Month: March 2025

What does it look like to pray with such boldness and strong belief for God to turn a situation around completely? To see a 180 in your life or in the life of someone you love?

There are a couple of things going on in our circumstances I would like to see “turned to the contrary,” as Esther 9:1 so clearly puts it. This verse is speaking to the decree which Haman sent out declaring all the Jews in all the provinces be killed. After many days and a lot of dramatic ups and downs and “only God” moments, the decree “was turned to the contrary, so that the Jews themselves gained the mastery over those who hated them.”

The Message translation says, “tables were now turned.”

The Amplified Bible says, “it happened the other way around.”

Other translations say, “just the opposite happened,” or “quite the opposite happened,” or “the opposite occurred.”

I think of Joseph’s betrayal by his brothers that turned into blessing for those same brothers and a whole nation.

I think of Moses surviving the decree for all babies less than 2 years of age be killed and then leading Israelites out of Egypt and through the wilderness and receiving the Ten Commandments. What a turn of events.

Or what about David, a shepherd boy, taking down the giant Goliath! Not the way anyone saw that going.

And, of course, the greatest reversal was Jesus being killed brutally on the cross, buried and left alone for three days, then resurrection came!!!! Victory over death.

All of these situations “turned to the contrary” because of the power of God—His Sovereign rule over all and His providence or ability to “see to it” that things happen the way He deems best.

God can change any circumstance in an instant. He can heal. He can provide. He can protect. He can change a heart. In an instant if He wants.

Yet so often it is the process of wrestling in the unknown and unsettled parts of life that builds the relationship with God we all desperately need. The faith-building seasons of living faithfully, going to God with doubts and staying close to Him to watch Him work when He sees it is time to work—these are the seasons that grow us and mature us as Believers. So today on my walk I was, in one breath, asking God to turn a certain situation to the contrary even now. Then, with the next breath, I asked for patience to trust the process and know God is still working even though it could take a while. There is a tension there. Am I just not believing enough? Throwing all my faith behind this change I think needs to happen? Or do I need to trust that the change will happen in time? And it might take a good amount of time. I am not just trusting the process, but I am trusting God who rules and overrules the process.

As a song I have been listening to says:

“So bury me down in the hidden place; I won’t despise, I won’t fight the darker days. I’ve heard the healing is worth the wait. Let it take the time. Let it take the time it takes.” (Sean Curran “Let it Take the Time it Takes”)

Here is a link to listen in full:

https://youtu.be/Q2SN1muIjbk?si=HygFlEFkoXbdkIJC

So I will pray bold prayers AND AT THE SAME TIME trust God to take the time it takes to do the work He knows will last in my life and in the lives of those I love the most. Good things take time.

And speaking of good things that have taken some time!!! Here are some photos of our Esther bible study group. The Lord has knit together a sweet group, and I am grateful for each of these ladies!

The Edisto Bungalow was good to us yet again. A week of fun and sun in March? Why thank you very much.

It’s safe to say there is no place I’d rather be than on the beach. Any beach will do really, but Edisto has a special place in my heart.

We enjoyed an evening in Charleston too!

The girls have a million and one more beautiful photos but they didn’t share them with me.

We also managed to snap a few family photos.

Super grateful to God for His provision for making a trip like this happen! And to Josh for being so generous and loving to all of us. Loved making all the memories!!

This week we are at Edisto Beach with our girls and seven of their friends. It has been a very lowkey start with some good food, fun games, a little bit of sun by the pool and on the (very windy) beach one day, then some good rest because of rain the past two days. However, more sunshine and temps near 70 are on the horizon, and we will be here for it.

Josh and I have been enjoying long walks together too. I brought my weighted vest. Wearing a weighted vest has many benefits—increases endurance, can get your heart rate up quicker, and also helps build bone density, something older women, in particular, need to be aware of!

I also carry around in my heart and soul concerns for my kids and for Josh. I have a lot on my mind and can feel the stress sometimes in my chest, which I am working on with deep breaths and journaling, praying and trying to chill the heck out. And it struck me that the vest is sort of a representation of some of these things in life that I am carrying around.

Oftentimes I just want to cast my cares/burdens on the Lord and be done with them forever. But in reality, some of the burdens are mine to carry—with the Lord.

Matthew 11;28-30 says, “Come to Me all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. For My yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

So it is fair to say that the goal isn’t to carry nothing. There is something to carry even if you’re the learner with the yoke on your neck. But with the Lord, the burden isn’t going to take you under or knock you off your feet. You will go at His pace and His pace will be what is best for you. He will help you carry the load and teach you all along the way.

Much like the weighted vest is good for my physical body even though it makes moving more challenging, my burdens I carry with the Lord are intended for strengthening my faith and trust in Who God is. There is rest to be found even in the extra weight when I go to God with all of it.