The awareness of God’s Presence is where I get my joy and courage to take on my life.
Despite waking up late, I found my way to our prayer altar and God did not disappoint.
Yesterday I searched my email looking for a specific old blog to send to someone I had promised it to. I couldn’t find it anywhere.
And because I woke up re-reading the blog for yesterday that was about the number 23, I said let me go to Page 23 out of 175 webpages and the precise blog I looked for yesterday was incredibly there:
GOD SHOWS UP AGAIN TO REVEAL HIS PRESENCE WITH US (HUGE SMILE)
This is another one of my God winks, where everything lines ENORMOUSLY TOO PERFECT to be considered an ordinary coincidence. This one started yesterday morning in a conversation with a friend about her marriage. I kept telling her that she had to set the tone for the house, being her most loving self, going the extra mile, and staying on the high road with God, no matter what her husband was doing. Then, by her showing up with that spirit, her husband would be motivated to change. She should do her best and leave the rest with God because nothing was too difficult for Him. No matter how terrible the situation may seem, she should keep giving her best for God.
Fast forward about an hour later, I randomly opened my meditation book of Bible verses, and God confirmed what I said when this was the very first verse that I opened DIRECTLY to: “Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives. – 1 Peter 3:1″
I immediately sent a pic to my friend and called her. But she freaked me out when she told me that she had just read the same thing five minutes before. I told her I didn’t believe her and that she should send me a picture of what she had read. She sent this: “If matters of conscience come up, an unbelieving husband is more likely to respect his wife’s position if it is presented with a ‘mild temper and deep respect.’ Some unbelieving husbands have been won through the conduct of their wives (Wink! Wink!), because of having been eyewitnesses of (their) chaste conduct together with deep respect.” — 1 Peter 3:1 – The Happy Family
Wow! The love of God in action! See how He is so deeply and personally involved in our lives! How could this be some mere coincidence?
Our families sticking together is important to God! These glimmers of His Presence give me joy, courage, and strength to be the person, wife, and mom God Himself would have me be. This life is too hard to do on our own!
As if God Himself was saying, here My Nik, was this the blog you were searching for yesterday?
The reason I searched for this email was to share it with another wife. Since then though, the person who I mentioned in the blog told me it was her kids begging her not to give up on her marriage. They said mommy please forgive daddy because we need both you and daddy. We will suffer and the kids at school will laugh at us.
Page 23 not only had that blog it also had so many other gems:
“The one thing I absolutely need is the one thing I can never lose: His Presence with me.”
The Jesus Calling I randomly opened to today said this:
“I AM WITH YOU. These four words are like a safety net, protecting you from falling into despair. Because you are human, you will ALWAYS have ups and downs in your life experience… But the promise of My Presence limits how far down you can go… As soon as you remember that I am with you, your perspective changes radically… I am holding you by your right hand.”
I also read this there:
I tell people all the time — I’m the queen of falls. I may fall a million times (NO SHAME!!!!), but I get back up a million and one! Why? Because I have a safety net. But today Meta said I’m not the queen of falls anymore I’m the queen of getting back up! Clock it!
“THE CHOICE TO BE BOLD rests on your confidence that I am with you and FOR you…”
From safety net to boldness! It’s all the same message: GOD IS WITH ME.
STEP 2: THE TEACHING — HOW YOU CAN MAKE GOD’S PRESENCE YOUR CONFIDENCE TOO
It’s not enough to just read about my God winks. You have to have your OWN! Here is how:
1. START AT THE ALTAR, NO MATTER WHAT TIME YOU WAKE UP.
I woke up late! I could have said “no time.” But even 10 minutes with God is better than no minutes. Your alone time is where He downloads courage for the day.
Your turn: Set your prayer altar — a corner, a chair, your car! Go there first before you scroll. Say “Good morning, God! I’m here!”
2. HUNT FOR THE WINK!
God is always speaking, but we miss Him if we are not looking. Go to http://WEROLLWITHGOD.com, open your Bible, open a devotional — and say “God, show me You are with me TODAY.”
Your turn: Today, randomly open to a page on http://WEROLLWITHGOD.com. Read half a blog! That’s your God whisper for the day!
3. REMEMBER YOUR SAFETY NET WHEN YOU FALL.
You WILL fall. No shame! But you will not stay there because His Presence limits how far down you can go.
Your turn: The next time you feel discouraged, stop and say out loud: “For the LORD will be my confidence!” Say it 3 times! Then get back up one more time than you fell!
4. DO YOUR BEST AND LEAVE THE REST WITH GOD.
I cannot change my husband, my kids, my situation. But I CAN set the tone by being my most loving self. My conduct preaches louder than my complaints.
Your turn: Who are you trying to change? Instead of another lecture today, ask: “God, what is MY best loving action today?” Do that, and leave the person with God.
STEP 3: THE WORD — 5 VERSES THAT CAPTURE THIS BLOGGY
1. Proverbs 3:26 (NKJV) — The Title Verse
“For the LORD will be your confidence, And will keep your foot from being caught.”
Why: Your confidence is not in everything going right, your confidence IS the LORD Himself, and He keeps your foot from getting stuck!
2. Joshua 1:9 (NIV) — The Boldness Verse
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Why: From Page 23 to Gate 23 — God took me from safety net to BOLDNESS! Now that you know He is with you, BE BOLD!
3. 1 Peter 3:1 (NIV) — The Marriage Wink Verse
“Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives,”
Why: The double God-wink in 5 minutes! Our families sticking together is important to God and our conduct preaches louder than words!
4. Matthew 19:26 (NIV) — The Impossible Verse
“Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.'”
Why: When kids are begging “mommy please forgive daddy, we will suffer and kids will laugh at us” — that feels impossible! But nothing is too difficult for Him!
5. Isaiah 41:10 (NIV) — The Safety Net Verse
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Why: This is your “I AM WITH YOU” safety net! He holds your right hand so you can be the queen of getting back up!
STEP 4: THE PRAYER — SEALING IT WITH EMMANUEL
Father in the Name of Jesus,
Thank You for being the one thing we absolutely need and the one thing we can never lose — Your Presence with us!
For every reader whose foot feels caught today — in marriage, with their kids, at work — be their confidence! Keep their foot from being snared! Be their safety net!
For the wife whose children are begging her “mommy please don’t give up, we need both you and daddy” — uphold her with Your righteous right hand! Strengthen her to stay on the high road, to be her most loving self!
For the mama who feels like the queen of falls — today we decree she is the queen of getting back up! No shame! A million and one!
Teach us to do our best and leave the rest with You. Give us eyes to hunt for the winks and ears to hear the whispers!
We refuse to be discouraged! We choose to be BOLD! Because You are with us and FOR us!
We seal this in the Mighty Name of our Confidence, our Safety Net, our Joy and Courage —
IN THE NAME OF EMMANUEL, GOD WITH US!
AMEN AND AMEN AND AMEN!!!
Start every day at a prayer altar having alone times with God. I love our http://WEROLLWITHGOD.com website. Go there and hang out with God even if you only read a half of a blog! Nothing better than a life close to God!
GOD DEY!