"The Lord disciplines those He loves, as a father the son in whom he delights." Proverbs 3:12

Trails and times of testing are a reality for every Christian who has ever walked this earth. They are also an act of God's long-suffering patience and unshakable love for humanity. As a gem cannon be polished without friction, likewise, a man cannot be perfected without trials. They are one of the tools in our Father's tool box. He strategically uses them like a surgeon in order to remove our hands from things that aren't secure and places them on the only thing that is — Himself. In this very moment, the entire world is experiencing unprecedented times. Believers and unbelievers alike understand that change must take place soon, that life cannot continue on the way it has been. This I know; what the enemy has intended for destruction, God will use to birth new life!

The uncertainty we have all been experiencing individually happens to be a perfect window in time for God to separate each one of us from our daily routines and attract our undivided attention, a time when He can redirect loyalty that is currently divided between Him and the world. It is a time for Him to strengthen our faith, to address the areas in which we have backslidden or have become idle, to teach us priceless and valuable lessons. This is a time that Jesus is beckoning the entire nation to hearken to His voice; to those who claim to know Him but by their actions they have denied Him. A car kicked into neutral on a steep hill, will eventually crash and burn without a driver in control. Likewise, humans who reject our teachers continual guidance and mentorship while on earth, will too eventually crash and burn.


Self-discipline equals freedom.

What I have learned is that if I am not increasing, I am decreasing; and if I am not hot, I am becoming cold. If I refuse to see, I will become blind; and if I refuse to hear, I will become deaf. A broken clay pot cannot be used for any good purpose, likewise a man or woman who refuses to be molded or reshaped will never become a usable vessel. Many of us pray for our family’s protection, for the sick to be healed, and give thanks for the food on our table. This is wonderful and is very important! Unfortunately, our prayers often end there though. There is something vital missing from our daily prayer life, and that something is "What would you like me to learn from this? In what areas am I falling short or need to apply self contol? Search me and see what needs mending and perfect me so I can be whole."

I would like to share just a couple from the dozens of lessons the Lord has taught me over the past couple months, some have been hard to swallow and challenging to prevail over. The process often begins with tears before giving way to the joy in overcoming.  Through every victorious milestone and even the myriad of tearful missteps, He has cheered me on with loving reassurance and on some occasions in truly miraculous ways. For most of my life I was hesitant to ask God if there was anything He would like to improve in me because I knew it would cause discomfort when areas where I had been lacking were revealed.  If only I were able to present to my shattered younger self, the sweetness of her future. Replacing the chains of bondage for a bond— a real, tangible, personable, and breathtaking bond with the one who laid down His life to bring life to hers.

 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes." Luke 12:23

March 20th I made a one-day round trip from Mansfield to the Lehigh Valley for an appointment and arranged to later swing by our home to pick up our cats who were staying with my husband. His plan was to travel separately the following day to stay in the country with my family and me for the remainder of the quarantine. With all of the commotion and doomsday talk of “What ifs” going on in the public and media, I began to worry that I didn’t have enough of the right clothing packed. While I do own plenty of clothes, they are becoming slightly worn out (first world problems, right?).

Over the past couple of months I have felt the Lord persistently grounding me to the importance of separating myself from the soul-devouring trap of materialism. Encouraging me to be content with what I have even in prosperous seasons and helping me to realize why living a modest lifestyle should continue whether I have very little or very much. My personal style is plain and humble to the naked eye; unfortunately though, a wardrobe packed full of “simple” clothing from a sales rack—is still in the truest sense “materialism”.  Nonetheless, I had convinced myself in the heat of the moment that somehow this shopping spree was a necessity. So, off I drove to a nearby department store. I was about to walk in, when suddenly out the blue I felt a firm affirmation that God was petitioning me, “No Danielle, this isn’t needed.” 

Those who have felt or heard the Holy Spirit clearly speaking to them will often describe the experience as if He places an invisible barrier wall in front of you. You can choose to walk through that wall, but you will most definitely miss out on valuable lessons and even blessings. My heart sank a little inside my chest; even though I wasn’t planning on purchasing many items, I knew that He was convicting me in love out of concern for my spiritual growth. I quietly responded “Alright...”. A few tears trickled down my face before I put my car in reverse and drove away.  I had also planned on purchasing an extra box of cat litter on the way home to have on hand during quarantine. But since the Lord had already reminded me to watch my spending once that day, I decided not to push it.
 
Great moves of God are often proceeded by simple acts of obedience.

Next on my agenda was the part I dreaded most; driving two anxious cats 3 hours home in my car alone. I needed some extra strength and had a lot on my mind, so before picking up the cats I pulled into a grocery store parking lot across the street from my apartment (where I previously planned to buy the litter), in order to pray and vent my concerns to God. When I looked around, I was taken back to see grocery carts scattered all around the lot. They had been left behind by the raid of shoppers who had flooded the stores in panic. This was very uncommon to see in the town I live in. One cart was a little too close to my car so I left the engine running and jumped out to push it out of harms way.

