Never Ending Faithfulness

   These past few weeks have been challenging.  My second car of the year broke down. My dad fixed it. I got a flat tire. I got it fixed. My car broke down again, and broken down it remains. I also overworked myself to the point of getting my second sinus infection this school year. I finally healed from that and then got sick again with a stomach bug. These circumstances plus the busy life I am living this semester amounted to a fairly hard month, but while most would claim to have had a bad month, I have only seen God's faithfulness.


   I know God cares about me, and He shows me every day. Sometimes I forget to thank him, but He never forgets me and He never stops loving me.

My dad and I celebrating my birthday

   I think about how much my earthly dad cares about me, and I have come to learn how he expresses his love for me. My dad does small things for me and he takes care of me. I was raised to be independent so I am sure I don't make it easy for him to find ways to show he cares about me, but he has found his own ways. My dad goes out of his way to spend time with me. When I am feeling homesick, he drives down to where I live and takes me to dinner. He takes me to the movies, and he creates ways to hang out. He came to almost every one of my sports games in high school and college. He also comes to my rescue often with cars. He saves me when I am stuck on the side of the rode, he fixes my broken cars, he pays for the parts, and he fills up my gas tank whenever he can. My dad truly does care for me, and he shows it in his own way. I have not heard him say the words "I love you" to me since I was a little girl, but his actions show it. My dad is constant, and he is always there. He shows his love for me through the small things. 

My dad is in the background. He faithfully always came to my games.

 

   When I think about these qualities of my dad, it helps me understand how much my Heavenly Father loves me and cares about me. God has always been there for me. He was there in my childhood during hard times, He was there a couple of years ago when I was making some hard decisions, and He is here now molding me into who He wants me to become. He ALWAYS shows up, and He cares about the small details of my life as much as He cares about the bigger details. He is faithful!!

My grandparents and I at my high school graduation

   In the last month, God has been taking care of me. When I got a flat tire with no tools to fix it, God showed up. He gave me amazing grandparents who care about me more than I deserve. They hate my bad luck with cars and can't stand the thought of their granddaughter stuck on the side of the road in a city so they yearly buy me a AAA membership. I was able to call AAA for my tire, and God perfectly arranged for me to have a free day (I never have those) in order to go get my tire fixed.



   I ended up having a free day because I was sick with a sinus infection. Through my sickness, God reminded me yet again of how I need to take better care of my body, and I need to rest! He constantly placed the verse "He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me besides still waters. He restores my soul," (Psalm 23:2-3a) on my heart. God knew I needed to rest, and He reminded me of it when I was sick. Through my much needed rest, God was able to restore me.

My good ol' faithful Rodeo broke down and joined my deceased Mustang 

   God also showed up when my car broke down for the second time this month. I was on my way up to Cru's Women's Retreat with my friend, and on the way, we were going to pass through my hometown and stop by my dad's house. When we were driving up and almost to my dad's house, a light came on in my car. Immediately I knew that my car would not make it to women's retreat so I started praying that God would deliver us to my dad's house. I accepted that my car would break down, but I prayed that God would get us to my dad's before it did. And God delivered! He heard my prayer! My car completely broke down and became undrivable at the exact moment I pulled up to my dad's house! Praise God!!


   God not only showed himself in these harder times, but He constantly showed himself in other parts of my life. While all of this has been happening, God has been raising the money I need to go to Ocean City for the summer. I am now 12 days away from my next support goal and $300 away from reaching it. I still need to raise $1800 in order to reach my final goal, but I know God will provide. He is molding me this semester to become more like Him, and I trust that He has big plans for this summer.


   God is proving faithful to me and constantly showing up even in the small details!! God truly cares about me. I serve a FAITHFUL God, and I can't wait to do His work now, this summer, and for the rest of my life.


   I love these lyrics from "Faithful God" by Laura Story: "Faithful God, every promise kept, every need You've met, Faithful God. All I am and all I'll ever be is all because You love faithfully. Faithful God, Faithful God."

Here are some verses about God's Faithfulness:

Psalm 33:4 "For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness."

Psalm 86:15 "Bu you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness."

 Psalm 89:1 "I will sing of the steadfast love of the Lord, forever; with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations."

Psalm 108:4 "For your steadfast love is great above the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the clouds."

Psalm 115:1 "Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness."

2 Thessalonians 3:3 "But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one."


These verses were shared with me and encourage me about this coming summer in Ocean City:

Proverbs 16:1-3 "The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirit. Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established."

2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 "To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, an you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ."