In 2002 I know that God told me He would bring beauty from ashes in my marriage. Wasn't really sure what it meant at the time. We struggled, like a lot of married couples do, but we had weathered the storm. I guess it just made me feel good to know that God was going to use the "yuck" we had endured and we would experience beauty.
Fast forward 6 years and Don files for divorce. Huh? Lord, this makes no sense. I am sure of what you said to me. So for many months I continued to pray for restoration and for healing. Yet, it wasn't to be. The divorce was final and the door was shut.
Or was it? Honestly I wasn't sure what to do. What do you pray for now? How do you reconcile what you know God told you with the circumstances that are staring you in the face? With the reality you are living? What does beauty mean anyway?
For me...I wanted it to mean that our family would be healed and whole. I know that would be God's perfect will for us. But as humans, we have free will and God is not going to force us to do anything. I have given up praying. I have given up.
Well...I had! You see, I stopped believing in miracles. I stopped believing that my teenagers would ever be able to get past their pain and love their dad. I stopped believing that Don could really come to know God. I stopped believing that God would bind up my broken heart. When you stop believing, you stop praying for it.
Just what satan wanted. And then, the story of Andrew. If you read my previous post, you have read of the faith of his family as they prayed through dire circumstances. There was no hope for him, yet they prayed BELIEVING. I would shake my head as I would read Melanie's words and wonder what she was going to say when God didn't come through. (oh what little faith I had) Andrew's story has helped renew my faith in the power of prayer. In the reason for prayer.
Fervently I am praying for each member of my family. David belongs to Jesus and satan can't have him. David says that "God just doesn't work for him any more", but I know differently. Ellie says she just wants a normal life and will never have it. Well, Ellie I am praying for God's blessing on your life. Don made a commitment to the Lord in 1998 and I know that the Lord will continue to hound him. Not hound him to punish him, but hound him because HE loves him.
What did God promise me? Beauty from ashes. I AM CLAIMING IT!!
20 comments:
AMEN and AMEN. When I have not been able to pray in the past, I KNOW others were faithfully praying for me and God was glorified . Never doubt Sheryl that, even when you couldn't pray, others who love you and your family were lifting you up to our Jesus who said I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU OR FORSAKE YOU.
Much love, Linda
I do not know the hows, the whys, the circumstances, or the reasonings behind God's ways...but what I do know in my human fraility, is that HE will continue to work out His plans and purposes in each and every one of our lives. All I know is that HIS ways are higher than my ways...because He is God and I am human. In studying Joseph and his life, I know there were many times, in so many of his circumstances, he just could not possibly have figured out how God was working. In the end he knew, and in the end we will all know. For now...I will keep trusting...for you, your family, for Melanie and her family, for me and my family...for each of us. Therein lies my peace.
So glad you decided to pick up what you let drop off and are continuing forward with your prayers. God is good. You will see that beauty. I believe it with all my heart.
This is a beautiful post...that scripture has been on my mind a lot lately, too. And you are right...no matter what David SAYS, he is a child of God. His name is already written in the book of life. He is chosen. It might just take him a while to see God in all of this...
God is good...and you are walking that narrow path gracefully...xoxo
AMEN! Stand on the promises! In 1992 when I was struggling through healing from an abortion in my past and suffering from severe infertility I was having a pity party to myself as I was riding on the freeway with my husband. I was thinking, "I will never have children." It was the first time I heard the Lord and I didn't really understand He spoke to people but it was so clear I thought I heard it with my ears. He said, "You will have a daughter." Not a child, a daughter. 2 years later when my son came along, I knew it wasn't the fulfillment of the promise immediately so although he was an answer to prayer, he was not the promise. Again I waited, when we adopted our son, again I knew although we had been given a gift, the promise remained. It was almost 10 years from the time she was promised until she finally arrived, but as we battled through our son's horrible adoption, for three years every night I would go in and pray and cry over him, begging God to let us keep him as He promised (he gave us his name, it meant permanent, also a promise from God) I would then go in and pray over my daughter, God's living testimony to me that he ALWAYS keeps His promises - ALWAYS... and on that you can stand secure! (Sorry so long - even for a Reader's Digest version. Blessings to you!)
