God Is Always Enough

Over the past few weeks, my Dad and I have been watching The Bible Series on the History Channel.  While I have heard many positive as well as negative comments concerning this popular miniseries, I have personally enjoyed watching this phenomenal representation of the Greatest Story ever told.  To feel as if I am walking beside Moses as God gave him the ability to part the Red Sea.  Or to feel the intensity that Daniel felt as he was in the midst of those hungry lions.  It was so incredible to watch as the walls of Jericho were tumbling down.  What an amazing journey to travel with Mary and Joseph on the road to Bethlehem, knowing that the King of Kings and Lord of Lords would soon make an entrance into this world.  As I watch these heroes of faith walk down the road of life, I soon realize that their lives were not a lot different from our own.  Sure, our struggles are much different, but one thing is certain.  No matter what we’re facing, God is always enough.

Like David, are you facing a giant in your life?  Or do you feel as if you have been thrown into a fiery furnace like the three Hebrew children?  Perhaps you feel like you are being asked to do the unthinkable, much like Abraham’s obedience to God was tested when he prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac.  I want to encourage you today.  God will be with you wherever you go.  God will give you strength in every situation.  Our God will always be enough.

David knew that God was on his side.  He said to Goliath, ““You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty” (I Samuel 17:45 NIV).  He knew that if he had faith even as small as a mustard seed, God would provide the courage and strength he needed to stand up to Goliath.  He didn’t need a lot of armor or weapons.  He didn’t need Saul’s army.  All he needed was a small stone and a slingshot.  Why?  Because God was enough.

I’m sure the three Hebrew children were afraid as Nebuchadnezzar said that he would throw them in a fiery furnace.  They said to Nebuchadnezzar, “our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand” (Daniel 3:17 NKJV).  Even in the midst of their fear, they did not bow down to other gods.  They trusted in the one true and living God.  They knew that He would be enough.

Consider Abraham.  God spoke to him and said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah.  Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you” (Genesis 22:2 NIV).  What must he have been thinking?  I’m sure he was questioning God.  Still, he obeyed God.  One thing I think is important is the fact that he didn’t decide to think about it or pray about it to prolong the inevitable.  The Bible says that he got up early the very next morning and headed to the mountain (Genesis 22:3 NIV).  Abraham trusted God fully, with the knowledge that God would always provide.  Even as his son questioned what was going on, Abraham replied, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son” (Genesis 22:8 NIV).  Just as Abraham was about to take his son’s life, he saw a ram caught among the thickets.  He knew that God had provided the sacrifice, sparing his son.  God knew that Abraham trusted Him to the point of making the ultimate sacrifice.  And Abraham knew that God would always provide.

What problems are you facing in your own life?  Is it a daily struggle to lose weight?  Or are you trying to stop smoking or taking drugs?  Are you recently widowed or divorced?  Maybe you are afraid because of someone or something that has been haunting you each and every night.  Has your faith waivered to the point where you find it hard to trust God at all?  I want you to know that God has not left you.  He sees your pain.  He knows where you are.  He will always be enough.

I pray the song below is an encouragement to you.  It is one of the most anointed songs I have ever heard.  I know that God must have had His hand on Kelly Garner and Kevin Stokes as they penned the lyrics to this song.  And I know that God has His hand on Karen Peck Gooch every time she sings this beautiful song.

My God will always be enough,

For the longings of my soul.

He alone can fill my cup,

Till my spirit overflows.

From a well of living water,

He renews me with His love

My God will always be enough.

Whatever you are facing, God will always be enough.  Call on the name of Jesus Christ right now.  It doesn’t matter if you are sitting in your pajamas in your living room, or if you are walking down the aisles at the local grocery store.  Jesus loves you more than you could ever imagine and you can talk to Him every day of the year, every moment of the day.  For all of your physical shortcomings and emotional weaknesses, He will always be enough to make you whole and to make your life complete.  If you feel empty, He will fill you up.  If you feel alone, He will be your Friend who remains closer than a brother.  If you feel like you are living in a world of uncertainty, you can be certain of one thing.  Our God will always be more than enough.

In Christ’s Love,

Jennifer

Escape the Worry

On February 10^th, I had the privilege of hearing my friends Karen Peck and New River minister at Taylor Church in Sanderson, Florida.  While the lyrics of the songs were a blessing and the music seeped deep within the innermost parts of my soul, there was one thing that stood out like a skyscraper in the midst of a sea of single story homes.  During the altar service, Karen spoke specifically of people who may feel bogged down with the worries and the cares of life.  She said that the service may be providing an escape from all of that worry.  As I stood there, I realized that this was likely true for the majority of people in the room.  And I knew that it was especially meant for me.  All week, I had been carrying a ton of bricks on my shoulders and just as I thought I would crack under the pressure, God reminded me once more that He always knows what I need.  And sometimes, I just need an escape.

February 7^th, just three days before, should have been the day that my dad and I celebrated a very special occasion.  I should have been busily wrapping gifts, writing a special card, and decorating a beautiful birthday cake for my sweet Mama.  She would have been 57 years old.  Now, nearly five years ago since she passed away, I wonder why God chose to take her at the young age of 52.  She died of a heart attack while we were watching The Waltons in our camper.  We were on vacation, our camper parked directly across from a waterfall, surrounded by the beauty and splendor of the Great Smoky Mountains.  One minute, life seemed like a dream.  And the next, reality gave way to a nightmare.

