It's Gonna Be Alright

Well, since my last post, a lot has happened here at the Courville House.  God has definitely blessed us with the birth of our sweet baby Joy and held us up as we got back to [the new] normal.

 The most recent event, however, was a trip to the emergency room for Faith Tuesday night.  She had fallen (while pretending to be a cowgirl--but I'll save that for a different blog) and cut her chin right below the dimple. The cut was deep and bleeding a lot, and my little girl was hurt and UPSET. I know it was the grace of God that prevented me from over-reacting, but we knew she needed medical attention. Jake was almost home from work, so my plan was to leave with Faith as soon as he got here. But, she said, "No, Mommy, I need Daddy to come, too." So, Jake and I loaded Faith up, got my mom to watch our younger two, and headed to the ER.  All we could really do besides pray and be by her was tell her, "It's gonna be alright; you're gonna be okay."At that moment, she couldn't really grasp the fact that everything would return to normal because it clearly wasn't alright. She was hurting and scared and more than a little worked up. Thank God, they were able to glue her chin together and we headed home.  Today, she's got a little "boo boo" but guess what, she is alright.

Aside from giving us something to write in her baby book, this experience taught me a few things, but it took me until Wednesday morning to really get what God was trying to say in all of it. I was driving to a doctor's appointment for Grace and Joy and singing along with a song by the McRaes called "Alright" (available on iTunes).  In the song it says:
IT'S GONNA BE ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT
EVERYTHING IS GONNA BE ALRIGHT
AS LONG AS GOD IS IN CONTROL OF MY LIFE
EVERYTHING IS GONNA BE ALRIGHT

(VERSE 1)
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FUTURE MAY BRING
SOMETIMES I'LL CRY AND SOMETIMES I'LL SING
FOR THE SAKE OF THE CAUSE I'LL HAVE TO STAND UP AND FIGHT
BUT IF GOD IS IN CONTROL EVERYTHING'S GONNA BE ALRIGHT

All of a sudden, everything kind of clicked, and two things stuck out to me about Tuesday night's events.

1. Faith wanted her Daddy to come with us to the hospital.
2. We were there to tell her "It's gonna be alright."

The Bible says in John 16:33,

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."
We are going to have problems. We're going to make mistakes, and like Faith, fall down and be injured sometimes. If all we look at is the problem, we'll never ever walk in the peace and joy and victory that God intended for His people.  

But, as long as we're asking for our Heavenly Daddy to be with us, He will be there when life hurts us and knocks us down. And when the devil tries to make you focus on the problem remember that God overcame the world and has given us a promise that everything will be alright. Romans 8:28 says,

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."

 I don't know what you all are going through right this minute, but I feel like God needs you to know that WHATEVER it is...whether it's "tribulation" or aggravation or just life, He has it under control. More than that, He wants to use it for your GOOD and it's part of His PURPOSE for our life!!

We just have to ask our Daddy to come with us and trust what He says because He says, "It's gonna be alright."

Love you all.

Amanda

Stand Still

Exodus 14:13
And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, which he shall shew you today...



As most of you know, standing still is not something that I do easily or readily. If I had come to the Red Sea that day with the children of Israel, I instantly would have jumped into action mode, crafting a boat out of clothes, teaching my camel to swim, something. It is for precisely that reason that God frequently has to remind me that He is in control of EVERY situation and He will provide the answer WITHOUT my help.



That is where I find myself today---standing still and waiting on God. Here I am with a million things to do (in addition to normal life) to prepare for the start of school for Faith, Grace's birthday, and Joy's impending arrival and guess what?!? I am in the second week of semi-bed rest! But, the minute I started to fret about all of it, God reminded me of this verse and a song that says, "Stand still and let God move." I'm thankful for that because He sent it right when I needed to hear it. Even when I can't do...actually especially when I can't---God can!



I think that's where we all get bogged down sometimes, we get our eyes off of the fact that we serve the one true, living God with whom nothing is too hard, and we start focusing on what we need/want/have to do. That's not living in submission to Him. In fact, it may even be sin because we aren't trusting Him to be our everything. This reminded me of the Bible passage that God originally dealt with me about when He gave me the idea for this Bible study blog with you guys.



The passage is I Kings 19:11-18
11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake:

12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?

14 And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

15 And the Lord said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria:

16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.

17 And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay.

18 Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.



Elijah was all upset about the Ahab and Jezebel and he felt all alone, so we was hiding in a cave, pouting (Ever done that before????) God spoke to Him and said, "Why are you doing this? Go STAND at the mountain and see what I have to say." Sometimes all we can see is the problem and we're hiding out and waiting on this huge show from Heaven to give us the answer. Instead, what God wants is for us to stand still and listen, so He can work it out.

Just remember that today, and I will too.
Love you and praying for you all in Jesus name,
Amanda