All things are possible, only believe

Smith Wigglesworth said, "Only believe, only believe, all things are possible, only believe." 

   If you were to ask me when were you the closest to God you've ever been, I'd wish I could say today (and I'm almost there) but I would have to say the beginning of my senior year of high school.  I don't even want to go into how long ago that was...  I had some setbacks and made some not so wonderful decisions that year and then went off to college.  Once in college, I joined Chi Alpha and continued to serve the Lord, but not in the completely surrendered way I had just the year before.  Then in 2000, I made some changes and got back on track.  In 2001 I began dating the man who would become my husband and we just became complacent together.  We both love the Lord and are raising our children to do the same; we strive to be good people and not the Christians who give Christianity a bad name.  We tithe and we pray together and, well, we DO all the right things.  The problem?  Our hearts haven't always been 100% surrendered...well, I can't speak for him.  MY heart hasn't always been 100% surrendered. 

  I said I would talk about it so here goes:  Three weeks ago on Monday, we were informed that Matt's job was being relocated to Houston.  We were offered a retention plan and a relocation plan and we had to choose between, stay here and not have a job after a certain time frame, or move to Houston.  I'll be honest, the relocation plan was amazing.  I was seriously tempted to move to Houston.  However, in the end, we did not feel it was God's plan for us to move.  We (and when I say we, I mean he) signed the retention papers and began the process of  updating Matt's resume and looking for jobs online, contacting a staffing firm and of course, purchasing new interview clothes.  At least some of that was fun!  Friday of the same week, I mistakenly left my garage door open for one hour in broad daylight with my car in the garage and some lowlifes decided they needed Matt's bike, weed eater and all of his tools more than we did, so they took them.  Talk about a bad week!  Sunday morning in Sunday school we had the very last discussion on the book The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson.  I decided right then and there that I would fast and pray and my circle would be around Matt and his job.  I began fasting and praying on Monday and dedicated myself to 3 weeks.  Long story short, this past Friday, Matt had an interview for a new company and it went extremely well.  We were concerned that salary might be an issue, but we were just trusting the Lord. Sunday morning at church our pastor said to the congregation that someone in the audience would be facing negotiations in the following week and not to worry because God had gone before and negotiated on your behalf and the result of the negotiation will amaze you.  I just clung to that promise and that night as I prayed, I remembered the story of Gideon asking for a sign that he was sure of God's will.  Using Gideon as my example, I made a request of the Lord, that if this job was the one he intended for us that they would offer a specific salary and that is how I would know for sure.  The next afternoon, Monday, only three weeks after getting the relocation news, Matt was offered a job for the exact salary I had requested of the Lord!  Plus bonuses!  We were amazed!  We know that our steps are ordered of the Lord, and we know that every good and perfect gift comes from the Father.  We have NO doubt He cares for us.  In these 3 weeks of fasting and praying, of seeking the Lord and doing Bible studies, I have grown so much.  I have found a new joy that I haven't had in a long long time.  I am finally where I need to be, only moving forward this time and no more moving backward. 

  And Ya'll, during all this stress, I also managed to lose .7 pounds (yes, that is point 7 pounds, as in less than one pound) this week.  I mean, that's not awesome, but "yay me" anyway!