Sometimes in life I feel completely overwhelmed. Being a dad, a husband, and a grandpa--all the while making a living as a musician in a fickle economy--can lead to discouragement. I feel sometimes like that little doll in Toy Story that gets burned in the forehead with a magnifying glass by the bully. Life can be brutal, and staying on top of bills, while trying to glean a living from multiple income streams can be daunting. Living in these times has turned many a confident, strong man in to a weakling with spaghetti for legs.
That's where I am reminded that, as I've trusted God as my Savior and Lord, He is in control and I can trust Him for the details, the inspiration, the ideas and creativity to do what He's called me to do. I've mentioned before that Brenda and I started out as a married couple (28 years in December!) with an unusual calling. We've never done anything the easy way. It has been our mission to serve God as a couple and to live in complete faith that God will lead us and provide for us in everything we do.
We know that many of our friends shake their heads when they see how we operate. Most people like to do things the safe way, with limited risk, a limited investment, but expecting big returns. When Brenda and I decided to--as Aerosmith aptly put it--"walk this way" in faith, we were all in, fully committed. At times it's seemed like we made a mistake in putting our trust in God's Word. But as Paul says in Philippians 4: 6-7:
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (NIV)"
We've stuck by the Word, and God has never, ever failed! Our mission as a couple has been to demonstrate the fact that God exits. We will continue on this path until He returns. It will never be easy, but it is an exciting life. Edith Schaeffer, in her book, L'Abri, said:
"What happens when you pray? God is all powerful in every realm. He can do things in a variety of ways, but one way in which He works is to 'move' in the realm of men's minds. God can place an idea in a person's mind. He can cause someone to feel a strong 'urge' or 'conviction' to do something. So when we pray about a certain amount of money, God can cause one person to reach for a cheque-book and send that amount, or He can cause a dozen people to send odd fractions of that amount, causing the total to be exact. You may not believe that He does this, but I am simply saying that when I talk about praying for money, this is what I mean. (p 126)"
We will continue to "walk this way," and I invite you to join us! Have a great week, and look to see God working in areas that you've never before seen.
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