I walked it back to its corral and quickly turned around to get back to my car. Just then I heard a man’s voice behind me, say, “Hello! Excuse me Miss?” I turned around and was greeted by a tall elderly gentlemen. He paused for a moment, and with a sparkle in his eye tilted his head and said with a cheerful smile, “Do you have cats?” He said this in the most matter of fact way, as if he had already known the answer to the question. I responded, “Yes, I actually have two rag-doll cats!”. What the man said next took me off completely off guard, “I have a box of cat litter in my trunk and if you would like, it’s yours to have!” I was taken back by his generosity and kindly accepted his offer.

We walked a few feet over to his car and when he popped open his trunk, I was surprised to see that there were no grocery bags inside even though he had just come from the store; instead there was a single box of litter of the exact brand that I purchase for my cats! What puzzled me more was they do not sell this size at the market I was at. I thanked him again and told him that I was actually on my way to pick up my cats so that I could take them to my parents until the virus quarantine was lifted. He just quietly nodded and tilted his head before stepping into His car and driving away from the parking lot.

I got into my car and as I watched the man drive off into the distance, my mind simultaneously began replaying the scene of what had just transpired. It occurred to me, that what I had experienced may have actually been a divine appointment. The only one who knew that I was hesitant to purchase the cat litter after being corrected by God, was God. The only one who knew that I came to that parking lot in order to pray, was God. The ONLY one who knew that I would be jumping out of my car to put a cart away the precise minute that the man was walking to his, was God. The one who corrects His daughter and follows through by uplifting and comforting her in times of distress, is my tenderhearted and beautiful God!

 "The Lord directs the steps of the godly, He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand." Psalm 37:23-24

That evening, I finally began the 3-hour journey home with my cats. Just as I had anticipated, they were anxious and became worked up to the point of carsickness before we even made it to the highway. About an hour into the drive they both left their carriers and made their way to the front seat and curled up next to me for comfort. Every couple of seconds they would look up with their big blue eyes and let out a cry of concern as if they were waiting for me to console them by saying for the millionth time, "Shhhh... Don't worry, you're going to be just fine!". This went on and on, until I finally rolled my eyes and said under my breath, "Ugh... We have done this trip a dozen times and they are always happy the second we arrive, but they still act as if I am playing a cruel trick on them!" 

Then like a wrecking ball of truth and conviction from the Heavens, it hit me; I looked down at my cats while still tirelessly consoling them and thought to myself, "This must be how God feels when I act faithless and am constantly worrying and murmuring during my journey home to Him!". When we arrived to our destination, the cats could hardly contain themselves with excitement as their little paws touched down inside my parent’s front door. It was as if they had completely forgotten the traumatic car ride they had just experienced. I imagine this will be how many of us will react when we take our very first step inside Heaven’s gates. Only then will we fully understand the eternal beauty that blossomed from our humbling experiences on earth. Like an artist weaving a tapestry, the dark threads are as imperative in God's design as the threads of gold and silver in the pattern He has planned.

In order mimick how Jesus lived while on earth, you have to change "Must" to "Want" 

In May 18th of 2019. I was sitting alone in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jerusalem holding a little leather pouch containing a written prayer and a less than perfect small copper cross that I had attempted to make the week prior. In the stillness of the moment, I thought of Jesus, who in that very location, spent the last night before His execution experiencing sorrow and anguish to the point that blood mixed with sweat seeped through His pores from the distress of bearing the entire weight of the world's sin on His shoulders. At night while in the garden Jesus cried out, "Abba Father! Everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will." (Mark 14:36). This was a selfless act of obedience that you, me, nor anyone else on this planet, could possibly relate to. Christ is the Son of God, yet regardless of His divine nature, He willfully rejected a life of status and luxury; neither pursued in the fleshly desires of this world despite His supreme power and greatness. Instead Jesus made Himself to be a humble and gentle servant, and the chastisement for our peace He laid upon His own innocent body.

When seasons of life seem to be a conveyor belt of struggles, I often have to remind myself who wore the thorns in order for me to experience this wild and beautiful life and the promise of a glorious forever; only then my understanding becomes clear as to why God's schooling is imperatively vital for growth and development. His Son is more than just an "addition" to our lives. He is the very source of all life, the Alpha and the Omega, the closest companion we will have on earth and in eternity. He is the Word of God made flesh. When we vow to believe and follow Christ as our Messiah, we also vow to walk in love and reverence to God's Word. 

Remember Believers — There no testimony without first taking the test! So let us strengthen our feeble arms and weak knees when we are divinely redirected and our plans become disrupted. If we step away from the here and now and focus on the promises of God, we understand that He is preparing us for what He has prepared for us! Jesus forewarned, that when He returns our preparedness cannot be shared or transferred. Personal responsibility is emphasized. So, let's keep our lamps filled with oil, because the days leading to His return are quickly coming to an end. "And this gospel of the Kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."  Matthew 24:14.  

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Your Story Matters!

Your personal testimony is both your most powerful weapon and strongest defense in this lost world. It is in our broken places we are most often used by God. No matter what our current mental, physical, or financial state is, He can and will work through our small and feeble hands and stuttering tongues in order to reach others. One day you may share the story about how He helped you overcome the battle you went through; this could be the key that unlocks someone else's prison. Like a ripple effect, God strategically works through each of us in order to reach the next person in a never-ending network. He doesn't look at how many likes or shares our post gets; He looks at the condition of the writer's and the reader's heart. Don't stay silent or care about what others may think of you when you share the good news of the gospel. Those who know what they bring to the table are not afraid to eat alone!