Joy in Trial

by Kate Hasson

This week we had a fire in our home that has left so much smoke and soot damage that we are no longer able to live there. We need to have professional help to clean the mess, our ceiling replaced, our walls cleaned and repainted, and perhaps the carpets redone. Not to mention all the clothes and linens and furniture that will need to be professionally cleaned also. We have been living at my Mom and Dad’s home since Sunday night and by the mercy of some church friends we will be moving into their Mom’s house sometime this weekend and living there for the next 3 weeks. Our insurance adjuster said that the clean-up will probably take about a month.

The first and second day of this whole ordeal were overwhelming and emotional for me. But since then the Lord has been working in me. Its hard to be so needy, and to be taking time, money, home, food and other things from my parents, not to mention adding much noise and chaos to their once peaceful and clean home. I know many are praying for us because God has given me great peace where my heart was once worried. Instead of worrying about our insurance policies and what will be paid for or not, miraculously I feel peaceful and joyous knowing that God is taking care of everything and that my only job is to live one moment at a time thanking and praising His name.

“Do not be anxious for anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:6

So here is my “thankful list”:
I’m thankful:
1. that my house didn’t burn down.
2. that my family is safe.
3. that we can live at my parents house.
4. that this happened at this time of year when all my brothers and sisters are coming home. We all get to live together again!
5. that I get to live in SLO once again.
6. that I’m a stay at home mom and get to take care of my kids during a difficult time.
7. that the Lord is my strength.
8. that there are professionals who can fix things up.
9. that God is teaching me something new through all this.
10. that I get to see Him working in my life.
11. that I get to be with my little niece, and my girls get to be with their little cousin, every day!
12. that now we are so close to Travis’s work we can visit him at lunch time!
And etc. etc. etc…

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:2-4

Thank You, Lord, for the fire You allowed in our home. It has given me such a fresh and beautiful view of Your amazing provision. You are good!

Change Your Mindset

by Debbi Weeks

I have been blessed. Yes, I have been blessed with many good things, but it is amazing how easily I can let my mind go into a rant – even considering the good things that God has given me.

Take my husband for example (I know that line just screams of Rodney Dangerfield saying, “Take him, please!”). My husband, Matt, is a wonderful guy, but like all husbands (or roommates, or parents, or kids, or any relationship) he can get on my nerves sometimes. Sometimes he just doesn’t do want I want him to do or if he does, he doesn’t do it the way I want him to do it! But when I focus on those irritations my mind can quickly spiral out of control. If one could read my mind as it begins its descent, one would see it begins innocently enough, usually something like, “I wish he . . . or I wish he didn’t . . .” Soon it’s as if he can’t do anything right or worse, that he does nothing at all – both of which are complete and total lies (and you know where all lies come from, don’t you? STRAIGHT FROM THE PIT OF HELL! - as we like to remind ourselves in our home).

It’s all a matter of mindset. What am I going to choose to focus on? I memorized Philippians 4:8 this summer (although in trying to recall it to write it here I initially couldn’t remember the address! ). It says, “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” Dwell on these things, “Oh.” I’m caught short in continuing to rant. At these times I need to change my focus.

One small thing that has helped me establish a proper mindset is a simple phrase that’s heard often around our house; “You’re a good man, Matthew Weeks.” (He always responds with, “None are good, no, not one.” To which I reply, “You’re good because you’re clothed in the blood of Christ.” Ah, but I digress.) I say it to build him up. And, perhaps more importantly, I say it to remind myself that he is a good man – it refocuses my mind to the positive. Believe it or not, that one small sentence can change my perspective and even my attitude. It takes my mind out of the rut of focusing on the bad and brings it back to a proper mindset of remembering what a good man he is. It works with kids and roommates and co-workers and parents and friends and just about everyone else too (of course you may want to change the name and the gender, but then maybe not, you could use the same line just to snap yourself out of it! ), since the real problem isn’t with the person, but with my heart attitude.

Hey, just so you know – you’re a good woman - after all, you’re clothed in the blood of Christ!

Father, God I praise You for Your omniscience – that You are all knowing and that You know my thoughts before I utter a word.

I confess that I don’t always want to have the proper mindset. Forgive me for allowing my mind to rant and continue down a wrong path.

Thank You that You love me enough to make me uncomfortable in my bad attitudes.

Please continue to work in me to change my mindset to dwell on what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good repute, excellent and worthy of praise.

In Christ’s Name, Amen.