the Lord would save me out of yet another predicament I found myself in. It was very cold. The neighbors I know around my house were not home. I prayed, I texted Brian to help me, and then I thought maybe I would take the stroller and walk the kids around while an idea came to me. The stroller was locked to the railing. The keys were inside. My mind was searching, searching….I looked up and a man was coming down from the top of our staircase from the door of our upstair neighbor. I asked him…if by chance, he was from housing and could help me get into my house. He said, nonchalantly, “sure, I always have a key.” “Really??!!!,” I said. Sure enough, he pulled out a key and unlocked my door. I thanked him and chuckled and then got into my car and cried. I really don’t understand my days right now. My body isn’t all there. My brain certainly isn’t. But God is 🙂 And His everlasting arms are waiting to catch me every time I fall. There is so much comfort and safety in that.
We had a wonderful day. It takes great faith to trust God to turn tough days into wonderful days, but He can do it…every time. He is my Strong Tower.
Walking in Faith 