The Fortress

Amazing God! My verse is 
Philippians 4:6-7

"Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life."

 I remember teaching scripture and being sooo scared! I used to pray & rely on the verse " out of the heart the mouth speaks" &  "give me your words Lord" 

God knows our situation, He is not confused or worried at it, 
Life happens, sickness, fear and sin invade our everyday. 
Today I was reminded through a teaching at completechristianwoman.com that God offers us shelter (ps 18) & we can choose to come into that shelter or not,if you havent been to Complete Christian woman then I have to really urge you to Put the kettle on, click on over and say hi, when you drop in you will be blessed by their teaching.
Dear One as you read this, be confident that your situation is in fact exactly what God is shaping your testimony through, as is Mine, I bet neither of us like or would have written the script to our circumstances just like it is from our limited view and we both probably struggle to find joy and peace in our everyday because we want "life " to be simpler & Better- at least I do- I almost cant remember a time without encephalitis and it's scars on my baby girls brain, time without seizures and uncertainty, but I know that God holds my future,
I trust Him with my baby girl-
I trust Him as my big girl becomes a teenager (gulp!)
I trust Him as my hubby travels, these are my circumstance and I depend on Him being my fortress into which I can confidently retreat. He has made me a promise, I have a choice to make to live in that promise or to try to make my own way.
Each of us have a story that is shaped by all that we have been thru, I would love to hear you speak your His-story,
I'll put the kettle on!!
In His joy,
Carolyn 

Wham!!

One punch- and another, then wham- here's another. Do you have days or weeks like that too? When you feel your soul can not take another blow- another problem, another conflict, not an ounce left in you for any hardship.
That's exactly how I felt last week- what changing medicine? What is that going to do? 
Then  WHAM! 
In the mail is the specialist report- WHAM! Metabolic disorder WHAM! Genetic Disorder WHAM! WHAM ! The thud that goes into your guts & heart when you get unexpected bad medical reports.
This may be a medical report or illness but for you the stress of a big bill, the pain of broken relationship, the hurt of conflict but I'm sure you know exactly how I felt when I opened the letter. Thud, WHAM. When your head and heart start spinning-
No!  
What does this mean? 
And even harder -Why?
Then the tears- the waves of sobs that come from the depths of the mumma heart that wants different things for your toddler, for no more pain and no sickness.
I didn't see this coming- but God did- He knew. 

I don't know what this means  for the future- He does. (Jeremiah 29.11)

I am filled with fear and anxiety- He has invited me to give the worry to Him (psalm 55.22) and He will get me through.

The hardest and most overwhelming times are when my faith is tested, refined and deepened. I have a mumma's heart and it feels like it is going to break, I have a Saviour and He says He has us in the palm of His mighty hand.