Live Believing God!

A good part of my days lately have been spent reading and responding to emails.  From Facebook, the blog and personal.  Once again I am reminded—how very beautiful is the Body of Christ!

One dear friend—since our college days—recently sent me this beautiful gift.

Can you make it out?  I don’t have the best of cameras and lack all kinds of photo-taking skill.  But it is a bracelet with beautiful crystals intermixed with the 3 words—“live your faith”. 

If you remember, those were the words I heard from God so distinctly in my prayer time a few days after my husband’s stroke. 

Yesterday I received an email from her and several others again asking on the condition of my husband and myself.  I’ve also been asked questions about what it really means to “live your faith”.  To be honest, I think it will mean different things to each one of us.  What it means to me is consistent with my Christian walk thus far—my struggles, my victories, my doubts, my joys . . . .  For you, it could and should look quite different. 

Your life story is different. 

Your faith and how it is lived out is going to look different. 

Not the obedience. 

But the substance.

Here’s part of my friend’s question followed by some of my response:

How are you doing? How is chuck? I also made myself a bracelet like yours. I keep thinking "Live Your Faith" what exactly does that mean? Believing that God will take care of me no matter what the circumstances, that He knows what's best for me. When it gets hard is trusting in what the best thing is. Or the age old question, "why do bad things happen to good people?" Hope I'm making sense. What do you think living your faith means? 

I was having some struggles, but seem to have turned a corner with God yesterday. I've been thinking on this verse a lot lately, "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful." John 14:27 His peace is in me. I don't have to ask for peace--I just need to rest in what's already there. I was letting myself feel sad, confused, frustrated, disappointed, discouraged, defeated, like a failure over issues with both Chuck and _____. I realized I was "letting" Satan have free reign over my heart, mind and emotions.

As for the "live your faith"...I kept asking to hear more from Him. I just kept asking Him for answers, just let me hear from you on this...or this...or this.... He did give me a short response of an answer to what I was asking, but that is also when I heard Him say--"you already know what to do from what you've already heard from Me. Keep believing. Keep trusting. You have faith. Live your faith." Satan's main agenda is to get us to doubt God. If we doubt God--His goodness, His love, His power, His ability, His faithfulness, His "whatever"....we are more apt to live in fear, unbelief and self because ultimately we don't/can't trust God so we want to control what we can. We think we can only trust ourselves. So I believe--for me at least--one of Satan's greatest attempts against me is to stir doubt of my faith. That I don't have enough faith or that it's only head knowledge, not heart belief. I know I believe. I know I trust God. I know my faith is real and my faith is deep. I just need to be reminded to rebuke Satan's lies of doubt that stir up fear and/or confusion and/or regret and live my faith that is real. 

Phil. 4:4-7 is the ongoing mantra in my mind! 

My beautiful friend is a stage 4 cancer survivor awaiting another PET scan next week.  

This gal has depths of faith. 

I know it. 

I know her. 

Do you think Satan is going to leave her untouched?  

Absolutely not!  

She is too powerful for the Kingdom!

Her story is too potent against his!

So whatever it means to you, my friend—live your faith! 

Today—just live every moment and make every decision trusting in what you believe to be true. 

Live believing God!

** As for an update on my husband . . . we are so grateful for the improvements in his speech and handwriting.  His brain is still functioning on overdrive, so he continues to tire quickly.  And while he is working, he continues to find new frustrations to work through.  Several difficulties remain, but we rejoice in the days to come!  
Thank you for your prayers!