Opportunity granted

I'm always looking and praying for opportunities to reveal God to my children. I want them to know how real He is, how close He is...closer than a brother, how much He loves us...more than we can ever imagine. That He protects us and provides for our every need. I want them to know that God just isn't someone we learn about on Sunday or say prayers to before we eat our meals. He is our Father...our best friend...our creator... & loves us so much that He became a man himself, sacrificing his own life so that through Jesus we can have a personal, real, honest, daily relationship with him. Everything we say or do should first be filtered through the truth of His word & should be reflection of His love and work in our lives. I want them to know that their lives are truly in His hands, and although He has given us charge over them for a time, that their lives & futures are ultimately His.

As I type, my mind is still reeling over the morning happenings at my parent's apartment. I am here by myself with the kids for the day. To make a long story short, I owe my parents a toaster. But what I really wanted to share was the obvious way God protected my children and the many reminders of his hand in my life that he has placed on my heart in the last few hours.

#1 He is near...always! He is closer than we can even begin to imagine. The toaster was absolutely engulfed in flames & all I knew to do was to call out to him. I also knew I needed to unplug it and/or close the door to smother it...which I did...somehow. I do NOT remember how I did it. I know I didn't reach into the flames, which I would have had to do to close the door or unplug it...but somehow, that's what I did...or did He? All I know is when it was over, the flames were gone, the apartment was filled with smoke, the alarm was sounding, all three kids were screaming...but we were all safe - and He was HERE with us. I felt His presence like never before. But what He reminded me in the aftermath was that He is that close ALL the time. Why does it take a fire that threatens my family to remind me of it?

#2 He has a specific plan for each of us. I had just told Joshua I was going to run down to the van to get some clothes. (My parents live on the third floor of an apartment building) The minute I put my hand on the front door I thought, "Oh I have lunch in the toaster, I better check on it." The second I stepped into the kitchen, the toaster went up in flames, followed by the wood cabinets above. Nobody will convince me that it wasn't the Lord that spoke to me at the door. Two words for those that know me - Mommy brain. Do you know how many times a week I put bread in the toaster in the morning only to discover it at lunch time? I held on to Ella a little longer today before I put her down for her nap. As the Lord spoke the words to my heart, they came forth from my mouth, "the Lord has a plan for you, sweet girl" Jeremiah 29:11 says "I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you & not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future" I don't know how many times I've read that verse in my life, but today it had new meaning. He doesn't just have any future for us. I believe He made it clear to me today that He has a specific plan for each of my children on this side of eternity. So far all I know is that it included today. I was about to walk out the door. I would have been gone. He didn't save me today. He saved my children. He has a plan for them, & though it may be threatened, nothing can thwart it.

#3 He answers prayer. I'm sure you have all seen the news about the boy in Florida that was burned by his classmates. I had trouble sleeping those first few nights, heart-broken by the horror that little boy must have endured, trying to imagine what his Mom must be going through, and fighting nightmarish thoughts of my own children suffering a similar fate. I finally took it to the Lord, knowing these thoughts were not from Him. These thoughts are paralyzing me with fear & I know you do not give us a spirit of fear. I know I sound paranoid, but you know my thoughts anyway, so I may as well voice them to you. Please heal that boy, comfort his mother, and please, please protect my children from ever having to bear the pain from a similar experience... I release my fears to you & accept your peace that passes all understanding....

Take it as you may, but I believe with all of my heart that He answered that prayer today. By the way, I did take the opportunity to talk to Joshua about God's obvious hand in our lives this morning. It was a sweet time. Our pastor really challenged me last week with this question: "Is the life I'm living worthy of the death He died to give it to me?" I hope to make a better go at it.

I came so that they may have life and have it more abundantly John 10:10