Take Back Your Life - Chapter 5

So we are now in Week 5 of the Proverbs 31 ministries online Bible Study on Stressed-Less Living by Tracie Miles.  I have to say I am really enjoying this study.  I enjoy reading the book, interacting on Melissa Taylor's site and also participating in my small group on Facebook.  Right now could not be a better time for me to be participating in this particular study.  We have so much going on with Dennis' work, our children, homeschooling, outside commitments and other things.

So in many ways, I would love to take back my life and get back to a time when life was simpler.  As I was reading this chapter some sentences jumped off the page at me.  On page 93, Tracie writes, "God could change our circumstances at any time, if he chooses to do so, but he is always more interested in changing us through our circumstances than changing our circumstances themselves.  Everything is possible with God, because he said so."

This time last year, we were living in a different part of Pennsylvania preparing for a move we had no idea would become so chaotic.  First, we had extreme difficulty locating a home to rent.  Then the paperwork for our move was lost.  We were delayed moving, and the move ended up costing way way more than we ever we expected.  Finally we were moved and things looked they were settling down.  But we were wrong.  Dennis' unit ended up being activated and we had no support system here at all - there was no Family Readiness Group, no church, no close friends to rely on or anything.  Communication while he was gone was sketchy at best - a difficult thing to fathom since he was still in the United States.  Nobody really seemed to know what was going on or when they would get to come home.  This was the first time Army Reserve units were ever activated for a natural disaster.

On top of everything, my chronic blood pressure began to spiral out of control.  For a person who can find it normal to have a blood pressure reading in the 150s over 100s, it is scary when those numbers are reading in the 200s over 120s.  Mind you I have had the diagnosis since I was in my mid 20s and I am in my mid 40s now.  My body was screaming out in stress.  But God was the only one who could provide the perfect peace for me.

Life was definitely out of control and my stress level was through the roof.  It was hard to find God during that time.  But He had me right where I needed to be.  I had to rely on Him and find the peace that only He can bring.  He brought me closer to Him and closer to my family.  He brought me to my knees in prayer.

Out of these circumstances came some blessings.  My husband was home in time for Thanksgiving.  We were able to rent out our prior home that we actually owned.  We found a church.  Then my husband got his 20 year letter for the Reserves, meaning he could retire but we couldn't draw any retirement pay for roughly 10 years.  But God provided a possible job we could do together that would involve serving God right here in our country.  As a result we found a second church family.  So while I wouldn't mind being back where we were before the move, life is looking brighter.  We have a stronger commitment to God and to each other.  I know that even when things look the darkest, God can bring beautiful wonderful bright light to shine on us.