There were no goodbyes.  I cannot recall what I said to her last or what she said to me.  We pleaded for her not to leave us, and later stood by as the paramedic mouthed the words, “I’m sorry.”  While the disturbing nightmares have subsided, I still vividly recall the moment my dad and I sat beside my mom that night and tearfully sang, “Living by Faith.”  In the deepest, darkest moment of our lives, when no hope seemed to be found, we clung on to the words of this beloved hymn:

Living by faith in Jesus above,
Trusting, confiding in His great love;
From all harm safe in His sheltering arm,
I’m living by faith and feel no alarm.

Sitting in our camper that night, I must be honest and say that having faith was nearly impossible.  The emergency lights flashing outside may have disappeared, but they had taken my Mama with them.  And she would not be riding home with us on the journey back to Florida.  The following week was a traumatizing blur of preparations for the funeral.  I had always looked forward to the day that my mom would help me select a wedding dress, but instead, I was selecting a dress for her that I would never see her wear again.

I miss my Mama more than anyone or anything I have ever lost.  I have three siblings, three grandparents, four great-grandparents, one parent, and many aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends in Heaven.  But losing my Mama was the most devastating experience of my entire life.  My mom, dad, and I were truly like the Three Musketeers.  We were always together, enjoying life together.   Now my dad and I continue to enjoy life together, whether we are at home or abroad.  I am forever grateful for the close father-daughter bond that my dad and I share.  Together, we continue living by faith, with the knowledge that God has a perfect plan for our lives.  While we may not always understand the twists and turns we encounter on this journey called life, we can rest assured that “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28 KJV). 

While some days like my mom’s birthday and Mother’s Day are especially difficult, there are numerous days that are free from worry and free from the stress of this world.  Whether it is a word spoken or song sung at church, a smile or hug from a beloved friend, or a stress-free vacation with my dad, I find that God provides sweet escapes precisely when and where I need them.  I can tell you from experience that these are the moments in life that our faith is completely restored.  These are the times when we have a fullness of joy and hope abounds.  By putting our trust in Jesus Christ, we will find that the awesome days we experience in life will ultimately spill over into the not-so-easy days, providing a perpetual light in the darkness, hope when we’re hopeless, and an escape when we feel there is no way out.

As I write this blog, my heart hurts as I relive the sorrow of that tragic night in North Carolina.  Tears threaten to well up in my eyes and blur my vision as I type.  Yet I am speaking from my heart with the hope that I can encourage someone who is looking for an escape from the worry.  I want you to know that there is a way out.  I Corinthians 10:13 (ESV) says, “God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”  No matter what you are facing, whether it is the death of a loved one or any other burden that you carry, God is faithful.  He will never give you more than you can bear.  Do not give up.  Even in the midst of the darkest night of your life, I can personally tell you that there is hope, even when life seems hopeless.  There is sunshine awaiting you.  Because at that very moment when it seems there is no way out, God will provide an escape.

In Christ’s Love,

Jennifer

Bridge Out!

Yesterday morning, my dad and I began our journey to Sanderson, Florida.  As I was driving down the road, my heart filled with excitement and anticipation as I looked forward to seeing my dear friends, Karen Peck and New River.  On the way there, my complete and utter joy briefly faded when we encountered an unexpected detour.  When we were less than 30 minutes away from the church, we came to a place in the road with a large sign that said, Bridge Out.

We had driven for over an hour for the sole purpose of attending church and fellowshipping with dear friends, just to find that the road had been closed.  I immediately began to silently pray that God would show us how to find our way as my dad studied the road map to find an alternate route.  With several twists and turns on winding dirt roads and one particularly narrow little bridge, we finally reached the main road once again, beyond the point where the bridge was out.

As we proceeded on our way to the church, I thanked God for giving my dad the wisdom to use his expert navigational skills in order to find the best route to travel to reach our destination.  Fortunately, we allowed some extra time for wiggle room, just in case we encountered any obstacles along the way.  As such, we arrived at the church with plenty of time to spare.  The service was anointed and the fellowship was sweet.  It was a morning that encouraged, uplifted, and inspired me.  But without that wiggle room, we would have missed out on a blessing straight from Heaven above.

On the way home, I couldn’t help but think about the way that life is a lot like our encounter with the bridge being out.  Many times, we are sailing along through life, going to work, going to church, fulfilling our daily obligations, and then, suddenly, we come to a point in the journey where the road has been washed out.  All of our routines and schedules come to a crashing halt.  We sit staring at the Bridge Out sign, uncertain as to what we should do.  Should we sit there in despair, look for a detour, or simply give up on life because of this obstacle that has entered our path?

Sometimes, there will be things in life that are beyond our control, much like a road or bridge being closed.  It could be that someone in our family gets sick, a friend is in a car accident, or a neighbor’s house burns to the ground.  But when something unexpected comes our way, we have to learn to make allowances for these things that alter our plans, no matter how difficult this feat may seem.  We cannot dwell on the sign that says Bridge Out.  Instead, we have to allow wiggle room.  We cannot abandon the hope that we have in Christ.  We have to remember that He is faithful and He will never put more on us than we can bear.  We have to take our eyes off of the road ahead of us and fix our eyes on Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ will be our Guide through every moment of our lives.  He will make a way when there seems to be no other way.  Jesus Christ is “the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6).  By focusing on Him, we will be able to overcome any obstacle that we face.  If we allow some wiggle room in our lives, then our lives will be forever changed.  He will bring peace that passes all understanding, hope in the most hopeless of situations, and infinite joy along the journey.  So the next time you come to a Bridge Out sign, don’t give up.  Allow Jesus to intervene in your circumstances.  Jesus Christ will be your Bridge when the bridge is out!

In Christ’s Love,

Jennifer