I journaled this entry a little while ago and didn’t get around to sharing it. I have a few things to add to it and hope I finally publish it. Because the Lord is SO good and I’m in awe of his provision and protection. I hope you’re encouraged.
Today at church pastor preached on writing down all the things the Lord does or speaks to us. The reason for writing them down is to not forget his goodness or promises when times get tough because they do get tough. From my own personal experience I know how powerful that is.
While we were in Bible school as newly weds, my husband and I took a journaling coarse together, Kyle had been journaling prior to the class and before we even got together but he couldn’t get me to do. I refused because I just didn’t know how, I never knew what to write. I had started journaling many times in the past but ended up quitting after a few pages. Just assumed it wasn’t for me. So he got me to take the journaling class with him. For homework every day we had to journal, I am happy to say I lasted longer than my usual, after that class but the point is that about five years later my husband and I found ourselves at a very low point in our life and our marriage. We were struggling, we had no friends, no church family and no community and we were very distant from each other. I dealt with the doubt of God’s existence after the birth of my first child in a very low moment personally. Kyle began to experience that when we were both going through a very difficult time. He got to the place where he almost denied God, until he came upon his journal from the Bible school days, were he wrote about all the miracles that the Lord had done for us. He was reminded of Gods love for us and that there was no possible way, any of those miracles were just coincidences. I’m not sure that i’ve shared many of the stories with you but one comes to mind that I did share and that’s our “famous mattress story” i’ll have to share some others some day. The stories and testimonies that he wrote down personally, were the thing that brought him out of the dark time that he found himself in. Don’t underestimate the power of journaling!
I didn’t really plan on writing today but felt like I should obey and see where the Lord takes this...
I’ll start by looking back at my week and sharing the few victories that we’ve had. A few days ago my younger daughter woke up and she looked like all the blood was drained from her face. I immediately asked her if she was ok, she said “no, my tummy hurts” I knew it wasn’t just a minor hunger pain but before I had a chance to say anything she grabbed my hand and pulled me into the bathroom with her. She bent over the toilet and began to gag, as I was tying her hair back I prayed over her and commanded the sickness to leave her body. She got up and said, nothing was coming, she asked to lay in the room with me while I nursed my youngest. We turned on Worship and thanked Jesus for healing her. By the time I was done nursing, she began to play with her baby brother and forgot all about how she was feeling minutes before that. We went downstairs and had a whole wheat pancakes together, with lots of berries and bananas! I like to mention things like that because reading back I love those little details but also because my kids so eagerly made the pancakes for us that day, without knowing they were whole wheat, and they messed up on the recipe a little bit so they were a bit drying then usual, so when they all began to eat they were so surprised, it was a fun morning for sure! The only time Jasmine remembered how she felt that morning was when she told her dad about her healing over dinner that night! God is soo good!
Going out with all the kids is a lot of work for me, so I tend to prefer to stay home or just sneak out alone to do all my errands. Last week though, I found myself needing to go to bookstore about an hour from us. It had to be done during the day so I had no other choice but to bring my gang along with me. As always we prayed “we make our plans but the Lord directs our steps” bible verse, the night before. In the morning I got up with my husband a few hours before the kiddos, I was able to prep snacks and make sandwiches for lunch. I got ready and felt peace about us going out so we proceeded. That day we were able to run all our errands which consisted of multiple stops and we even squeezed in a trip to the Zoo!
My little bears cubs getting sooo big!!!
After the Zoo we found the perfect quiet spot under a huge tree for a picnic. As my kids ran around and played on the grass with each other, my heart was so happy that I get to do what I LOVE and that is spend time with them. We had a few bumps in the road (who doese’t!?) but over all, the day was BEAUTIFUL not only with how it played out but also because we had ninety degree weather for weeks prior but that day was overcast and much lower temperatures. Again God is so good! He knows my heart and leads me in his peace. Heres a few photos from that day.
I just got these new picnic blankets at Costco. We love them! The are cute, fold super easy and are machine washable!! Ahh it doesn’t get much better than that! I’ve spent about a year looking for the perfect ones, just because the kids and I use them soo often. I always keep them in my car so we can have all the spontaneous picnics we desire!
