Friday, June 12, 2009

God Give Us Strength To Get By!

It’s been a long week for me. I have had an emotional week due to financial reasons. I am tired and weary now. I don’t understand why people that try their hardest can’t make it. My husband works full time. He has gone and spoke with and put in applications everywhere he could think of. I am not a night time person (I am usually ready for bed when the kids go to bed). So he insisted on him getting the second job. I have talked to a few people about me working a few days a week with no success. I pray constantly for God to help us. He always comes through for us but I am just tired of being strong for my family every month when the bills pile up. Anyone else feel that way?  I am the positive, strong person of the family.  Right now, I feel like it’s all crashing in.

This is what Isaiah 40:29-31 says,

“He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

This is one of my favorite verses because it gives me hope that because I believe, God will give me that strength to get by. Also, it says to me that I am not the only one this happens to, I am not alone.

I’m going to leak a secret of our life. My husband believes in God, he loves church but he doesn’t always live it out. His pride of providing for his family gets in his way. He doesn’t think like me. I see the small blessings everyday. He does not. We have struggled for years financially. We can’t figure out what we are doing wrong. We don’t go buying things we don’t need. We don’t drink our money away, we don’t do drugs.  Mainly, we spend time as a family (the 6 of us), do things with our church and church family, and his family all the time. I do not work because we would be giving my whole paycheck to daycare. It’s not worth it in our minds. It may get me out of the house but I wouldn’t bring anything in. I know these constant battles with not being able to pay the bills has not helped him to be a true Christian. This morning, he asked me to find out how much is in the bank… I answered “minus $23, I needed gas”. The look on his face broke my heart. It’s not the money that I want, it’s the hope I want for my husband. I try to be strong for him because I know how much he wants to provide for his family (he loves us all so much and he wants to provide us with ALL we need) but my strength in the whole thing is getting very minimal. I want him to realize he needs to lean on the Lord to help take care of his family not try to do it all on his own.

So please say an extra prayer for my husband and our situation. I’ve been doing this every day for the past, at least, 7 years.  I am human and this life is wearing me out. We couldn’t even buy sneakers for our boys that desperately needed them, so a friend from church did it. Another friend from church has taken my teenagers to see a movie 3 times now because we can’t afford to take them. I am thankful for all our church family and family do but we should really be able to do these kind of things for them. The only way for me to get this off my chest was to write. I have been in tears all week and my head hurts!  I thank you all for listening to me ramble. The funny thing is, the scripture wasn’t even part of my plan for this post but that’s how God does things! :)

I would appreciate any prayers we can get right now.  Thank You.

Oh and yes, I AM very embarrassed right now for doing this but God tells us to be humble. There is nothing I can do but to give it to Him and wait while Jesus takes the wheel.

16 comments:

  1. Your story, your humility, your openness and honesty bring to light one family's very real, disheartening, scary predicament. Thank you for your sweet comment at my blog about our angel-hero, Garrett, whom God placed on the beach with a surfboard the same day we needed him.

    I pray for you, now, that the Lord will provide what you need to get through these times and come to pleasant places, wide open spaces, green pastures, still waters, all that you need.

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  2. Thank you so very much! I love your blog and am very thankful that you had that angel there!! Thanks for the comment and prayer! God is good!!

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  3. Sweetie, your open heart is such a beautiful thing - even in this scary time. You and your family will be in our prayers, that this can be a time you focus on coming together and building a strong relationship between you and your husband - and of course that the Lord provides, and blesses your servant's heart with an abundance of all you need and more.

    Lots of love from across the country...

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  4. Hugs Ang! You have been there for me since day one! So supportive!! Thank you for being you, don't change!!! I feel like I have known you forever! Are you my long lost friend?? LOL :) Again thank you!!!

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  5. My husband and I always say when life gets challenging that it is just an adventure and an opportunity for God to show us how awesome he is. But, sister, it sounds like your adventure has gone on long enough! Its time for your wilderness experience to end and to get into the promise land!! I'll fast and pray for you and your family this weekend. Lets believe together for a breakthrough! Love ya!!

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  6. Marci!!! You are the coolest! Thank you so much...love you too!!

