There are days in life when you are unquestionably be tested. God didn't promise this life would be easy. It's in the trials and tribulations that He refines you, teaches you, makes you stronger and wiser. Being a grown up isn't fun all the time. It's hard work making decisions that not only effect you, but those the Lord has entrusted you to care for. Thankfully HIs Word says if we do not give up we will reap in due season. Due season has finally come for the Sadler's. Here is a bit of our journey through the wilderness and to the Promised Land.
Now some of you may not believe in Prophesy. I encourage you to study the Word and pray about that because if God used it some 2000+ years ago to speak to His people we can rest assured that the God of yesterday, today, and forever still uses it today. While Steven and I were facing another difficult time in our life last year while waiting to come to Life Church, we received a "God-Word." A close friend of the family sent my mom an email of encouragement and what she felt like the Lord wanted us to hear.
Her email said that my mom would rejoice over Steven and I. It said she would laugh and cry in happiness over things she would see take place. It said we were "thinking too small." See my mom was worried after we left our last church that we would be taking our family (her beloved Weston..ha) and moving out of town in search of another church to pastor at. Her heart along with ours cried to stay close to family since we had just lost Steven's mom. God called us to Life Church beyond our wildest dreams. We have both laughed and cried in that accomplishment and joy of God's goodness. Surely we were thinking too small as God had said. But then I think God must have been laughing at us when we thought it ended there.......
I won't go into detail of the journey too much on this blog. It take a couple of blogs to show the craziness that we faced during the past 3 months. If you know us personally, you know that we just bought a house. In the same area as my parents. In fact in the same neighborhood. Four houses down. Next door to my grand-parents. Across the street from my great-aunt. In the area I grew up. I'd say our thinking was just a tad bit small. God has a great sense of humor. :) I challenge you to not limit God to a box. It's so easy to do and yet so disappointing for us. If we let God be God, He shows up in such a real way. I'm testament to that. I don't deserve His blessings but He is such a good God. I am truly blessed to be a blessing and that is what I intend on being. What are you believing for? Are you weary in the wait for it? Stand firm. He's coming in his perfect timing. You will reap in due season.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Monday, February 27, 2012
He Makes Me Want Him
If you know me personally, then you know that my husband just came home from 2 weeks in Honduras. I can honestly say that I have the utmost respect for military wives. I don't know how they do it without their husbands there. Taking care of our two year was a daunting task alone, not to mention that I just missed my best friend. In the 9 years that we've been together the most we've been apart is 5 days. Needless to say 14 days proved the statement, "Absence makes the heart grow fonder", to be true.
Finally he returned home safely and I felt whole again. Steven and I are not all "lovey-dovey" in public, but I am not ashamed to let others know that I love my husband and that my heart does hurt when he's gone. It should. As I was driving to church the following Sunday after he came home, I was thinking to myself about that previous statement of absence making the heart grow fonder. I could talk to Steven through facebook and a couple of times through telephone while he was gone. Although I had communication with him it wasn't the same. I wanted to see him physically, to smell him, to hug him.
Something hit me as I was listening to a praise and worship song about waiting for heaven and earth to meet in that perfect union one day. Just as I longed for my earthly best friend to return home from Honduras, I eagerly wait to meet my heavenly best friend. In the same way as I communicated with Steven and it wasn't enough, the same is with Christ. He sends us the Holy Spirit to guide us in this life, to be a communicator with us, to remind us that He's not far. I love the Holy Spirit but I am excited to meet Jesus face to face one day. To touch His nail scarred hands, to inhale His beauty and scent, to lounge in His glorious presence.
Now that's something to grow fond of! Just as we long for earthly relationships, our heart should long for a relationship with Christ. To think that we will forever be with Him one day is breathtaking. The trials and tribulations of this life will pass. He promises that He's returning. It's not some cliche you hear about on t.v. It's as true as time. We are His bride and He is our bridegroom. The wedding is being prepared.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Be Thankful for Frustration? No, Be Thankful for the Wisdom Learned Through It.
