For He is Good to me!

Some may know, and some may not. But I will tell. That's what this is for.  God is good. God is faithful. God delivers. God provides.

⁷ For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land—a land with brooks, streams, and deep springs gushing out into the valleys and hills; ⁸ a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; ⁹ a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills.
 ¹⁰ When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you. 
Deut. 8: 7-10

      The last nine months have been quite the battle in my life. Probably the biggest trial that I've dealt with in my faith. I graduated last May thinking a job would quickly be around the corner, but that has not happened. I wanted a job related to my Master's degree- Women's Studies.  I was still working part-time at the credit union and deli. At this point, I had to move out of seminary housing and in with Mrs. Bush. What a blessing! But it was not my home with my best friend living there.  I thought I would be moving to Nashville soon with a full time job.  I also also seeing someone at the time.  However, over the course of a few months all of that changed.  I was no longer working at the credit union because they ended part-time work in July. They did not offer me a full time position, and I probably wouldn't have taken it then. The relationship ended during that time, which is okay.  I tell you all of this to tell you what I've been going through and to give God the glory for how He has worked in my life and continuously shown Himself to me.  Believe me, when I say that I have read more passages from Deut. than imaginable.  I was being an Israelite during this time, which is why it was so hard. I was stomping my feet! I wanted my Egypt back! I wanted what was comfortable and what I was used to even though apparently that was not what God had for me. I wanted the manna and the quail and couldn't see that He was asking me to feed on every Word that comes from His mouth. This transition has been difficult from seminary into the real world. - I've been like "Now what God? - Am I really supposed to work 2 part time jobs with a Masters degree?"

¹⁷ You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” ¹⁸ But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.  Deut. 8:17 & 18

      So. Yeah. That's been my life.  However, I say all this to say that God is faithful. He has shown Himself as the provider.  I have not been left wanting for anything. I am thankful for the friends He has placed in my life, and their solid encouragement in the Word and Truth.  I don't want to be an ungrateful Israelite any more. I am tired and exhausted, and I certainly didn't walk the desert for 40 yrs.  But it feels like it. That's what happens when you battle your faith and examine to see if you really are going to trust in God.  I do trust God. I am thankful for the trials that allow me to stumble my way to Him. I can't see the whole picture at one time [which I would love to see it all, right here and now] BUT I have a God who loves me and whether or not I understand the way things have worked out for me, He does. He understands it all and is not steering me away from anything other than His plan. And for that- I am thankful and excited!

           I read an article by Elisabeth Elliott this week: During her time in the jungles of Ecuador working with the Auca Indians, she asked herself: "What am I doing here?" {Side note: at this point I was crying at work reading this - Ohhh the times I've said that} But I go on. So she is asking herself that question and realized that God was preparing "me for  what He had for me."

To be continued....