*This was the post that I started yesterday, so please remember if I say "today" I mean yesterday.
I was truly blessed today. I had the opportunity to eat lunch with a precious lady from our church. She has such an amazing testimony of God’s faithfulness, and took the time to really encourage me. She has four children, and all of them are adopted. She was never able to carry her children in her womb, but she knows her children were each blessings from God. She shared with me the sweetest stories of how each of her children came to be hers. I couldn’t even begin to tell you the miraculous ways that God worked to bring their family together!
However, before I met her for lunch I knew where our conversation would eventually end up. But no matter how much I prepared myself to be strong, I would have never have guessed how God was going to use our time together to bless me. We talked about infertility. We talked about the different emotions of disappointment, anger, confusion, impatience, and physical pain that someone goes through as they ride this insane roller coaster.
But more importantly, she helped me find reasons to praise God through all of this—reasons that I had never thought of before. She was able to help me see many hopeful and positive things about our situation. As a Christian, I know where my hope lies and who holds my future. I know that the Creator of the heavens and the earth will one day create a baby for me. But that doesn’t mean that I completely understand why all of this is happening to me.
As we talked, she continually poured scripture over me. She talked to me with scripture. She recited verse after verse that spoke directly to me! It was such a blessing to have God’s word encouraging me during our conversation.
My favorite verse that she used, which is my personal favorite, was Jeremiah 29:11. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord. “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” And then she told me that God doesn’t make mistakes—that all of this is in His perfect plan for us.
It was such an amazing afternoon. Though all of the things that we talked about were truths that I have believed all my life, it still helped me to hear them again, and to know that such a strong woman of God has been through many of the same things that I am going through now.
And though this wasn’t what I originally planned on for my blog contest, I want you to tell me your favorite scripture or you can share a story of when God has placed someone in your path to give you hope and encouragement. Please leave a comment, and next Wednesday, I will draw a winner. The winner will get to take their pick of one of these three necklaces!
And though this wasn’t what I originally planned on for my blog contest, I want you to tell me your favorite scripture or you can share a story of when God has placed someone in your path to give you hope and encouragement. Please leave a comment, and next Wednesday, I will draw a winner. The winner will get to take their pick of one of these three necklaces!
White Coral
Black and White...I like to call it Moonstone
Turquoise+Wood+Coral=Fabulous
Remember to leave a comment by Wednesday afternoon, and one of these necklaces could be yours-or it could make a great gift for someone for Christmas! Thanks for listening to me babble on, your comments and stories will be a blessing. I can't wait to hear what you have to say!
9 comments:
Jeremiah 29:11 is actually my favorite too! I have it on my blog heading. But I will pick another. This is a verse that a dear friend sent me while trying to make some decisions about our own adoption and it really helped me at the time.
James 1:5, "If any of you lacks wisdom he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt!"
I am believing God will give you a baby one day and it will be better than you can imagine! Miss you! Amy D.
Libby, I am so encouraged by your heart, your strength, your courage, your TRUST in God. I love you and Brad so much! Please know that we are praying for you.
Hi Libby,
I am Cheri, Carly and Evan Adams' mom. Not sure I have ever commented on your blog but enjoy reading about your journey through the seminary with your husband.
I will try and keep this as short as possible.
My precious Grandmother passed away at age 96 this past May. What should h ave been a joyful event and celebration of a wonderful Christian lady was overshadowed in my heart due to circumstances of the last several months of her life.She was placed in a nursing home and treated terribly by the staff as well as some of her children. She died with a broken heart. We were very close and my mom and sisters were working on getting her out of that place and back home where she belonged, but she fell and broke her leg and died the next week due to complications. I would love to tell you the entire story as I know you would have wise words to share..but anyway...the person who helped me the most was my pastor, Hub Blankenship. His messages, the scripture he guided me to and the conversations he so graciously made time for have helped so much. The scripture I cling to so very tightly is Psalm 23 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want...v4Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil... for you are with me, your rod and your staff they comfort me...
thank you for allowing me to share this.. it helps in the healing process... Cheri Wofford
Firstof all, you are just doing an amazing job making jewelry! Are you teaching any classes yet at the store?
