January 6, 2011

Behold, I Will Do a New Thing

Happy New Year!!!
"Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert." Isaiah 43.18-19

God is SO GOOD and SO FAITHFUL!!! Hallelujah & Glory to Him!!! What a year 2010 was. It started out bitter, but it ended so sweet!

January 8, 2011 will mark the 2nd anniversary of the day my children and I walked out on a life of fear and pain and into a season of healing and freedom. Last Christmas we were in a shelter, but the kids had the best Christmas (gift wise) ever! This year we celebrated our 1st Christmas of not only freedom and healing, but in our new home as well, one of God's greatest gifts to us this past year.

This year there wasn't a sea of gifts to amaze their eyes, but there was the gift of life, peace and love that filled their hearts. My kids and I have always lived a simple life. We don't ask for much, we have learned to live with what we have ~ little and less; and appreciate what we get. I am so thankful for every little thing God does for us everyday and for all that He does through the good people He brings into our lives. I believe I am doing a good job of teaching my children not to be materialistic and to have thankful hearts. They know that they have a God and a mother that loves them very much.

My days are filled with hard work from my rising to my setting. Taking care of four children alone is no easy task, as any single mother knows, going out to work and coming home to more work. But somehow I make it through everyday. They go to school clean, they eat breakfast, lunch and dinner everyday, their homework is done, they are getting straight A's, they laugh & play, and they bring joy & smiles to those fortunate enough to encounter them.

I don't take any of that lightly and I give God 100% credit & honor for it. I couldn't do it without Him. It is His grace that carries me through each day. In the beginning of this new journey, I wasn't sure I'd make it. It was so hard, it felt like a weight crushing down on me, like my husband did all those years ago when he fractured my rib. It was hard to breathe and most days it was hard to catch my breath. A few times I thought I'd have a nervous breakdown, and a few times I thought that I'd breakdown and go back. But I didn't, God kept me and didn't let me fall. Now here we are, on the eve of two years abuse free, 730 difficult, yet amazing days!

We have spent this time in the University of Life, earning Masters degrees in faith and trusting God. He has been faithful and so good. Jesus promised us that in this life the trials and tribulations would keep coming. We weren't to be worried about them though, because He would help us to overcome them. So I don't worry, I pray and I keep it moving. We have overcome a lot, but the enemy keeps pressing in, so I have to keep pressing on and through.

As I may have mentioned before, this Friday, January 7th, 2011, will be the 6th anniversary of my marriage. My husband and I will be in the same room on Friday, but sadly it won't be to celebrate anything. We will be sitting in a courtroom in Queens Family Court to deal with the false petitions he has filed against me. I am not worried at all because I have the truth, God is an invincible army, and He's on my side. He doesn't fight for me because He loves me more than my husband, He loves us the same. He fights my battles because I am living my life for Him. I'm not perfect, but my heart is perfect towards Him. I make mistakes everyday, but I am obedient, I trust Him and cast my cares on Him.

I continue to leave my husband and any trouble he makes, to the Lord. There ain't a thing I can to about him or the things he does to me, but God can. And God will do what needs to be done that is in the best interest of all of us, including my husband. He needs help and God will help him if he wants to change, but that's between him and God. I pray that one day he will let God turn his life around for the redemption of his own humanity.

Two very strange anniversaries back to back....which one do I celebrate? How do I celebrate them? Lol....weird stuff. An anniversary for a marriage that is over and an anniversary for the walking out the door of an old life and into the door of a new life. I think the latter is the only one that makes sense to celebrate. Maybe I'll do something special with the kids without telling them why. Either way, I am happier and stronger than I've been in over a decade.

This is a new year, a new decade and I'm getting a sense of a very strong shift coming. I'm excited about what God has in store and will patiently watch God reveal all that He has already planned for us in this year. Daily asking for His guidance and direction, so I don't get out in front of Him or fall too far behind. I pray that you and your families have a prosperous New Year and that you seek God everyday and reach forward to the prize that He has put in front of you.



"Though the fig tree does not blossom and there is no fruit on the vines, [though] the product of the olive fails and the fields yield no food, though the flock is cut off from the fold and there are no cattle in the stalls,Yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will exult in the [victorious] God of my salvation! The Lord God is my Strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army; He makes my feet like hinds' feet and will make me to walk [not to stand still in terror, but to walk] and make [spiritual] progress upon my high places [of trouble, suffering, or responsibility]!" Habakkuk 3.17-19 Amplified Bible