Thankful Thursday: Going Away

A Little Drama

I'm going away for a short while to a strange city.  This is often referred to as "taking a vacation". That normally is the best thing I can think of doing! But, for some reason, I'm facing it with fear and trepidation! That couldn't be more unlike me.  I am the person who is ready to go anywhere, anytime, especially if I get to fly there!  I love meeting people, seeing new things, and having new experiences.  But, from day one of discussing going on this trip this fall, I have been reluctant, "had a bad feeling" about this trip, and dragged my feet. I even suggested postponing it until the spring.  My husband finally said, "We're going, and we're going now," or our kids probably won't be able to go with us.  So, because I know the Lord leads through my husband, I know it's the Lord's will for us to go, and I have determined that I will be enthusiastic. (Him having to talk me into going on a trip is so bizarre, and such a reversal of roles in our marriage, that I can't tell you how weird it feels.)

"Fear thou not; for I am with thee:

be not dismayed; for I am thy God:
I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; 

yea, I will uphold thee with the

right hand of my righteousness."
Isaiah 41:10

Operation Trust

So, it's time to put "Operation Trust" into place.  God commands us not to fear.  ("For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." 2 Timothy 1:7) He tells us to trust in Him. "What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee." Psalm 56:3  I can't pull myself up by my bootstraps, or know ahead all I'm going to face, whether I stay in my little house, or travel far, far away.  But I have a God Who knows everything, (Psalm 139) loves me with an everlasting love, and knows every day I will live before one of them has happened. "Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee."  (Jeremiah 31:3 KJV) I don't need to fear.  Even before I pray, He is putting into place the answer to my prayers!  When I say, "Help me!" He knows just what I need!  I don't even know that, but He does! What a precious Friend and Powerful God we have, we who have placed our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.  When I placed my life in Jesus' Hands and believed in His finished work on the cross to save me from my sins, it was the beginning, not the end, of a relationship with Him, and a journey of daily, minute-by-minute trusting, and laying everything, every care, every problem, every moment in His capable, strong Hands.  He is able to handle anything I will face today.  (I love that saying.)  Trust is ongoing, and fear is irrational.  We can't predict or understand what is going to trigger fear in us.  But, I choose to respond in faith, not fear.  I haven't worked out all the details of "Operation Trust," but I know I'm thankful this Thankful Thursday that my Heavenly Father has already been putting into place answers to my prayers, and He has traveled this road, and been on this trip before and knows everything that's going to happen, knows how to handle it, and is able to take care of me and communicate to me all I need to know to be prepared for what's coming! There is no better Friend in all the world than He and no better One in whom to trust.

One More Thing, and A Request

In preparation for this vacation, I will be doing a lot of planning in the next few weeks, and won't have time to do a lot of blogging.  I apologize already, as I feel that I've been less "present and accounted for" here lately, and have been skipping some regularly featured posts, and posting and commenting late, etc.! Please forgive me, and don't leave! because I will be back to normal soon!  But, because I won't have time to blog much in the next few weeks, I have decided to open my blog up for some guest posting.  If you are a Christian writer who'd be interested in writing a post for one of my themes:

Monday: Manage It (Victorious in Christ) Monday

Tuesday: Timely Tips on Tuesday

Wednesday: Love and Marriage

or, submitting a recipe for Food Friday,

please contact me by email (see "Contact Me" above) and let me know what you'd be interested in doing!

(Please read other entries in the categories above to get a feel for the kind of things I write, if you are new here, and to see my blog's emphasis and style.  Especially regarding the Love and Marriage theme, this is a family-friendly blog, read by young and old, so keep that in mind.)

Today, Thankful Thursday, I'm so grateful to the Lord for being willing to make me His friend by the blood of Christ, (John 15:15) and that He is All-Knowing and All-Powerful, and He's holding me in the palm of His hands, as He's always done.  Praise God.

"Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen." Ephesians 3:20-21

To participate and/or read other thankful posts from thankful hearts, visit Laurie, (she wrote an awesome post on "Hope" today!) at Women Taking A Stand (thank you so much for hosting this month, Laurie!)