And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. ~ Philippians 4:19, NLT

So I’ve not done much writing recently. I miss it. I guess I just haven’t had anything worthwhile to say. Life has been tough around our house for a season. I’m ready for that season to be over but it doesn’t seem to be ready to blow on out of here.

David was told today that GM is closing 3000+ of its 6000+ dealerships. That’s very scary. And not just for us. Thousands of people are going to be put out of work and for many of the factory workers, both husband and wife might lose their jobs. Thousands of families – children - will be affected by this – the Thomas family possibly being one of them.

And when you go through deep waters, I will be with you. ~ Isaiah 43:2, NLT

I am supremely confident that God will take care of us and see us through; I know He will because He has before and because He keeps His promises. But the definition of “seeing us through” doesn’t necessarily mean it isn’t going to be a long tough road with lots of sacrifice and disappointment. It just means that He will be with us through to the other side – sustaining us with His love, mercy and grace which when you think about it is far more than we deserve. And seriously this more than likely won’t kill us whereas many people are battling things that will. And even if it does, imagine the glory in that?

The fleshy, selfish part of me is just so tired of struggling – so tired of going from one tough time to the next without a breather in between. I just feel like I have a sunny, warm season coming to me – that I’m entitled to a little relief. But isn’t it that “entitlement mentality that got us into this mess to begin with? Everyone thinks they deserve better. And weren’t we told that there would be trials…not that there might be trials but that there would be trials?

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. ~ Matthew 6:33, NLT

So the real question is, what am I going to do about this…how am I going to get through whatever God has stretched out before me? I’m going to seek Him! I’m going to plunge myself DEEP in the well of living water and drink from its flow and if I get off path and wander into my own pity party and I’m going to ask God to pull me out and to open my eyes to the beauty around me. I want Him to show me how truly blessed I am.

Your unfailing love is better to me than life itself; how I praise you! ~ Psalm 63:3, NLT

So I praise Him – I thank him for each breath and for each blessing and for each trial. I praise Him for being the God of the Universe and for being magnificently awesome and powerful and yet compassionate and gentle and loving. I praise Him that He is going to see us through yet another trial and difficult time. I praise Him that He cares enough and is true enough to keep every promise He’s made – to never forsake us. I praise Him that with each trial comes strength and a deeper faith and love.

Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. ~ James 5:16, NLT

My prayer is for the thousand other GM employees who due to no fault of their own will be out of job soon. May God show His rich mercy and grace to them and sustain them. May each of them be compelled to seek Him and know Him more through this situation. May He provide friends and communities to come around those affected to care for and support them. May this dark, hard time be a time where God shows Himself to those who might not already know Him. May the name of His Son, JESUS, be glorified. May He be found faithful and true to all He says and is.