Lessons from Jeremiah & Israel

It's been an interesting few weeks!

I didn't get the job I was hoping and praying for. I was very sad about that. But have to remind myself that God sees things that I do not. So, I wait. Still.

This past week my car decided to die. Sortof. Well, the A/C did. But in Texas (where I live...;o) ), that's pretty much the same thing...

So far this year there have been 41 days over 100 degrees! 18 in a row. And for August, 24 of the 25 we've had so far have been in the 100s! This is when I want to move. This is when I miss living up north. It's a good thing Texas redeems itself in other ways.

So anyways...black car, hot sun, no A/C. Pray for me! The Blazer (Black Beauty) is pretty old - a '92 we bought in '98 with a whole lotta miles then, and a whole lot more now! It's been a pretty decent car...minus near-death experiences when it decided to stop running in the middle of the highway (during college, multiple times)... Ok, so it was pretty much a lemon when we bought it. But I'm very impressed that it's lasted this long. 4 years of college, a few road trips, a move to PA, and back home again, and 2 years to boot! She's held her own! And now she wants to die and rest in peace....but unfortunately she's not allowed to, because I have no money. And getting a new one requires a lot of that.

So that's on the top of my stress-list, right under, "I have no job." Fun times, let me tell you!

Anyways...the good news for the week is what an amazing lesson God is teaching me right now. After my pastor opening it up on Sat a week ago, I've spent most of my God-time camped out in Jeremiah 29. Wow! Getting a look at verse 11 in context has been life-changing for me. And incredibly helpful.

I'll break down the four things that God has really been applying to my own life out of that verse...

_______________

"4 This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon:"

First, God is telling me that this place where I am, living at home with my parents at 26, is a place He brought me to! I'm right where he wants me! It's not where I want to be, or think I should be, but it's where he's placed me in this specific time for a specific purpose.

_______________

"7 Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper."

I need to make this home prosper. Which looks like a lot of things for me. A lot of humbling things. It means I meet my parents needs and wants whether or not they meet mine. I make living here with them to their benefit. I make life together something that blesses them.

_______________

11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

I'm here for a purpose. And over the course of the past week, I've definitely seen some of his purposes come to light. I have a lot of growing to do in developing a godly relationship with my parents in this stage of life. I'm already see God working in me the refinement that develops character! Things that I need to work in and out of my life to be the kind of godly wife and woman I want to be. I still have a lot of maturing to do! ("And miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep"!)

_______________

"23 For they have done outrageous things in Israel; they have committed adultery with their neighbors' wives and in my name have spoken lies, which I did not tell them to do. I know it and am a witness to it," declares the LORD."

When God and I had our little chat about all this, I complained a little. Strike that....a lot. I was going to have to do some things I didn't want to do. I felt frustrated that God would want me to allow what my Mom (and Dad, but her especially) wants to take priority over my boundaries. God said I wasn't allowed to have them anymore. I didn't like that so much. But he reminded me that anything my Mom does that isn't what He wants her to do...if she approaches or responds to me in a way that isn't reflective of Him in her, she will answer for. It's not my concern it's between them. But to take heart and comfort in knowing that he sees the wrongs that are done to me in the process of submitting to the "rulers of my exile". Which in all honesty gets to be funny, because there's definitely "blame to share" (a quote from a favorite song of mine). So inasmuch as I want to be forgiven my trespasses against her, I want her to be forgiven her trespasses against me. "So it doesn't really matter anymore."

________________________________________________________

So, that's a sum-up of where God is leading me right now. It's interesting to be face-to-face with moments, cross-roads, every day. How will I respond, what will I do to make this home prosper? What does that look like...? I'm seeing so much of me being refined in this process....it's painful, but sooo worth it!

It's been good too. To stare at a circumstance and be able to see my choices laid before me..."Do I respond like I want to and feel I deserve to? Or do I respond in a way that initiates peace and harmony and prosperity, even though it means I feel unjustified?" It's harder than you'd think. But like I said, worth it. Or to take initiative in doing things that will make them happy, like making my bed every day. (Seriously, I don't see the point or why it matters so much - but to her it does, so I do it, so that her day is blessed. Because in reality it's a small action that takes a couple minutes. It's a matter of the will. Whether I think it's important or not isn't the point. To love her is to do it. So no matter what I think about it's significance in the grand scheme of things, I do it, because I want her to know I love her.)

So pray for me in this time. Pray that I will be who God wants me to be in my home, my parents' home. I want to be independent so badly. But I am learning so much that is going to prepare me so much, for being on my own, and someday being a godly, submissive wife....who puts her husband ahead of herself, in order to glorify God in my own home.

God give me strength and grace! I sure do need it!