Merry & Bright

Hello friends,

Its been awhile since my last blog post, let me just reiterate I love writing but sometimes in the chaoes of life it feels good to take a breather and focus on what’s right in front of you. That’s what I’ve been doing these past weeks focusing on what’s right in front of me and I’m cherishing it! Last month my husband decided through prayer and much council to quit his job even though we didn’t have another one lined up …God has totally been providing for us. I started a side business of hosting and watching dogs and within a few weeks I became the number one sitter for pet families! December is also a time where I get to show off my baking skills and this year I even am turning a profit. So all in all God has opened the doors for some pretty incredible things to help us make ends meet. While Kyle keeps seeking out which carreer path God ultimately wants him to take.

This past year has been a butt kicker. Early on I was diagnosed with Barrett’s esophagus, my husband and I where tested in our marriage in more ways than I can count, and we decided to homeschool! It has been a year of tests but it’s also been a year of strength, faith and absolute blessings! God is faithful, He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. (Colossians 1:17) This I know to be true. As this year draws to an end, I find myself hopeful and relaxed. I normally seek the new year with a sense of urgency to make it better than my last but this year I am in awe of God. I believe in Him on an entirely different level. This type A, overly stressed, controlling personality is on time out and I am finding myself completely relaxed about these upcoming months. I have been truly learning these past years that no matter what I do – I am powerless. Now I want to clarify, this does not mean that I am abandoning my values, it just simply means that I have come to the maturity in my faith where I can truly comprehend that just because I may do the things that should give me my desired outcome that’s not always a garentee that will happen. And when things don’t go the way I anticipated, I have to step back and let God take hold versus working myself up in a frenzy and freaking out! Life is full of ups and downs but let me tell you the secret I’ve been learning these past months. Prayer is truly powerful, everything will happen in God’s TIMING, and not to fear.

Seven year ago I prayed my husband would get a different job and this year it was answered! Same prayer, same reasons – Gods timing! When Kyle first quit, the week after I started to panic about medical and lack of funds. Than I took a step back and realized God is providing for me in all the ways I asked,  why would I tarnish or take away from the blessings that God has put before me? That’s when I became proactive versus reactive and started to seek out side opportunities that would help us through the holiday months. Here is the deal, so much of what we foresee as stress God has intended for three things to take place:

1) to get our focus back on Him

2) to show us his power

3) to simply bless us

Almost every hurtle I can attest to looking back, one if not all three of these things have been intricately woven throughout my life. What I may initially thought for bad God was saying no Julie this is going to be good, trust me! My youngest son for instance gets seizures and they normally occur when he comes down with a virus. For so long I’ve made myself worry and get so upset in my fear I get angry with God. But through the episodes we have had, as I look back I see God has never abandoned me, my child is not harmed by them, and I’ve learned a great deal about strength, prioritizing God over my children, and again my powerlessness in these situations. I don’t think God said Julie I want to hurt you so here you go… I think God said I want to bless you and I want you to know my power in your fear and my strength in your weakness so here is an opportunity to show you my love for you and for your child! Now that may not make much sense to you but to this mama I can look back at those times and feel comfort, relief even because I know God was working on my behalf in the moments I couldn’t even formulate words or reasons.

I am so grateful to serve a God who is all powerful and all loving! As I go into this Christmas season Celebrating God’s love has been my focus. I am so entirely blessed to have the privledge of knowing Jesus as my savior. The birth of this precious baby that has brought healing to the world and future generations alike. This year we have much to be grateful for and as I look onward I see greater blessings to come. I hope you have a merry Christmas season!

hugs,

Julie Black