Well, this week has been busy. We filed police reports on campus and with the city police, closed our existing bank accounts and set up new ones, had our car "re-keyed" (the thief also had our other set of car keys and knew where we lived and parked...so we didn't want our van to be stolen), called credit card company's, contacted the credit bureau, cancelled our old cell phone and set up new ones (so we have new numbers too), and I am sure I might be forgetting something but you get the picture! YIKES!! What a lot of "stuff" there is to do when you are a victim of theft. Thank you for any prayers said on our behalf, they have surely helped us as we walk through this trial.
There are a few thoughts I would like to share about this. First, I never knew how violated you could feel having your belongings stolen. It really bothers me that whoever took those things has all of my information, pictures, and mostly what bothers me is the information he/she has about my kids. I have had to "let go" of this, because there is absolutely nothing I can do. I have to know that God is trustworthy and our protector and is going to work all of this for good because he promises to do so. All of the thoughts about what if this and what about that just get me worked into a "tizzy". Let me assure you, I am not a pretty picture in a tizzy.
Second, looking back, I see how God prepared me to face this. THE NIGHT BEFORE (Saturday night) I was reading in one of my favorite devotional books, Speak to My Heart O' God by Kay Arthur, and I HAPPENED to read the section WHEN YOU FACE TRIALS. Here is a small portion of what I read THE NIGHT BEFORE...
"How often have you heard someone say, 'The Lord has been so good to us,' as they have shared something good that just happened. I've heard it often...as a matter of fact from my own lips. And yet when I hear or say and expression like this, the thought often crosses my mind, 'Would they...would I...have said this if something bad had happened instead?' Would we say, 'Such and such happened...the Lord has been so good to me'? Probably not. We seem to associate blessing only with the goodness of God. However to do so is to be ignorant of the purpose of trials--the difficulties, hardships, and testings--that suddenly invade our lives. We see trials as ROBBERS, bent on stealing our joy or our sense of God's blessing and goodness. To the child of God even trials are a cause of rejoicing.
'Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance ave its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete lacking in nothing.' James 1:2-4
When you encounter a trial, God says you are to Consider it all Joy. Why? Because no matter what the trial is, it has a purpose; that purpose is to make you 'perfect and complete, lacking in nothing'."
How is that for words to prepare my heart for being a victim of a flat tire and robbery?
I don't pretend to fully understand why this happened on Sunday as we were singing and praying and talking about the faithfulness of God in our little apartment. But I do know that it has and will continue to refine and purify my heart and my responses. This trial has made me have to trust in the goodness of God in a circumstance that I perceive as bad. God's goodness doesn't change as a result of something bad happening.
And so what's the final result? Along with everything else that life brings our way, we are going to "Consider it All Joy". Because We know that...
FOREVER God is faithful.
FOREVER God is good.
FOREVER God is Strong.
FOREVER God is with us.
FOREVER.
As my friend Toby would say, "You can take that to the bank."
***Also the day that this happened a sweet friend of mine here at the Swiss tower gave me one of her black purses to replace the stolen one. Isn't that just so sweet? And isn't that just like God? He is so good.***
"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God and to those who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28
3 comments:
Thanks for a nice testimony on the faithfulness of God-like I said on you last blog entry-you really do "consider it all joy" in your daily walk with God. You have been a good example to your parents in that and I'm sure many others. I'm sorry for your loss and inconvenience that's for sure but I'm also thankful to see your responses to all that happened. Thanks God for taking care of my "kids". Love, Mom
P.S. Abby was so cute in the maracco(sp) picture.
Oh my! What a week of events you guys have had! I am SOOOO sorry to hear about this all and the headache that it has been for you, my friend!
But, yes, like your sweet Mom said...what a true testimony of your desire to "consider it all joy" - the good, the bad, and the ugly. God IS faithful and does use our trials for GOOD in our lives. Thanks for sharing your heart and your journey through all of this.
Hope that everything continues to go well as you take care of all that you need to do to get everything back in order!!
What a day! Now that I have started my own blog, I will start reading yours as well and I am so sorry that you had to endure this, but I am also very impressed with how you have handled it. I hope that your week goes better and I will be praying to that end, as well as for you as you still are struggling with what has already happened.
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