He laughs at us! *Part 1*

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.

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. 

"Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready." Revelation 19:7