Girlfriends in God- July 20, 2020

*Click to view this email in your browser.

July 20, 2020 When Comfort is Stripped Away Gwen Smith Today’s Truth But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. (2 Corinthians 4:7-9) Friend to Friend I’ve been through hard times. I’ve asked the question why on many occasions. I’ve begrudgingly said goodbye to family and friends in order to say hello to strangers and scary new places. I know the matter of being shattered. There was a season when Brad and I lived in four different homes, in four different states, within four years. It was a difficult time. From Ohio to Pennsylvania to New York to North Carolina, we made our way across the East Coast with three little ducklings in tow. Back then, the uncertainty of tomorrow caused me a great deal of stress. A certain muscle in my back is twitching just thinking about it. The chaos began when we lived in a snuggly little town just outside Akron, Ohio and God had just nudged me into public music ministry. I sensed Him asking me to join Him on a new faith adventure, and I said, “Yes!” So, after much praying and planning, I sifted through a list of songs I had written, raised money, connected with a producer, flew to Nashville, and recorded my first CD. Did I mention that I also had two very active little boys under the age of three, and that I was pregnant with our third child? (Go ahead, laugh. The timing didn’t make sense to me either.) At the same time, Brad was doing well with his company and would soon be promoted. It was also a time of rapid and rich spiritual growth for Brad. He became the leader of our adult Sunday school class at church and led admirably. I was so proud of him. We loved our church, were plugged into ministries, and got along famously with our neighbors. We were comfortable, content, and settled. Life was good. But it seems to me that God doesn’t necessarily always want us to be comfortable and content. (I say that tongue in cheek, of course.) Our comfort turned to chaos quickly when, just weeks before Kennedy was born, Brad accepted a job promotion that would uproot us from Akron and transplant us in the suburbs outside Philadelphia. Saying goodbye to our community was torture. We had blossomed into young adults in Ohio. We exchanged our sacred marriage vows there. Gave birth to our babies there. We grew in faith as a family there. With each farewell, the weight of sadness grew heavier. When moving day arrived and all the boxes had been loaded, we hugged our neighbors one last time then drove away. As our home faded from sight, I realized a part of my heart would always live in Ohio. Once we got to our new house, I cried buckets of tears out of frustration, exhaustion, and sadness. Tension and stress became my new closest friends. The moment I said yes to God, so much of what had been comfortable and familiar was stripped away from my life. Of course, the timing wasn't coincidental. God allowed what was comfortable to be removed. He then led me to a place where I would have to trust Him and lean on Him in ways I never had before. Broken became my middle name. When we moved the only thing I could do was hunker down, spread out my motherly wings, and care for the babes in my nest. I changed diapers, chased toddlers, and cherished naptimes for almost a year. Friendships blossomed between me and other young moms, and the ladies’ Bible study at church became a vital link to both God and other women. As I studied Scripture, the Lord began to birth new songs in my heart, and although I wasn’t serving in music ministry right then, I processed my faith and life by writing songs. Fourteen months after our transition, when the chaos had finally turned to calm, Brad hesitantly announced that it was time to move again. He would take over a territory in Syracuse, New York. Were we the punch line in someone else’s joke? We always said we wanted to live in a sunny, warm place. Now we were heading further north. Yuck. We prayed fervently about the move and felt God leading us in that direction, but I wondered if God’s compass was broken. As we packed boxes once again, questions danced around in my mind. Had I heard Him wrong? Why would God call me to a task and then herd me across the country like a nomad’s cow? Starting over in New York had a strangely familiar feel. The first few months were busy and lonely. I spent much time meeting neighbors, figuring out the aisles at the new grocery stores, and finding out the best routes to take to Wal-Mart, to the post office, and to the pediatrician’s office. Finding a new church was a whole ‘nother challenge. But, in time, the matters of being shattered eventually lessened as we assimilated into the community and a wonderful church family. The Syracuse summers were lush, but the winters were long. Though snow fell often, to the tune of 150 inches a year, God’s grace fell even more. He blessed me with deep friendships, intense Bible studies, and godly leadership from the pastors at our church. Brad and I immersed ourselves into the community, even though we anticipated that our time in New York would be brief. Then, seventeen short months after we unpacked in Syracuse, Brad accepted a new, can’t-pass-it-up business opportunity, and we moved to sunny Charlotte, North Carolina. What an exhausting journey. With each move I experienced both bitter and sweet moments, but the aftertaste of the bitter moments seemed to linger a little longer than the sweet ones. It was a difficult four years. I’ve heard it said, “If the mountain was smooth, you couldn’t climb it.” There’s a lot of truth to that. Through the mountain of pain I scaled in each move, God brought me closer to Him and taught me important lessons that I surely wouldn’t have learned otherwise. Lessons about trusting God with my friendships, with goodbyes, with loneliness, with family, anger, stress, and faith. Through it all, I’ve come to know this for sure: in all things—even the hard things—God can be trusted. I know from personal experience that in the painful, tear-filled, exhausting days, God is still good and can still be trusted. He is faithful. I’ve witnessed His strength in my weakness. I’ve felt His comfort in times of loss. And though we aren’t always kept from experiencing shattered matters, we never have to endure them alone. He reached down from on high and took hold of me; He drew me out of deep waters. (Psalm 18:16) Let’s Pray Dear Lord, Thank you for always being by my side and for giving me your strength and grace when I am simply weak and broken. Please help me look to you in every shattered matter. In Jesus’ Name, Amen Now It’s Your Turn Read Psalm 34, then write out your favorite verses and commit them to memory. CONNECT: Is there someone you know who needs to read this message? Forward this devotion. Post it on social media. Share the hope of healing. Then let’s meet on my blog to PRAY for one another today or pop over to tell me which verse from Psalm 34 you connected with most today. More from the Girlfriends Feel like giving up? Exhausted and worn? Learn how God wants to bring you beyond your past heart-wounds and your present challenges to His wholeness, strength and beauty. Broken into Beautiful is a book filled with stories – real stories … gritty and honest, not cleaned up and phony. It’s also filled with Scripture that will inspire you toward the life-changing grace of Jesus. To order the book, go to Amazon or, for a signed copy, visit Gwen’s web store. And be sure to connect with Gwen on Instagram! Take theFREE 5-Day Psalm Challenge! It will guide you on a compelling, personal journey with the Lord as you read, record, reflect on and respond to His Word. Seeking God? GirlfriendsInGod.com

