Stephanie Ackerman has a saying:
"When it has to do with faith, the devil wants you to second guess yourself
and to think about it and feel unworthy, so if that is happening,
then know that something you are doing is in the right direction,
because the enemy doesn't want you to share. . ."
and my two cents, in addition to that, is the devil doesn't want you to be grateful for the good either, because goodness comes from God.
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for fish, will give him a snake? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! ~ Matthew 7:7-11
Since I last wrote, which apparently were battle lines drawn in the sand, we entered the fighting ring and the devil has been flinging arrow bolts our way which we have been trying to dodge with the help of God. Our theme word this month in Documented Faith is "MOVE" 😄. I'm not very good at moving quickly, but I have the shield of Faith ⛨. "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes." ~ Ephesians 6:10-11.
I'm also moving behind God in his steps. "To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps." 1 Peter 2:21. And, "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." Galatians 5:25.
When I was little and we would go out to play in the snow, I learned quickly that my boots wouldn't fill up as quickly with cold wet snow if I stepped into the footsteps of others. Whew!
Since I was having some difficulty seeing the good, I made a two column list in a spiral notebook. One side was for the bad and the other was for the good. Yes, I really did! Our car and the husband's bank account were first in the list. The good that came out of it was a retired pastor at church came to our rescue with a Ford Taurus car he gave us to use until we could afford to get another and the bank put a stop on my husband's bank account to prevent the thieves from gaining access again and my husband received a new card!
But the devil wasn't done trying to steal our joy in God's goodness and several people made the comment that it seemed we were under attack. Yes, we were! The good gift from the pastor -- the starter quit one hour after my husband had the car inspected and we had to replace it, then the state said the car had been gifted once before and we had to pay the owner the blue book value of the car, and then after that, the car stopped, dead, on the highway when our son was driving it. God protected our son from injury! He also protected us when the clutch on my husband's father's pickup we borrowed went out on the highway as we were driving to join my husband's company's Christmas community service project. But we have the victory as the junkman bought the Ford Taurus and towed it away! And my husband found a Toyota Avalon to purchase in two days! I don't like it as well as the PT cruiser as it is difficult for me to get in and out of, but it is transportation!
And then I fell on my way to bed one night and cut my eyebrow (it was glued together and I didn't lose my eye, thank goodness!), broke my glasses (thank goodness they were still under warranty and were replaced free of charge) and broke my right hand (do you know how difficult it is to type with a splint? 😉 Thank goodness for healthy hands and my husband who took over my chores of cooking and cleaning while I was incapacitated!). I've been sick twice with bronchitis and a sinus infection (thank goodness for urgent care and antibiotics). Have had several other instances of near falls (thank goodness for my CANE -- it's been keeping me upright!).
Next, the battery pack on my laptop quit, so I decided knock off some books from a reading list and discovered my library card had expired (thank goodness, for a Christmas gift of a new laptop, a new wide-margin Bible and a renewed card!). We had our windows measured for new windows as an expected Christmas gift in October, but the window guys were dragging out the installation (thank goodness we now have them!) And then my last hair barrette disappeared and I couldn't find any replacements of the kind I like in any of the stores around here (thank goodness for a certain girlfriend who understood and found some for my birthday!).
And if that wasn't enough, $500 was used to purchase goodies from Nordstrom with our son's bank account by an unknown person. Then in the neighborhood where my guys work, an explosion occurred a half-mile away. Our son said it felt and sounded like an eighteen wheeler truck had hit the building he was in. Thank goodness for caring family who called to see about us, who gave me rides to the doctor's and physical therapy, and friends who have prayed for us during our "game" of dodge ball!