What a great post and we all need that reminder....I have seen the hand of God move in
the many ways, in the most horrible scary curcumstances....especially when we almost lost baby Jack to menengitis.
I fully agree. What He promises He will do!
Hugs,
mimi
Beautiful. Definitely keep praying. I so often don't understand things but do believe that God is sovereign and will use every thing to bring glory to Himself.
Beautiful post.
How encouraging Sheryl. Love it, and love you.
When I get discouraged with the waiting, I always think about how long Abraham waited for Isaac! We cannot see with our eyes sometimes, but we can trust Him who never changes!
Okay, sweetest comment ever today when I opened up my inbox... thank you so much for the blog love today!!
Your faith in God's promises is inspiring!
Yes, Lord, beauty from ashes. You are in the business of miracles. The greatest ones occur in the heart. Thank you, Jesus, for capturing mine. Thank you for precious Sheryl and her family. Restore the years the locust has eaten. We praise You and wait in expectation. You are mighty to save.
wow...what a post. I kept thinking how is she writing what I'm feeling. Your words about not believing and not praying. Wondering how foolish Melinda would look when God didn't come through. Knowing too that God won't force His will on us but gives us free will. Oh how I struggle with that. I say "God, just make him, just do it, force him to see." Oh, and then how God is hounding Don. Oh, how I know that pray...praying God hounds, woos, never lets go of my beloved either because He loves those wondering more than we ever could.
Sheryl, you have touched my heart in a place that really surprised me. I don't know why I'm so affected but I feel so moved by this. Is God telling me to have more faith, to keep believing, to stop doubting, to keep praying, praying harder and more fervently.
I missed your post on Andrew but will for sure read it.
Thanks so much for being God's hand to me today in a way I don't even know...
Love,
Paula
Amen Sheryl! God is working all things together for your good. Keep believing Gods promises. He restored my marriage after being divorced. I began to pray for my husband and he was saved 3 years later. This was over 30 years ago and we are still together today. It wasn't an easy road, but the rewards have been well worth the effort in prayer and patience
Were you to write a biography, I could just copy it and insert my name and the various family member names!
God is good - - Oh so good!
Blessings,
Kathleen
P.S. Thanks for dropping by. I appreciated your route to the book "God Forgotten". It made me smile (it was so-o-o-o like the Lord).
my husband decided earlier this year he wanted a divorce. after it came to light he'd been having an affair for 18 months. and we were in marriage counseling because i was determined to work through it toward restoration. and then HE decided to leave...
i feel for your heart.
because i understand.
Wow, this is so exciting!
I love when God is "on the move"...
Really, God has been dealing with me also in the faith department since Andrew's sickness.
I love seeing God being glorified and lives changed and challenged.
So blessed to read what the Lord is doing in your life Sheryl!
Keep believing...
PS My daughter in love got to meet you, she was excited♥
Hi Sheryl,
In reading your amazing blog, I think that this time period is a definitive trial for you. As you stated that God has spoken there is "Beauty in the Ashes". It reminds me of Chapter 3 in Daniel where the 3 were tested by fire and that they came through the fire without burns, that their were 4 seen in the flames as God was with them and that they were no burned as ashes nor did they smell like smoke! I am reminded of someting that I learned from one my fabulous mentor's that through trials we can either refuse to go through the fire, or that we can go through the fire or we can burn by the fire. Here, I think, is where our free will comes into play and that this is a time that we can grow Spiritual with God by going through the fire and relying upon our faith in God during our trials. And thus, come out of the ashes in the beautiful Glory of God without smelling like smoke!
God Bless you and your precious family! I would like to thank you for sharing, your honest and endearing belief in our Savior
God.
Jesus loves you and so do I my Sister in Christ.
Cindi
Bravo, what necessary words..., a brilliant idea
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