Yesterday was simply not my day. It was beautiful sunny and bright. but by 11am the phone had rung close to a dozen times with bill collectors wanting money that was simply not there to give them. and with money not there it is imperative that we heat with wood not oil. So I set about to clean out the stove, reset the doors with new seals and clean the basement and get an area ready to be able to stack the wood in the dry. that is when I went outside with a bucket of ashes for the garden and found our dog shot and dead in the back yard. It felt like the last straw and I simply sat down and cried. It felt like our struggle was just too much. I could simply not find courage to think of anything good. I went a prayed several times and was just simply down for the count. then i got my computer back on line and put on the Gospel Station. a gospel music station out of OK and the first song that came on says, Satan has desired to sift you like wheat, but Jesus is standing there to keep you from harm. can't remember the exact wording. Just that it spoke to my soul. and even though our situation changed little, it totally changed my attitude the rest of the day. I even eventually spoke with one of those collectors and made arrangements that we could meet to at least stop their calls and give us a small reprieve and told him about my day. He made a comment about how even in the severe situation I was still able to be happy and he hoped that things would soon be better for us.

I hope todays scripture speaks to you like it did to me.
"31": And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:


Love and prayers, Locklady

LL,sending you a hug through cyberspace...

LL, didn't you just go on a vacation recently? How can you afford that, but not be able to pay your bills? Did someone else cover the cost of your vacation? I'm sorry bout your dog being shot.

circumstantial, that's a wee bit rude to ask that. I believe her son covered the cost of the trip. It's easy to look on and wonder why others aren't making a go of it but we have found many times that even if it looks like there should be money sometimes there is a lot of unexpected expenses or medical bills you can pay on for years and if you have a business of your own, other people looking on never know what your overhead is,even if they think they do.
God sees the money that we give even if no one else knows and I have decided that even if it goes to someone who doesn't really need it, the blessing is ours.

Let me share an experience with you. Many years ago, the Lord told my husband that we should give a certain couple some money when we went to see them. We didn't have much ourselves and when I saw their expensive furniture, their apartment, and their car, I told my husband they didn't need it so we didn't give it. Later on we found out they hardly had money to buy groceries. You see God doesn't care whether we think they need it or not, He cares about a person's needs. I got a speeding ticket going home that night that cost me double what we would have given. Some may not think it was punishment, but when my husband says the Lord tells him to give something, I say yes.

Sometimes giving can be just as much of test of obedience on our part as well as answering a prayer for someone else.

I know LL and she is a most giving and generous person there is. calledoutPTL

Cupcake. Good post on giving. calledoutPTL

to circumstantial, I think you need an answer even if it may not be necessary. Yes I did take a trip. Yes, my son paid for my ticket. I spent most of my time taking care of my grandchildren while their mother recovered from having her 5th child in 5 yrs. They lost their first one. It was the first time that I saw my 7 grandchildren and their parents in a yr. I was only 1 1/2 hrs from many dear friends here on the forum and was not able to arrange to see them because I was not paying for my expenses.
Just 14 mos ago we were in the best financial situation that we have been in, in our entire married life, then we got a 75% pay cut. We managed to keep up for a long time but we have not regained close to that income and finally we are simply behind. Our son that lives at home has also recieved a pay cut so that also cuts what he pays to help with expenses.
I will say here also, that I did not make my post this am, looking for sympathy, but to give testimony that even in trials that God gives a person strength to face it. Yes Life hurts, no it is not always fun. But roses also have thorns and are some of the most beautiful fragrant flowers on earth.
Yes, we have made some mistakes in life and yes, we could be better money managers. We are attending a 14 week course on money management right now. That was also funded as a gift. There are some folks here that have been to our house and they can tell you we do not live a high life. and I can tell you from personal experience that you can be very well dressed with clothes that are delivered to your vehicle in Garbage bags.

Love and prayers, Locklady

I totally feel the pain but you've got the grit. Such times causes us to appreciate the better times.

In my own life after my farming bankruptsy some 35 years ago, I remember when having temporary custody of my oldest daughter and we got down to cherrios and only water to mix in. Hey! Now when I thank Him for our daily food I still really mean it! Not that you are in those type of straights by any means, but in tough times the tough get going.

The same Oct. that the farm went away my first marriage went away and my church told me to go away as well! There was a whole lot of going away in that chilly Oct.

I was so whipped and felt like a complete failure. When my church told me to go away, that was the last straw, it broke the camel's back. Lying alone in a ten by fifty, our nice home having gone away as well; one morning my name was very loudly called out! I somehow knew it was God! A few years later He drew me to Himself and I have been in His embrace ever since! I would't let go of Him for any part of the world, be it religious or secular.

At the worst point I remember saying to myself, if that is christianity the world certainly does not need it. It was some 20 years later when I could begin to think in terms that the church who told me to go away in that unbearable and broken time, was a part of the christian scene. I now realize that this particular church does have some legitimate ministry in the human family.

I do not even know why I say all this to you, maybe there are harder times coming and we're being prepared. Keep on keeping on!

I'm with you LockLady, the crap that happens in peoples lives can't always be a result of the their relationship with Christ. The Hells Angels are doing pretty good in business while few Christians businesses are succeeding at the same rate. ;P We don't breeze through life because we say O Jesus...We struggle not because we are sinning but because we live in world that is flawed.
Good ethics don't always bring capital, Good moral living does not always ensure health. To believe that every adversity is a punishment from God is depressing and restricting. To believe every good thing we get is deserved as result of our faith is pretty arrogant in my opinion.
I just cringe when I hear the people say God will not give us anything we can't handle cause that is a lie...He will never give us anything He can't handle. This is true in my life so many times. Looking back I know it wasn't I who walked through the storm, I couldn't have handled it.
The reality is He carried me.
I've know many shiny happy people who are dancing in their glass houses singing the praises of their faith, claiming it has brought them a safe little paradise. The keep singing it was their heritage, their church, their decision to follow Christ that put them into that happy safe haven. What I have come to realize is that believing that is just silly...the feel good message they preach from their million dollar pulpits blind their eyes to the fact that the very glass surrounding them is the danger. I used to believe that too, I thought that shiny, happy, sparkling glass was my protection. I hate to break it to those who live there...but all that security can shatter with one stray bullet. It is the flying glass that cuts you to shreds while you lie there bleeding from the bullet wound...."If your life was right with Christ you wouldn't have been the target"....Your feel good churches will slice you to bits when you need them most and they will walk away feeling vindicated because they believe that it's all your fault.
I would like to take these feel good prosperity sermons to the third world countries and see how well they would fly there....just tithe more to me and my church and God will bless you more then you can imagine, tithe your way to being a millionaire...You see God's truth is the same for me and the mom who is working desperately to feed her kids in Africa.
Lets keep that in mind as we watch them tell us that they deserve their shiny happy life, because they love Jesus...Locklady I'm thinking...its close to Halloween and nothing spooks these people more then to see us bleeding gunshot victims dancing on broken glass....so just keep dancing sister!
You are an inspiration to the rest of us!

Locklady, I feel for you in your suffering right now. Keep your head up and stay positive, the sun will come up again! We have just finished our bankruptcy action and now scrape and scrimp to hang on to our farm for another year and it seems that people line up to kick you when you are down! What I find funny is that the mennos tell us that our problems are a punishment and sign from God, but when the same things happen to their members, it called a "test". Hang in there, keep your faith, you'll make it!