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    • Our plans vs. God’s plans

      Posted at 7:00 am by sneuhofer, on January 19, 2018

      Proverbs 19:3 (NLT) People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry at the LORD.

      Have you ever been mad at God? Something bad…really bad… happens and you decide to blame God. So you yell and scream at Him because you think He allowed the circumstance to happen.

      “How can you do this to me?!” You shout. “Don’t you care about me at all? How could you have let this happen?”

      I found myself screaming those very words at the top of my lungs when our expensive attempt at in-vitro fertilization (IVF) failed. The doctor said she had only seen one other case like mine in her entire career and because of the high probability of another failed attempt, the couple decided not to go through the procedure again.

      My husband and I wanted to have a family of our own. We had been through so many fertility procedures, and even had a child in our home through our city’s foster-adopt program only to come up empty. For me the IVF failure was the final straw and I blew up at God.

      I was mad and asked the question, “How could He have allowed all these things to happen?”

      What I didn’t realize at the time is this… God’s timing and plan for my life is perfect. Instead of seeking the Lord and trusting Him through the circumstance, I flew off the handle and got angry because things weren’t happening the way I thought they should have.

      Two weeks after the IVF failed, I received a phone call from a dear friend. It went something like this:

      “Remember Andi?”

      I thought for a moment. “I remember the name.”

      “Well, she’s pregnant and wants to give you the baby.”

      “What?” My heart raced as my head processed what my friend has just said.

      “The pregnancy was unplanned and she really doesn’t feel like she could provide for a child at this point in her life. She knows some of what you’ve gone through and loves this child enough to give him or her a good family.”

      Silence hung in the air as I thought “could this be the reason everything else hasn’t worked out for us?”

      I had no idea how to respond.

      “I need to talk to my husband before going any further. You know we’ve been down this road before and it’s painful. The promise of a child and then the decision by the mother to keep the baby hurts so much. I don’t think I could go through that again.”

      “I know. When she told me I told her I couldn’t let you go through another heartache. She promised me it would happen…and I believe her.”

      God knows our hearts and sees our life from beginning to end. He knew the IVF would fail. His plan was for the child this woman carried to be ours. Because I could only see the situation that was right in front of me, I reacted in anger when things didn’t turn out the way I planned. But God knew I would be a mother in less than 9 months.

      His plans are so much bigger and better than ours!

      Through this journey, my faith has grown and I have learned to trust Him completely. I also know without a doubt He is working even when I can’t see what He’s doing.

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      Posted in God's plan, seeking God, trusting God | 0 Comments
    • I’m never alone

      Posted at 7:00 am by sneuhofer, on January 18, 2018

      Proverbs 18:10 “The Lord is like a strong tower; those who do right can run to him for safety.”

      When I think about running to God for safety, I think about a verse in Psalm wherein the writer iasks God to “hide me in the shadow of your wings.” (Psalm 17:8) What do you think of when you think about God? I think for me, the answer changes depending on where I am on my daily walk with Him. Sometimes I see him as a loving Father, helping me navigate the oceans, rivers, and streams of my life. Then there are times I see him as a strong tower – a Fortress of strength when I am weak.

      There have been times in my life when I have been afraid and felt like I had nowhere to run… nowhere, that is, on this earth. But I am confident in my relationship with Jesus Christ. I know I can always run to Him. He is my fortress and my strength.

      Think that you can’t last one more second in your marriage, or the job you currently hold, or the life you are currently living? Run to HIM and in Him you will find strength. He will protect you and hold you up with his mighty right hand (Psalm 139:10). Let Him be your hiding place and fill you with songs of salvation (Psalm 32:7).

      The Lord is with you (at all times) and will help you in all circumstances (Psalm 118: 5 – 6) – it is up to us to call on Him.

      You are never alone.

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      Posted in God is my perfect parent, God is my strength | 0 Comments
    • Are your eyes glued on wisdom?

      Posted at 7:00 am by sneuhofer, on January 17, 2018

      When you have tough questions where do you turn for advice? Proverbs 17:24 says “Sensible people keep their eyes glued on wisdom, but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth.” (NLT) This verse tells me that when I have a tough question or need advice on something, I should look for wisdom. Looking for wisdom can be found by reading God’s word, prayer and by seeking the advice of a trusted advisor (a more mature Christian) or a trusted friend.

      There were times in my life when I went seeking for answers but instead of praying first and asking God to place someone in my life, I sought advice from various friends (Christians and non-Christians). Depending on the subject, you can probably imagine some of the counsel I received. What I’ve learned over time is to seek out the advice of a trusted friend. Trusted friends are the people in your life who have been where you are and can help you better than anyone else.

      I think God uses our experiences for two reasons. First, He desires to draw us into a deeper more intimate relationship with Him by relying on Him when the going gets tough. Secondly, He uses our experiences to help others who may be going through similar circumstances.

      Want to grow in your faith? Ask a more mature Christian for suggestions on how to draw closer to Christ.

      Want to overcome an addiction? Ask someone who has been there and has begun an entirely new life for themselves.

      God places people in our life for a reason. Allow those people God has placed in your to help you gain wisdom and understanding.

      Related reading: Proverbs 27:17, 1 Samuel 23:16, Ecclesiastes 4:10, Proverbs 13:20

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      Posted in Christian community, Godly friends, trusted advisors, wisdom | 0 Comments
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