Thank you Ashley!

January.

The month of new beginnings.

Everyone has a clean slate and a 'can do' attitude.

Life changes, resolutions, better habits, that exciting "This time I'll keep it off!" mentality.

At least that's how it usually goes.

My new year debuted on the not-so-positive side.

I've spent the month worrying over the small fortune we had to pay for the broken down;

car

garbage disposal

refrigerator

And then there were the bigger concerns;

"Your daughter needs surgery . . .", and

"You may have  ****** Disease. We need to run more tests."

We also have to prepare for Joey's deployment back to Afghanistan.

I've had nights of tossing and turning.

Horrible dreams that didn't want to go away even after waking.

Times when I couldn't stop the tears and wanted to shout at the heavens!

Of course, that's exactly when God spoke.

I was catching up on my blog reading when I came across a song that had been posted by a friend.

Dear sweet Ashley, you have no idea how mightily the Lord used you to bring peace to a troubled heart!

The song was "Blessings", by Laura Story.

(Visit Ashley's beautiful blog page here.)

After hearing this song, I instantly felt better! 

I remembered that God is always in control. He is forever faithful. He understands our fear, tolerates our anger, and soothes our pain.

He gives us the exact measure of grace we need at exactly the time it is needed.

Corrie Ten Boom has always been a heroine of mine. I remember reading a story once about a conversation she had with her father.

When I was a little girl, I went to my father and said,
"Daddy, I am afraid that I will never be strong enough to be a martyr for Jesus Christ."
"Tell me," said Father, "When you take a train trip to Amsterdam,
when do I give you the money for the ticket? Three weeks before?"

"No, Daddy, you give me the money for the ticket just before we get on the train."

"That is right," my father said, "and so it is with God's strength.
Our Father in Heaven knows when you will need the strength to be a martyr for Jesus Christ.
He will supply all you need – just in time…"

Now,  I realize that my small worries are nothing when compared to the incredible hardships that Ms. Corrie had to endure. 

But the message still applies. God gives us the strength we need just when we need it, not before. We are on God's schedule, He's not on ours!

The song was my train ticket money. And as always, God's timing was perfect.