It's the Small Stuff from a Great God

So, I just wanted to take a few minutes to jot down the thankful feelings running through my head.... God is GOOD, he is SO GOOD!!! I went into the summer unsure of just how I would physically make it through having my boys full time... With back pain and nerve pain/sciatica running down one leg at almost all times it seemed like it was going to be a pretty challenging summer with 2 super active little boys... I asked the Lord to please strengthen me for the task and help me not only get through it but ENJOY it... I claimed a verse for myself early on this summer... Romans 15:13 "Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing (another NIV says as you TRUST IN HIM), that you may ABOUND (overflow) in hope by the power of the holy spirit." I came across it and said Lord, that is what I want to have your JOY and PEACE at all times... regardless of circumstances... because I have seen firsthand how quickly they can change and how little control I really have over any of it... I also thought Lord, Christyn (human, selfish) in my own strength cannot overflow with joy when it hurts to get out of bed and walk to make my coffee to help me face the day... but this verse told me something different...I CAN, by the power of the Holy Spirit... So I claimed it right then. I have prayed it many of days and especially on the rough days... and it's amazing how the Lord wants to fill us with his joy and peace if we will only claim it... no matter WHAT trials we face... So, oh my, how God answered my every prayer... He totally not only gave me strength and many good days in between the hard ones... but I LOVED this summer... I loved lazy mornings with the boys instead of rushing to the gym first thing as I once did... I loved doing my stretches on the living room floor while they bounced the ball and themselves around me and we chatted endlessly.. I loved how they were so patient to allow me to do my little stretching routine before I was able to get moving... I loved our long days at the pool together and trying lots of new recipes with them at my side... I loved watching my boys play ball with Jay so many nights. I slowed down and soaked them in, oh how thankful I am to a God who enabled me to do this... And amidst having some rough days, overall I am doing so much better physically. Here are the small things I praise God for that I've been able to do in the last month or so... -SIT and cuddle on the couch with my boys rather than needing to lay down while they cuddle with Jay at night... -SIT through jenga games pain free with each of them, rather than laying down or sitting through the pain.. -REACH and PAINT my toe nails without pure torture... -WEAR flat, non supportive CUTE shoes with my skinny jeans rather than my bulky super not so stylish rainbows... SUPER YAY!!! -DRIVE on 2 road trips, riding alone used to be hard but I could recline... driving was a different story... but I drove to and from COLA and HILTON HEAD ALONE with minimal pain, praise GOD for that... -Spent 4 days ALONE with my boys at the beach and had the most wonderful time, never would have thought it would be possible for me at the beginning of the summer... Have been able to walk several times a week on my treadmill 20-30 minutes... once that was NOTHING to me, but now it is SUCH an awesome workout for me :) I was told this may be the way things would be forever, sought so many opinions, to no avail... I finally came to a point at the end of the road and gave this battle to the Lord. I also had to learn and did learn, that regardless of the outcome, HE IS GOOD... and He would provide... He was giving me the best thing possible for my life at the time, and He alone knows what I need most, so I trust HIM. And I have to say that from that point on, things have only gotten better... He is SO GOOD... He wants us to trust HIM and HIM ALONE. Anyhow, THANK YOU LORD for the small stuff! I am so thankful for the healing you've given me and trust you for more to come! Romans 8:18 "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing to the glory that is going to be revealed to us. For the creation eagerly awaits with anticipation God's sons to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to futility (that means a sense of no purpose, or lack of usefulness, which I definitely have experienced in the past 2 years) and not willingly-but because of HIM who subjected it in the HOPE that the creation itself will also be SET FREE from the bondage of corruption into the glorious FREEDOM of God's children... One more verse I came across that made me say, WOW... this is the story of this experience... Pre pain-I was in bondage of feeling I wanted to look/be physically a certain way, an issue I had struggled with for years...It overtook me and though I loved the Lord, I could not serve Him or be the light for HIM that I should be when I was always focused and worried about myself. I am FREED of this, I can now use my energy to focus on what's most important, MY GOD, and my family and sharing as much with others as I can about the one and only TRUE God!