Beautiful Deception...

I am going to take a gamble that this post will not be popular with the masses. The past few days if you haven't heard any of the "rapture hype", you have been living under a rock or in a cave. Prior to this "big event", there were the jokes and the pranks that everyone was talking about... I'll admit they were funny! The "big event" came, went by and was wrong. If only it were that simple... immediately the jokes, the comments, the billboards... you name it, celebrating this "non big event" went viral. Again, I admit... some were quite funny.

Laying in bed Sunday night a realization in the form of a "Godly Anguish"(as put by Pastor Randy Harvey recently, from a quoted text by the late David Wilkerson) came to me. In anticipation of this "big event", I heard stories of people that sold all they had to await this day. Families and individuals stood on mountainsides, beaches, in fields, huddled in homes waiting on that "big event" to happen. Hoping, wishing, praying that it was true... why? Maybe one was a young girl whose reality is a life being sold into sex trafficking... maybe a dad who the meal he just fed his family was the last he had the means to provide... maybe it was someone whose reality was just absolutely hopeless in their eyes. This "big event" had been presented to them as a means to an end, a way out, an alternative reality... in the form of a "Beautiful Deception" woven with lies and un-truths, that they clung to merely because it meant a better reality than where they were currently. Of course they leapt at it, they were desperate!

So, where are they now? What has happened to their "faith"? It was shattered when they stood there as the clock ticked on into the night and they realized it was all a lie. How it must grieve our Father God to watch His children broken and deceived that way. How He must mourn them becoming the laughing stock of the world, when maybe some of them (not all of them, of course) were just desperate for a way out. We as believers in the One True God have an even greater battle before us now... how much more diligent must we strive to present the "Truth" to those in need? Will they be so easily swayed to listen this time, if not, how do we make a difference? Zech 4:6 NLT "It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies." Only with the grace and anointing of God can the Truth of God's Word penetrate and heal the walls or obstacle courses, if you will, that have now been set up to guard those hearts that have recently been broken.

I have a challenge for you... yes, the jokes are funny. No, you are not unholy for laughing..Please! My challenge is to pray that you feel the anguish of God for those that are hurting and for God to give you opportunities to show hope to those who are hopeless. Last, but certainly not least, that we would reach out to those that are feeling desperate and share the "Truth" and love of Christ... rather than leaving them hopeless and susceptible to the next "Beautiful Deception".

"What can we see better? What did we learn?"

Where have the past 6 months of my life gone? Well, I will avoid weighing down this blog post with lengthy details. In a teeny tiny nut shell; Oct. 21 2010 my husband lost his job, two days later I had a crazy medical journey begin, resulting in 5 surgeries and too many doctors, specialists, procedures and tests to name. A brief cancer scare, but I am happy to announce that I am on my way to a full recovery!!

All of this started 6 months ago and seemingly did a snowball effect from bad to worse. Now, on this side of it Jason and I have had a chance to look back and ask, "What can we see better? What did we learn?"

First- The loss of Jason's job at his former employer was a total blessing. He was so stressed out, losing sleep and overwhelmed. He was unhappy and working insane hours, never seeming to get caught up. If he had not changed jobs, there is NO way he could have cared for me, been here for me and walked with me so incredibly as he has these past 6 months. It would have killed him... God knew exactly what he was doing. The incredible thing is that he was able to do his new job, work from home and his clients didn't become busy until the "exact" week that I was well enough for him to go back in full force!! Talk about the favor and hand of God!

Second- Just like during the journey God took us on during Jeremiah's illness, on this journey God taught us that our faith, trust in Him, love for Him and love for each other was much stronger and could endure much more than we ever knew. We leaned heavily into Him and into each other and in doing that God brought people across our paths whose faith was strengthened by how God was strengthening ours.

Third- From day one God showed us that He had this covered, had us covered. We experienced a peace that truly passed all understanding. God taught us things about ourselves and our relationships with Him that we may have never discovered, unless pressed the way we were. We came out of this with a renewed intimacy with Him and absolute knowledge that He is trustworthy! Don't get me wrong, this was NO cake walk... we had the air knocked out of us a few times but His hand was sure and it was strong!

Last- This one is all me... I was reminded of how incredibly blessed I am! I have a husband who loves me so incredibly and unselfishly more than I ever could have dreamed. I am overwhelmed by him... truly. (Thank you Jason, I love you!) I am so grateful for my family that are amazingly supportive and helpful and my dearest friends who prayed and loved us through all this! Thank you so much, from the bottom of my heart... thank you!!