My story is a sweet one... many (many!) years ago, I was a freshman in the JFB Rebel Regiment, and I was a rookie cymbal player. Band camp was especially tough, and the directors were coming down hard on the drumline. In turn, the drumline leaders started taking it out on the cymbal players. This lead to tears and feelings of worthlesness. But we marched right behind the sousaphones, and there were two sousaphone players (Corey Singleton and Deanunzio Smith) who took the time to encourage us. One morning after practice, Corey handed each of us a slip of paper with a scripture reference on it. We raced back to our room to look it up:
Psalm 150:5 - "...praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals."
I still have that paper in my Bible.
Thanks for sharing your story!
My favorite Bible verses are Ephesians 3:20-21...
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!
I am also partial to the NIV version of it because I love the words "IMMEASURABLY MORE".
So many times in my live God has "shown out" as Susan High would say and blessed me far more than I could imagine, even though I was usually fighting him the whole whole way.
This verse reminds me to never, ever, ever but God in a box!
I don't want to be entered in the contest, because someone else should get to benefit from your talents for a change, but... I am gonna need those "tree swing" earrings up there. :)
love you!
Ahhhh, love that story, Jenn!
Ok, Libby, here's one more.
Several years ago, when I graduated from college, I went through a very difficult period of wrestling with God. I was going in one direction, convincing myself that was what He wanted, but He continued to pull me in another. In hindsight, this "tug of war" did a lot of damage to me and those around me.
One Sunday during this period I was home visiting my family, and out of nowhere Tracy Armstrong found me after church. She said she didn't know why, but God had placed me on her heart and she was praying for me.
I was so caught up in my disobedience that I didn't even know why God placed me on her heart -- but all these years later, I see why, and I'm thankful.
My husband and I have had some pretty difficult things to endure over the years that we've been married. And anytime we are facing a struggle that is causing me to worry, my husband always reminds me that the birds always eat. It's a much abbreviated version of the scripture below but every time it always puts me back in place. God always provides. God always protects.
Matthew 6:19-34
I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labour or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, "What shall we eat?" or "What shall we drink?" or "What shall we wear?" For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
It was really neat to read your comment, Jenn. I'll have to tell Cory. I know it will bless him.
In college, I was telling my friend Cindy about how I always feel encouraged when I look up at the sky when I'm feeling overwhelmed by life. It just reminds me how I can look up and be reminded just how great and big God is. How he is so much bigger than life's issues, hurts, pains, struggles, etc. She wrote me a sweet poem...THAT I CAN'T FIND! However, I will never forget her encouragement. When I think of that story, I think of this passage of scripture. In fact, I thought of it today and it blessed me.
Psalm 121
A song of ascents.
1 I lift up my eyes to the hills—
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The LORD watches over you—
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
7 The LORD will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.
Thank God I know where my help comes from.
Hallelujah! Praise Him!
I am like James I don’t want to be put in to drawing because I get your beautiful jewelry anytime I want it :) THANK YOU!
But I do have a story it is a little different than the other but not really because the older I get the more I believe with all my heart God can and will use whatever or whomever to get our attention or to speak to us. Even a song sung by some one you don’t even know.
Lib you know from living with Tim that music is a big part of our life. God used the song “Hold me Jesus” so very many time in my life. I remember the days, weeks and months after being told I had breast cancer I was sent to so many different doctors with a plan being made for my health. I know this is hard to believe but the song always at some point on the way to, during or coming home would play on the radio. Sometimes it was in the car sometimes even in the doctor’s office. The words always said what was in my heart. It has become my prayer so often.
Well, sometimes my life
Just don't make sense at all
When the mountains look so big
And my faith just seems so small
So hold me Jesus, 'cause I'm shaking like a leaf
You have been King of my glory
Won't You be my Prince of Peace
I love you, Mama
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