Bible Gateway Recommendations

Buy Now Knowing God by Name: A Girlfriends in God Faith Adventure Did you find this devotional helpful and inspiring? Read the book for more!

Copyright Information Subscription Information This email was sent to Webmaster220 Bible Study Blog by Bible Gateway, 3900 Sparks Drive SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 USA. This email is part of a devotional or newsletter that you signed up for on BibleGateway.com. For information regarding our privacy policy, click here. If you have questions or comments about this newsletter, please contact us. *Manage all Bible Gateway subscriptions — *Opt Out of all Bible Gateway communication *the blog owner has deleted the hyperlink intentionally For a treasure box of Spurgeon  here for audio and here for books or audio      Bible Study Material Free Shipping On Orders of $30 Or More (continental U.S., excludes digital products) SHOP THE SALE SHOP THE SALE SHOP THE SALE Bible Study Material from alibris Free shipping info here Take $2 off $30+ Coupon code:JULY Take $3 off $45+ Coupon code:ROAD Take $4 off $55+ Coupon code:TRIP Offer Expires 11:59pm on 07/31/2020 Take $2 off $30+ Coupon code:JULY Take $3 off $45+ Coupon code:ROAD Take $4 off $55+ Coupon code:TRIP Affiliate marketer links: Affiliate marketer Rick Livermore with Webmaster220 Bible Study Blog will earn a commission on the Bible Study Material you buy from faith gateway store  and alibris.  Brought to you by Rick Livermore and Webmaster220 Bible Study Blog    If you would like to offset my expenses of producing all this free content, but you want to pass on buying  materials from faith gateway store and alibris, feel free to give a little something-------Give through PayPal-----Rick Livermore-Webmaster220 I live in San Juan Capistrano California now  a fan of tubitv.com/category/faith_and_spirituality also  tubitv.com/channels/dovechannel also Greek and Hebrew Tools on the Internet also a fan of   94 FM The Fish Nashville also a fan of various The Fish stations all over the country The most important link on this blog is this one about cures to the coronavirus.  Landmark info about the treatment of severe cases of the COVID-19 virus Also this one about vaccines that immunize people from catching the coronavirus.  Then there is this one about copper as a weapon to combat this virus. This one could save some lives about the Red Cross. This one is a plasma cure link.