Everything's changed

God told me that about a week and a half ago:  "Everything is about to change."  Of course, in my mind, I immediately went to the worst-case scenarios.  And a week and a half ago, I didn't even know Andy had heart problems.  Wow.  It's been quite a week and a half.

But instead of dwelling in the negative, I just asked God what He meant.  And He told me that times might get hard, but He was in control and wants to display His power.  And He has.  I've also learned He wants to change me and strengthen me.  I don't know if it's like this in your life, but there seems to be a great stirring everywhere around me.  There's so much stuff going on in all of my friends and family's lives.  Overwhelming stuff.  But recently, I saw the power of the Holy Spirit move into a situation and realized that's how I wanted to live every day of my life.  And I think that's the kind of work God is wanting to do in me and through me.

We saw God move into our situation this week.  And I saw God work in my heart.  I normally would have feared throughout our ordeal with our insurance company and with our finances.  But instead, I saw how God had gone ahead of us and told Andy to take out some of our retirement.  Andy didn't just obey---he was driven to obey.  And he made sure he took care of it before he went to China.  That was not normal for him.  We had no idea at the time why we were doing it.  But because he'd done that, we had the money to enter the hospital twice this week....money we wouldn't have had otherwise. 

There's something else that was going on at the same time.  My faith in God was growing.  There was just this knowing that God is a Man of His Word.  I can trust Him.  Bad things are going to come into our lives--things like finding out your insurance doesn't cover outpatient care.  But He's our Daddy.  He's gone before us and He wants the best for us.  That doesn't mean there will always be a positive outcome.  It may just be bad.  But He'll be there with us in the midst of it.  And I know this:  "What Satan means for evil, God will use for good."  A friend posted this today on facebook by someone who has experienced the flooding in Tennessee:  "@ThomRainer: We have no flood insurance because we are not in a flood zone. We therefore have no coverage. I will still praise Him."  Satan wants to destroy us.  But God wants abundant life in us.

I also learned it's time to be through with my independent nature.  I need people.  And I need them to be a part of these moments in my life.  When I think I might actually be protecting them and saving their energy, I may be preventing them from what God wants them to invest in emotionally and spiritually.   For that, I'm sorry.

Having said all that, Andy's doing great.  Our finances are fine.  I'm learning.  And God is the BEST!

(Even though the medical professionals tend to put the fear of God into you---going home with a wound in a major artery that needs to heal---or you'll open it and bleed to death!!)