"Return and tell how much God has done for you"

This reflection time is a long time coming. I have been thinking lately about how much God has done for me, and how it's so important to reflect on that so when times of sorrow or hurt come, you can reflect on what God has done and know that He will be faithful, for He has proved himself and his love never changes nor do his promises. I was pushed right into this today as I'm sitting on my porch working on my Teen CBS lesson for this week, in Luke chapter 8. Jesus healed a demon-possessed man and when the man begs to go with Jesus he tells him to "return home and tell how much God has done for you". It got me thinking - how often do I tell how much God has done for me? The prayer of my life is for my life to be for God and for HIS glory - not my own. I also know that in my life "every good and perfect gift is from above" - so why don't I give him the credit and the glory all the time for every good thing in my life? So this is just a little time of reflection and pointing back to Him, for He has been faithful and will always be faithful to me. His love NEVER fails and it NEVER changes. I am a FORGIVEN child of God, and it's not because of ANYTHING I did, but all because of Him and His great love for me. Here we go....

Stephen and I got the call to move to Midland after one and 1/2 years of living in Austin - we were plugged into a church, a group of friends, stable jobs and we liked our life the way it was. When Stephen told me of this move - I started bawling crying, which was a little awkward as I was in the car on official work business with a colleague. Next, I looked to see if they had any sort of baseball team (which they did!) haha. Anyway, I was MAD. Kicking and screaming I did not want to move. But after a few days my view and attitude changed - I knew that if this is what God wants for us, then He will take care of us in Midland. A few months later, we were off to West Texas. I need to mention that a month before we moved we came to Midland for ONE DAY to look at houses, and were so blessed to be able to put a contact in on the first house we looked at. We coludn't even believe it - we had no idea if we would finally be able to live in a house (much less get a dog, which we did that summer!) With the help of facebook, I found my only "friend" that I knew who currently lived in Midland - Will. Will claims he does not remember me from my 8th grade weekend trips to HP, but I remember him and thankfully we were facebook friends. He was so helpful in helping me find a J-O-B with his good friends the Eggemeyers. I started work for them a mere week after we moved to Midland and it was off to the races. Shannon (whom I worked with) was so sweet to drag me along with her everywhere that summer. We went to bible study, COM group, church, bunko, etc. I had no idea that a short time later I would be involved in ALL OF THOSE THINGS and it started with Shannon (thank you sweet friend). I had a great summer getting to know Midland, but still wasn't convinced-I missed Austin and being close to family-this was the farthest I had been away for any good length of time from my family after 22 years of living in Waco. I don't know when it hit me, but I started to love Midland. Maybe it was when Stephen and I got involved in a group with church, and also with Community Bible Study - eTeen, for junior high students. There I met some great friends, and really started to get involved in the community of Midland. I had already moved on to teaching at Trinity that fall and a number of my cheerleaders (I was also one of the cheer sponsors) were in my eTeen CBS group. I loved those girls and still love journeying with them in their walk with Christ. We also got involved with a group at church and those friends are our lifeblood. Unlike the other points in my life where I had compartments of friends ("church friends", "school friends", "fun friends") these people are our friends who are more like family. Without any family in Midland - our friends really take on that role. We have amazing Godly men and women around us everyday pushing us to know Christ better. This year at Stephens birthday I was reminded at all the friends we've made in one year - God has proved faithful to us in providing us with a church home, a ministry to serve in, and amazing friends here in Midland. We could not be more blessed!

Last February, after 10 months in Midland - Stephen was laid off. It was that time in Midland - oil prices were down, and everyone was laying people off. We know that we were not alone - but it still didn't make it easier. It was in those times we really had to rely on God - every month was different and I am blessed to have a husband who is a real "go getter" who never gave up and worked even harder than before. To this day, Stephen is an independent land man and loving every minute of it. His work experience was invaluable at a company, but he is excelling at what he's doing now. He would NEVER have quit his job with no promise of work, but it was a blessing in disguise that he is where he is. It was a leap of FAITH to keep going, to press on and to trust that God would provide. We were blown away but God's faithfulness - as we kept tithing to the church. I know that because WE were faithful to Him with our finances, even during tough times, he provided for us. I hope that our struggles will help someone one day - I know that God is working everything together for my good because I love him and I pray that I will be able to comfort someone else one day who goes through the same kind of struggles.

In the midst of all this, I changed jobs once again - something I had been praying about and hoping for the entire school year didn't work out (all in Gods plan). I was moved to look for something else and I found it with Rock the Desert. I remember going to talk to Marcy that day and being so nervous about my options and what I would do and the Lord gave me a peace about it, and it turned out to be a great thing. After that was over in August I was on the search again - once again, worried, praying, wondering what God had in store for me next. My last day of work for RTD, I had an interview at United Way and got the job and started the next day! That was out of the blue - but has been amazing. To see God's faithfulness and provision for me was awesome. Even though it took the the VERY LAST DAY - He was faithful. I had to trust, I had to keep my eyes on the prize and just know He would provide-and He did. Now, as I'm looking to the last two weeks at United Way I'm praying about whats next (again). I keep getting into the same situation - and I'm not going to lie, I have been down about it, frustrated, confused, not knowing which way to go. But thankfully I have an unbelievably gracious husband and friends that have been here to support me and pray for me. They have seen me at my worst - but they have been there with me BY MY SIDE and for that I am forever grateful. *I have to mention (full circle reasons) that now I am involved in Teen CBS with Will (facebook friend from beginning of story), Shannon and Curtis Eggemeyer - isn't God cool? He starts my time in Midland off with some of the people I will be closest with and spend so much time with investing in young people. I just had to mention that - it was pretty cool. *So, I am praying - and I am KNOWING that God will take care of me. I keep getting to the point of "god, are you really going to do what you say you will" and all I need to do is look back and see where he's taken me so far. He has provided for me time and time again and all I need to do is trust Him. He has a PERFECT plan for my life and all I have to do is seek him and follow him everyday of my life and he will reveal it to me. It says in the Word that "in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose"- Romans 8:28 He works for the good of those who love him and I LOVE HIM. Praise Jesus for everything He's done IN me and everything he WILL continue to do in and through me. May my life be an offering to Him - the one who made me. Thank you Lord!