It has been a long time since I have sat down at my computer with the intention to write! In that time, we have completely changed our lives. Where we live, Georgia to Texas. How we are going to live, buying a house with one of our kids. How we will deal with future health challenges, my cancer is active again and RuthAnn has issues with both Rheumatoid Arthritis and Neurology. All of these changes have come with stress added to what everyday life can bring.
I wish I could say I have dealt with this well. That I have turned the stress and all of the turmoil over to the Lord, that I have lived by Jesus words:
“Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matthew 6:34
But I have not! As a matter of fact, I have lived the opposite. I have worried about everything! Stressed about buying the new house. We had a lot of trouble during the process, and I worried at every twist and turn. Worried about moving. Even though RuthAnn did most all the packing I stressed over every box and how much stuff there was. Would it all fit into a moving van! Worried over the money we were spending to renovate the house we bought. I made sure everyone knew we would not be able to afford all that needed to be done. Worried about selling our Georgia house. Would we be able to sell it per our time schedule and for the money we were seeking? Worried about health. Could we find doctors who would understand our health needs. Worry, worry, worry, and worry some more. And all the while God was creating miracles right in front of my eyes, yet I was too WORRIED to see.
The blessing is God is so loving, so patient, even with us as we hold on to every worldly concern. So, today I want to share with you some of the miracles God did while I wasn’t believing He would; hoping it will open you to the blessings in your life that you are not seeing!
The New House:
Back in November RuthAnn and I were visiting Keene Texas where her son and daughter-in-law live. We had visited many times before but for reasons we did not know at the time RuthAnn felt at home there again. She had taught school and lived in the area for 15 years before moving to Georgia to finish her teaching career but now the urge to move back was strong. A brief conversation with her son set in motion life changing events. Going online he found a house that intrigued us all. A unique place in the middle of Cleburne, Texas with lots of land large outbuilding and a funky rock house. We all loved it at first sight. But were disappointed to find it was already under contract. We returned to Georgia and pursued other properties, but nothing fit what we were seeking. Then came the first ‘God thing’. In January, the house came back on the market. The owner was having trouble with the buyer and even though the house was still under contract, they were willing to take other offers. This began a 2-month rollercoaster of worry even though God had it in His control, I wanted to take it over. We finally purchased the house on March 12th. Now I really had stuff to worry about!
Moving:
RuthAnn had started packing in December but all I could see it that we had so much stuff! It seemed endless. Box after box. I knew we could never move it all ourselves, but could we afford the cost of a mover? We searched and researched and were convinced our options were limited. Then God stepped in again. RuthAnn had been moved by the Texas Conference of Seventh Day Adventists when she had moved from Texas to Georgia several years before, so she called and asked if they would move us. At least we knew they would be honest and trustworthy. But even their estimate was out of our range until we were told that RuthAnn was allowed one free move after retirement. We knew it was a ‘God thing’ but still I worried, would it all fit in a truck. Up to the day the movers arrived I just did not trust. You know, everything fit! And we were blessed with a wonderful young man who drove the truck and directed the loading. Another miracle but I was not yet convinced!
Selling our Georgia home:
We bought the house in Texas before we had our Georgia home on the market. As we paid out the down payment and began renovations, it was apparent we would have to build an addition immediately. Where would the money come from? We had some savings, so did our son, but it was not going to be enough. A realtor had told us we could not get what we expected from the sale and now as we signed a contract to do the addition on the new house it all looked so impossible.
As we returned to Georgia, I was anxious. We contacted the realtor again but now she was willing to at least try to sell the house for what we had asked. Then the miracles kept coming. On the first day we had the house on sale we received nine offers, half being for more than we asked, and one was a cash offer. The house was under contract the next day and yesterday it closed. We were blessed abundantly. The impossible had happened. Now I should trust, right? But I still could not see the big picture.
Doctors and Health:
We had returned to Georgia soon after the closing of the Texas house. My oncologist earlier in the year had ordered a Pet Scan to check for new tumor growth from the Prostate Cancer. I had the scan done in late March and the results showed signs that cancer cells were present. After 14 years of battling stage 4 cancer, it was sure I had entered into a stage where I would now be in need of advanced treatments. The worry was that we were moving I would need a new oncologist and quickly. On top of that we needed a primary care doctor, RuthAnn needed a Rheumatologist and Neurologist. Again, it seemed like it could not be done in the time frame we needed. Again, I saw God work and as I write this today, we have all the doctors we require. I am under the care of an amazing young oncologist who has moved quickly to get me into treatment. No, he cannot cure me. But I finally have seen that God moved in every way to open doors and close others.
Trust and Obey:
Through this entire process I have worried, I have griped and complained. All the time God had it covered. So often in my addicted life I struggled with trust. The problem still is that after years of believing I still find that when push comes to shove, I fall short of true faith. I fail to trust and obey.
Still as I sit here this morning I am blessed. I have seen the miracles even when I doubted each one. I know I serve a loving God who allows me to fall not seven times but seventy times seven and still loves me.
I pray this morning for you to see the miracles in your life and know they are real. As the Apostle Paul says about trusting and drawing nearer to Jesus:
“ Therefore, He is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.” Hebrews 7:25
Trust and obey today.
Blessings
John
5/5/2021