A few days ago, I did something I’m appalled at. I was driving and needed directions. So I was holding my phone low with my right hand and trying to read the street names. It was on a busy street/hwy, when I looked up, I saw a dump truck heading towards me at my right. I was like why isn’t he stopping?? And that’s when I looked up up and saw that I was running a red light! I swerved so quickly and jerked out of the way. We made it through without an accident. But it could have been soooo bad. The hit would have been directly at my baby boys side where he sits in his car seat. The dump truck was huge! I’ve been walking around for days thanking Jesus for his angels protecting us.
Looking back there were multiple times I had “feelings” to do things different. I was using google maps which I’m not used to, I always use Apple. I had a thought to change it but figured ahh whatever I’ll figure it out. But everything on it was confusing and it was upside down most the time and I just wasn’t used to it, so it was a huge distraction while I drove. I also needed to put my phone up so that I wasn’t the one holding it or I should have asked my child to hold it for me but I brushed it off and figured I’d be fine. I also let my kids watch on their devises that day and I usually don’t ever do that. Who knows maybe they could have seen the light and warned me but anyway. All those were promptings from the Lord to do things differently but I ignored all of them. I’ve never come that close to running red lights or stop signs before. We also pray first thing when we get in the car and go somewhere but that day too, since I let the kids watch, they were already on their devises so I said a quick prayer in my mind and didn’t really stop to ask for the Lords protection over our drive. I know he’s always watching over us and it’s not our consistency or anything we do to deserve his protection but our spirit comes in line with his whispers when we take the time to acknowledge him and obey his promptings after. That morning though I caught myself multiple times praying that we would find ourselves at the right place and the right time. I don’t even know why, I don’t usually pray that. I wouldn’t say that the incident was the right place and right time but how the Lord spared us by a few seconds and inches is definitely the right timing! I am still recovering from the shock of it all. And beyond grateful for all the moments I still get with my precious little ones. In safety and health.
Aside from these few tangible moments of the Lords safety and provision. He been working on our hearts, opening my eyes, revealing more of himself to me and continues to answer all my questions and draw me closer to himself. To be honest I’ve had a pretty dry spell lately but he’s been here close by being patient with me and loving me through it all. He never gives up on us!
So to summarize what my main point was. I would say JOURNAL write down what the Lord is speaking to you, what he is doing for you and the miracles you are seeing in your everyday life. I can say for myself that sometimes I get pretty used to the wondrous things the Lord does for us each day. I tell myself I’ll write it down later but when I sit down to do it, I can’t remember everything. So as much as I encourage you to go and journal, I am also reminding myself the importance of it. You might think this is part of my daily routine buut it’s not.. Remember a few paragraphs ago I told you how bad I was at this and I’m still working on my consistency. But I never regret it!
The Bible tells us to meditate on the word of God, to hide it in our heart and to pass on to our children, all the stories of what the Lord has done! In the moment it always feels like “I won’t ever forget this” but even as I re read some of my older journal entries on here, I am reminded of things that I seriously have forgotten about. So again let’s focus on all the good that is happening in our lives and write it down to remind ourselves and to share with others.
I have heard of all the tragedies that are continuing to happen in our country as well as our world and my heart goes out to all the people affected. I’m praying for you! I’m reminded of that verse in 2 kings 6:17 - Then Elisha prayed, “O LORD, open his eyes and let him see!” The LORD opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire.
In the natural it’s sometimes easy to forget who is on our side. “If God is for us, who can stand against us??” We have God on our side and we have no reason to be discouraged, afraid or worried about anything! All we should do is pray about everything and thank him for all he has done! -Philippians 4:6
Encourage yourself in the Lord like David did all through Psalms and his life. He didn’t wait to “feel” like it but he did it and that’s when the Lord came through and did what only he can do. (I’m preaching to myself first here.)
Blessings dear friends I hope this find you well!
Natty
My almost two year old baby!
P.S. Did you see the chair on my cover photo?? I don’t know what it is about me but i’m in love with old chairs! That same day we had all those errands and our Zoo trip we picked up that adorable chair. It is at least eighty years old but could be even older! The elderly Lady who owned it said she used it as a child and that’s as far back as she knows it’s history. That scares some people but my kids are already asking me if their kids can use it haha. Something about old charm! Anyway thought I’d share a fun fact about us :) (I should say the kids and I)
P.S.S. My husband isn’t too thrilled about it ;)
(I love you darling 😘)