Faith in the Face of Trial

There are times when I write for therapy.  This is one of those times.  I write in hopes of working through my struggles and erratic emotions and my fears of the unknown.  Maybe in the midst of it all I  may pass on some encouragement for those going through the fires as well.

So how do we respond when faced with a challenging trial?

My husband was recently injured playing basketball at church. No one was at fault. It was just one of those things that just happens.  At first, after the knee injury occurred and when he had to be off work for a bit, we understood that God was going to teach us something through this and our faith would be strengthened.  We accepted that and prayed for the best outcome, thinking, God has our attention; maybe He will make the injury minimal?  Well, it wasn’t. We found out that it was probably the worst-case scenario injury that could have happened to his knee, and to make matters worse, I am 6 months pregnant and we had just reduced to a one-income household.  So for the time being, we are a zero-income household and will have a lot of medical bills arriving within the next few months.

  

I admit…I hold a lot of fear.  We have broken down many times. Many tears have already been shed.  We know in the depths of our hearts that God WILL bring us through.  It is difficult, however, to truly let go of the worries and concerns of the hardships that may lie ahead.  We have already seen our faith strengthen. We have seen our marital relationship strengthen.  A few convictions and decisions have rocked us already. 

GOD HAS OUR COMPLETE ATTENTION!

I believe everything happens for a reason.  God IS in control.  I know we will grow immensely in this process and pray that His glory will shine through in our trials.  Don’t get me wrong…at this moment, as we are at the start of the difficulties, if we could change that split second when he twisted that knee on the gym floor we would do it in a heartbeat.  When all is said and done, however, I know we will be grateful for every lesson and victory in this process and would never change it for we come out wiser and stronger in the end. We are thankful for the blessings in our lives and the friends and family that are already in prayer for us and will walk along side us throughout this journey.  Let me say again…we ARE truly blessed.

We serve an almighty God. 

Jehovah Jireh - God is our provider

Jehovah Rapha - God is our healer

2 Corinthians 12:9

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Philippians 4:19

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Psalm 34:19

Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all

Isaiah 58:8

Then your light shall break forth like the morning, your healing shall spring forth speedily. And your righteousness shall go before you, the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard

Philippians 4:6-7

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

We have faith in the One who sees all, knows all, is in all and loves us unconditionally.  May we be reminded in every difficult, painful, and joyful moment of His unending grace and faithfulness in our lives.  God is with us and He carries us when we cannot carry ourselves.

I‘m sure many songs will come out of this in the end…so stay tuned. 

My Unborn Blessing (song series)

I have always been blessed carrying my little ones until they are ready to meet the world.  I consider it a privilege, a joy, and an honor to be the keeper of a preciously designed creation.  Even in the moments of sickness, discomfort, and outright pain, God reminds me of this entrusted gift, and the joy that follows this short season of pregnancy. 

For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.

Psalm 139: 13-16

We are surely fortunate and blessed! He loves and has chosen each one of us to be made in His image.  We are all created on purpose and known by our Maker!

So, my little one… you are already deeply loved and cherished.  May, by God’s grace, you grow strong and healthy as we joyously and patiently wait for your time to meet us face to face.

click HERE to listen to "My Unborn Blessing" audio

My Unborn Blessing

Becki J Buescher

                                          

You were known before we knew                  

My unborn blessing, God saw you

In unformed beauty before your time

God had you in mind

                                  

Knit and sewn, you are His own

Perfectly designed

                                             

Can you hear me singing over you?

While you’re dancing within my womb

Every moment with you is a gift of God

So I will praise

I dream of what you will look like

I long to gaze into your eyes

But until that day, in my belly stay

And grow strong and safe inside

                                

Rocked to sleep by my heartbeat

May you rest secure and warm

As we anxiously await the day you’re born

Prepare Us For Glory (song series)

Are you ready? Are you yearning and aching for the glory that follows this battle we face on this earth? Do not be deceived. There IS a battle. I am not talking about the battle between the flesh and bone of men, but the battle unseen that rages within each one of us and among the people. Do not fear…for we know who wins the war!  Our glorious Creator and Sustainer is in control and WILL have the final word and one day, we, who serve in His army will see GLORY and rest forever in the presence of JOY, HOPE, and LIFE. Only there, in His prepared kingdom, will be found fullness of life with eternity as our close and each lung full of air will be compelled to breathe out His praise. There will be no more sorrow, tears, confusion, or fears.

Let us prepare now by pouring ourselves out for His life- praising and fighting for His name to be known so ALL may hear and ALL may know and join us in that day of victory. What a day that will be! Let us live in praise NOW as we wait for Heaven. May we worship in the waiting

"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, 

“Behold, I am making all things new.”

Revelation 21:1-5

click HERE to listen to Prepare Us For Glory AUDIO

Prepare us for Glory

Becki J Buescher

Here for just a moment

Life is but a breath

One day restoration

Will surely follow death

Eternity to welcome

Our Father declaring

“Behold I make all things new!”

Prepare us for Glory

Humbly we fall before Your throne

God, You are Holy

And your Name will be made known

Come behold my Savior

The one and only God

The one and only God

The groanings of creation

Reminder to the soul

That this world is not my home

As the battle rages round us

With trials before us

We still arise to worship You

We will join and sing

Holy, holy to our glorious king

Our forever in the presence of the One

Who was and is and is to come

The Time Has Come, Arise (song series)

Jesus is the stone you builders rejected,
 which has become the cornerstone.

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” 

Acts 4:11-12

I had recently been inspired by a pair of messages preached within the last couple of weeks by our West Davenport campus pastor of Harvest Bible Chapel, Jeremy Hickman, entitled, “The Time has come”  

You can listen to both messages here: 

http://harvestdavenport.org/resources/sermons/the-time-has-come/

http://harvestdavenport.org/resources/sermons/the-time-has-come-part-2/

I like to see this message as a wake up call of sorts to those Christians in the church (me definitely included) who are getting too comfortable and not responding to the call to go out and preach the gospel “to all the nations.”  I will be the first to admit I allow fear or even inconvenience to get in the way of witnessing.  It is a very unloving and selfish state to be in.  The conviction rests in the fact, when finally faced, that I would deny speaking to someone about Christ because it’s uncomfortable and risk them not hearing the salvation message.  I love (or hate, to be honest) the line, “do you hate someone so much that you would deny them the message that would save them from hell?”  *Gasp*…*shudder*! “Of course not”, we say!  Our actions prove a different story as our own fear of what they might think of us will keep our mouths shut.

I again will be the first to admit that I need a lot of prayer and boldness in this area of sharing the gospel regularly with those around me.  I find myself so involved in my Christian circle sometimes that my ministry doesn’t always leave the family of believers…It is a true shame and conviction.  But it doesn’t have to rest there.  We press on each day to be better than the day before.  To trust God and ASK Him for opportunities and then actually OBEY when we are led to act!

Trust that He will lead us and fuel us for the very reason He placed us here - to love God and to love others.

Here is my song inspired by that message.

Click HERE to listen to "The time has come, arise" audio

The Time has come, arise

Becki J Buescher

The time is now

To stand unashamed

We will not hide

We will not back away

The time is now

To bind our fear

So all may see

So all may hear

His Name be sung

His Kingdom Come

His Will be done

Wake up Church

The time has come, Arise

Boldly go, so all may know

And trust in Jesus Christ

There is no other name

By which we must be saved

Hallelujah, Hallelujah