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  7. I've prayed for you and your family. I will continue to pray. Lean on the Lord and He will carry you, go to Him when you are weary, He will give you rest. Keep your chin up and your hope high, use your faith as your shield. Stay in the Word, remember all the blessings that the Lord has blessed you with in the past to help you remember that He IS your saving grace and He WILL see you through this and like Dory says (sorta), "Just keep praying, just keep praying". You're in the middle of a storm but the Lord WILL calm the seas and at the end you can say that you survived this with the Lord's help. To God be the Glory!! Love ya girl and you know where I am. Call a girl.

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  8. Erika, I know I can count on you... you have ALWAYS been there for us!! Thank you! You know I don't pick up the phone unless you call, haha! You are at work anyhow! Call me later! Love you too!

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  9. I haven't been able to get you off my mind while I was at lunch today. I was thinking about my comment and I wasn't very happy with it, so...here's a new comment blog from me.

    I read the scripture today about when the disciples and Jesus were crossing the lake and the storm came up. Guess what? They were scared and rightfully so, they were in a little boat and a hurricane was blowing around them. It's natural for us to feel afraid when the storms of life are raging. And Jesus was asleep...sometimes it seems like when we pray that Jesus is asleep, it feels like He's not listening to our prayers and that in itself is scary especially when we are in the middle of the storm. You aren't feeling anything that you shouldn't feel and you ARE holding onto your faith for dear life. Jesus does hear your prayers and He will come calm the storm. It's natural to feel these things but we must rebuke them or Jesus will ask us like he asked the disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" Hang on to your faith girl and you will be fine.

    Hmmmm, not sure if this comment is any better? Oh well, I've tried twice, maybe an A for effort? LOL

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  10. I give you an A+...LOL. Both comments were perfect! Thanks again!

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  11. Hey Chele! Hugs from me too! I am so blessed by your steadfast faith in the Lord. I am so encouraged to see that you are resting in Him, even when life really isn't very kind to you. You are a true example of Christ-like living and REAL faith, and for that, I thank you. See, God is using even this for good - you've encouraged me and probably anyone else who is reading to continue to trust and hope in the Lord when life is so discouraging.

    That said, I hear that you are weary, and in need of an extra bit of renewal in this struggle. I am praying that God will give you a peace that passes all understanding today, and that you will continue to grow closer to Him no matter what happens.

    One scripture that I will leave you with that has encouraged me many a time is James 1:2-4:

    Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

    I wish I had the "perfect words" for you, but this is all I can think of! Blessings and hugs from one blogger-friend to another!

    Beth

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  12. Beth that was perfect for me! As a matter of fact all of the sweet comments and promises of prayer have made me feel all that much better!! I am the luckiest girl in the world today between my great (new) friends online that I feel like I've known forever! And my friends and family in "real" life! You are all a blessing to me!! Thank You to each one of you!!!!! You all made me tear up everytime just for the friendship I am realizing I have. Right now nothing has changed in our money situation but my strength is getting better with each friends prayer and support! Thank you thank you thank you!!! I can't say it enough!!!! This is exactly why I feel non christians are missing out! May God bless you all for being such great Christian gals!!! Much love to you all!!!!!

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  13. Praying that God will "show off" as He always does when we are at our lowest.

    Dear God,
    I pray your blessing of peace on Michele's family. May they feel your presence ever near. Pour open the windows of heaven with abundance in all their areas of need. You are so good. We praise your name! In the matchless name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

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  14. I love your honesty....you are humble. That is refreshing! I KNOW how you feel...we are in the same boat. Matt works full time and super hard. He is exhausted by then end of the week and really, there is nothing to show for it. We dont spend cash on extra stuff (fun stuff) and when we do...I hate saying this, my parents give us the $ for it. I dont ask for it but my mom thinks the kids should do fun things at times and she hates to have us spend the $ we dont have. God bless my parents for that!!! And the daycare thing...I hear ya there, If I worked I wouldnt bring anything in b/c it would go to daycare.

    You are not alone...and I guess you know that. It is hard to see our men working so hard and it does break their hearts to not have enough $ fo the family.

    Hang in there...it will get better! :)

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  15. God bless you guys!!

    You are not alone.

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  16. Thank you again everyone!!! What wonderful people I have met!! Of course the 3 of you that commented that I have known for a long time... just thank you for being my friend and being understanding!!!! Much love to all of you!!!

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