It's the week of Thanksgiving and Facebook is flooded with people sharing what they are thankful for. We could all sit and ponder the many things God has blessed us with and be in awe of His Goodness. Want to know what I'm thankful for? His undeniable perfect Way that shows us that who we are and what we go through is to bring glory to Him.
Case in Point:
A few months (6 to be exact) Steven and I were having car troubles with his Jeep. Turns out the transmission was messed up. We barely roll into an "undisclosed" mechanic shop and inquire about repair. He offers a fair price and a good warranty so we proceed. We pick the car up a few days later.
Less than a week or so goes by and it breaks down again. To make a LONG and PAINFUL story short, we took the car about 4 times and even had it towed once to no avail. Luckily the guy had yet to cash the check I paid him with, so we took it to a new place, had it fixed, and put a stop payment on the check.
Fast forward 6 months later..... in case you thought you read that wrong, yes I said SIX months later the original mechanic debits my account for $1200. Apparently he got my debit card number in this whole process. We still have no idea what happened with the check. Needless to say I'm freaking out and trying to figure out how this happened.
After a couple of days of racking my brain on how to fix this and how to get justice, every time I try to correct this problem it seems to get worse. It's amazing how we think we are all we need sometimes. Where is God? Oh I don't need Him... I GOT THIS! Yea right, I'm an idiot. So gently the Lord reminded that I am to trust Him in ALL situations. If I'm going to sit in church and agree with the Pastor when he says that God is for me, then I better learn how to walk the walk.
It's hard though. God never promised it would be easy. Human nature wants to get this corrected and get it corrected like yesterday! I'm not sure what is going to happen with this situation. I pray the guy does the right thing and gives us our money back. I might have to sue him. I may or may not win, but I know that if I don't that the devil has to give me my money back seven-fold. That's a nice chunk of change. :)
The moral of this story is that God does care about every aspect of our life. He calls us to trust Him and to know that He is victorious in all things. If God be for us, who can be against us? If God is on our side, what can stand against us? Not theft, not sickness. not relationship troubles, not financial issues, NOTHING.
Claim the victory with me today!
Case in Point:
A few months (6 to be exact) Steven and I were having car troubles with his Jeep. Turns out the transmission was messed up. We barely roll into an "undisclosed" mechanic shop and inquire about repair. He offers a fair price and a good warranty so we proceed. We pick the car up a few days later.
Less than a week or so goes by and it breaks down again. To make a LONG and PAINFUL story short, we took the car about 4 times and even had it towed once to no avail. Luckily the guy had yet to cash the check I paid him with, so we took it to a new place, had it fixed, and put a stop payment on the check.
Fast forward 6 months later..... in case you thought you read that wrong, yes I said SIX months later the original mechanic debits my account for $1200. Apparently he got my debit card number in this whole process. We still have no idea what happened with the check. Needless to say I'm freaking out and trying to figure out how this happened.
After a couple of days of racking my brain on how to fix this and how to get justice, every time I try to correct this problem it seems to get worse. It's amazing how we think we are all we need sometimes. Where is God? Oh I don't need Him... I GOT THIS! Yea right, I'm an idiot. So gently the Lord reminded that I am to trust Him in ALL situations. If I'm going to sit in church and agree with the Pastor when he says that God is for me, then I better learn how to walk the walk.
It's hard though. God never promised it would be easy. Human nature wants to get this corrected and get it corrected like yesterday! I'm not sure what is going to happen with this situation. I pray the guy does the right thing and gives us our money back. I might have to sue him. I may or may not win, but I know that if I don't that the devil has to give me my money back seven-fold. That's a nice chunk of change. :)
The moral of this story is that God does care about every aspect of our life. He calls us to trust Him and to know that He is victorious in all things. If God be for us, who can be against us? If God is on our side, what can stand against us? Not theft, not sickness. not relationship troubles, not financial issues, NOTHING.
Claim the victory with me today!
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