Sunday, July 15, 2012

Spiritual Attack Testing My Faith - Part 4

We finished a week of VBS.  I had such a blast leading the Celebration Time at the beginning and end of each day.  I get to review the Bible Points, Bible verses, and Bible stories with the children, as I teach them the words and motions to the VBS songs that we sing throughout the week.  I love praising God with song, and I love leading others in worship, too.  We had our closing program last night, where we shared with the parents (family & friends) what we learned through the week and sang 6 of the songs we learned during our Celebration time.  We also watched a slide show that my husband put together of all of the different activities that took place through the week.  Everyone enjoys seeing the slideshow at the end of the week.  We finished up with an ice cream social in the gym.  What fun!

I really enjoyed being able to lead the music, with all of the dancing, jumping, turning, and hand motions, during my 29th week of pregnancy.  It is a testimony of God's healing that I could do this.

I know that many were wondering if I really should be doing all of that given my history with pre-term contractions and all.  I have shared with many in my church that Jesus has healed me, and they see me eating all kinds of food and feeding my children all kinds of food.  They may just think that I had gone overboard with the whole diet thing and that nothing was ever really the matter in the first place.  I hear all the time about how wonderful my children are and what a delight they are, and I wonder if anyone remembers, or even noticed, how bad things were for us not too long ago.

Many may not have seen or experienced what we saw, because we just didn't make it to church when things were really bad or we were there only briefly.  All they would remember is that we were often absent or late, but they did not really understand the full extent of what we shared with them because they were not present to experience it.

All kids throw tantrums from time to time, so that is easily dismissed.  All kids have rashes or act unreasonable on occasion, so those are easily dismissed.  Sometimes kids just don't want to talk or look you in the eye, so that is easily dismissed when you only see a kid on occasion.  However, everyone knows that I have had "trouble" with all of my pregnancies and have ended up on bed rest and medications for pre-term contractions.  People talk, so even people who didn't know me until recently seem to know my history.  What a testimony of God's power it will be for them to see me carry my baby to term without any complications.  I look forward to seeing this miracle accomplished by the power of God so that many might believe that we have truly been healed by Jesus.  God is to be praised!

Today I have had a lot of Braxton-Hicks contractions.  It is tiring and makes me achey.  I didn't want to do much and I had no appetite.  Does this mean that I am wrong about being healed?  CKS woke up with a wet bed.  SSS was whiny all day, but we spent the day encouraging him to use his nice words and he is catching on again.  CKS had eye pain today, but we prayed for it and it went away quickly, both times.  KRS woke up a short while after going to sleep with a nightmare and could not go back to sleep for some time.  Does this mean that we are not healed?  NO!  The question is: How am I going to react to what I see?  Am I going to panic and run back to diet?  Am I going to question God's goodness?  Am I going to pray harder and work at doing things right so God will heal us once again because something must have gone wrong?  NO!  These are spiritual attacks.  At the end of the day, I recognize that all I need to do is rest in the promises of God.

I spent most of the day thinking, "Oh, no.  I don't know what is going on here.  Why is this happening?  I had such an amazing week!"  (spiritual attack, wrong thinking)  I continued to have contractions and I felt so tired.  I didn't feel motivated to do anything.  I just wanted to sleep.  Then, I got up and went shopping, because I needed to go shopping.  (it was the right thing to do)  I praised God all the way there and spent some time thinking about everything.  I began to praise God, every time I felt a contraction.  I began to recall His word.  (put on the full armor of God)  I feel great now and I am not afraid.  I am not having any contractions anymore.  My baby is moving and I feel rested and content.  I look forward to getting a few hours of sleep and waking up to go to church and lead worship in the morning.  Oh, my.  I just remembered that I need to gather all of the VBS kids in the morning to sing one song during the worship service.  Cool!  I'm up for that!  Glad I am feeling better again.

God is good all the time!  His love endures forever!  His faithfulness continues through all generations!

I WILL trust in the Lord with all my heart!
I WILL acknowledge Him in all my ways!
I WILL fear the Lord and shun evil!
I EXPECT it will bring health to my body and nourishment to my bones.
His word says it.  I believe it. (Proverbs 3:5-8)

Praise the Lord, Oh my soul.  All my inmost being praise His holy name!
Praise the Lord, Oh my soul, and forget not all His benefits,
Who forgives ALL my sins and heals ALL my diseases,
Who redeems my life from the pit and crowns me with love and compassion,
Who satisfies my desires with good things, so that my youth is renewed like the eagle's.
Psalms 103:1-5


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