Are you kidding me?! Pt 2

....The Lord is faithful and here is the continued story from a previous post titled: 

Are you kidding me?!

Walking out life trusting the Lord is not as easy/convenient/fun as it may sound.

When the Lord tells you one thing, it seems that everyone else has something different to say:

~get your resume' together

~move to KC

~women's shelter

~live with your outlaws

~move to TN

~craigslist

~go back to school

~Mclean Bible website

~move to Wisconsin

..just to name a few

This lead me to open up the Word of God and see if there wasn't someone else who God told to do something that didn't really make sense and see how they handled it:

vs14"Make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in the ark...Make a roof for the ark.. and  put the door of the ark in its side; make it with lower, second and third decks. For my part, I am going to bring a flood of waters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything that is on the earth shall die. But I will establish my covenant with you; and you shall come into the ark, you , your sons, your wife, and your sons' wives with you."

vs22"Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him." 

If you are a serious theologian, then you know that a huge flood came, there were lots of animals, 2x2 on the arc, and everyone on the earth, except the arc dwellers, died. 

I decided to listen to the Lord. I waited. I trusted...

except that one time when I got on craigslist and got a heavenly smack on the hand.

The thing was that I could have stayed in the apartment but I just didn't have the money for it minor details. I had to be out, or write a check by the 7th of January.

A check, from a random person, was handed to me on the 3rd of January.

And this continued, getting a check from random people, 

FOR 7 MONTHS!!!

I put in my notice but found out it was a 60 day notice instead of a 30 day And of course I blogged about it It's time....

The rent was paid for until I officially moved out on August 8th.

When the Lord says to wait & trust the only thing to do is wait & trust. 

HE is ridiculously faithful. 

Stupid faithful.

I promise.

Then HE told me to go and I went....

but that is a whole 'nother story.

Thanks for reading.

Are you kidding me?!

The Lord is faithful.

There are so many little stories that I could tell you about how faithful HE has been in these most recent chapters of my story, and I feel that it is now time to start sharing these stories:

Last November/December was a crazy time for me. The lease for my apartment was up the first week of January and I couldn't afford my 1,200$ a month rent as a single mom. Graciously, some dear friends of mine knew my situation and offered their home to me. We had been talking about this idea a bit since  September and they were more than ready to have Bailey and I in their home. How awesome was that!!! So, as I started to pack(late November), I called to see which weekend would be best to start moving in. The person said, "oh, I am sorry, it's not going to work out.".....

WHAT?!

HUH...

What do you mean it's not going to work out.....

Did we not have a few months worth of conversation about this? 

I was beyond confused but knew the Lord was at work.

So, early December, another friend sits down with me and explains that they need au pair and that I could live with them AND they would pay me. What an amazing opportunity! I was looking to transition jobs and the location would be perfect and I would get to spend my days with Bailey. They needed someone right at the new year too! This was amazing and right on time! 

Journal entry Dec9th:

 'When things don’t seem like they will work out, HE makes an even better way than what we could expect'

So Christmas Eve, I get a call from them saying, "It's not going to work out."

ARE 

YOU 

KIDDING ME!!!!!

At this point, I had 2 weeks to be out of my apartment. I could stay but I didn't have the money.

I mean, is 1200$ just suppose to show up from nowhere?

Journal entry Dec 31st:

'I have no clue what 6 months from now will look like. Who is to say that I won’t be some women’s shelter somewhere. As I was just thinking that, I heard in my head, “I am about to…”. God is about to. I just have to wait on HIM. I have to wait on the LORD. WAIT on the LORD. It is so hard...Things might get harder before they get easier but something in my spirit says its going to be worth it.'

So there I was, days before I had to be out of my unpacked apartment with no money and I feel like I am just suppose to trust the Lord. 
Just wait and trust. 

Here is the post I wrote: 2010

To be continued....

 

It's a wonderful life.

Where do I begin...

Read this first: One year ago

Life is unreal. 

 Like, I honestly don't believe what is happening. 

If you know anything about me, then it is either that I hate kites or that I talk about life in terms of story. 

A few years ago, I handed over the pen, that I was using to write my own story, to the LORD. 

Since that moment, life has never been the same. 

Life got really "terrible" for a few years. I put terrible in quotes because what seemed to be terrible was actually the greatest thing that ever happened to my story. 

Failing out of school and getting divorce was not fun by any means but it was exactly what my character needed to go through in order to get where I am today. 

I thanked the Lord then, knowing that the storm would pass. 

And it has.

My life looks nothing like anything I could have written. 

It is a thousand times better and a million times harder. 

It is too WONDERFUL for me. 

I am entering into a new story with new characters & new adventures. 

I am overwhelmed with JOY.

I beg you, if you trying to write your own story, to hand over the pen to the Author who wrote the world and everything in it. 

Become a character in HIS story.

Endure the hard times.

Have crazy stupid faith that HE knows what HE is doing. 

Then, get lost in an epic story.

What kind of story are you living?

March Forth!

Dearest Blog Readers-

My deepest apologies for not blogging as often. I am working on a new internet connection situation at home so for the time being I have to sit outside of my neighbors house creepily as I bum their internet. I wish that was a joke. Confession #2. I am watching 'Bethany Getting Married' right now. ummm. Love it. 

There are so many transitions that are going on right now in my life that I kinda want to wait until things are final until I actually blog details of things. I am doing better than I have ever been. The divorce papers are going to be ready this week and they should be signed on Friday. 

Friday is March 4th.

March 4th, 5 years ago, I was getting married. 

Irony.

March forth!!

I couldn't be happier with all that is going on. My GOD is so faithful and good to me. HE continues to shower me with HIS grace and mercy. I am so thankful that life is about seasons and that through the LORD, all things can be turned to good. 

I can't believe how fast time flies.  

The almond branch is starting to bud and I am nearly ready for the next season!
I have been dying to hear other people's stories. Your story.
What has the Lord brought you out of?
What season are you in?
Please share. Email me your story: breduis@gmail.com
Thanks!!

Egypt

"HE gives strength to those who are tired and more power to those who are weak"

-Isaiah 40:29

I love that spring is right around the corner. Promises of newness await. I am loving my hour commute to work. That time of solitude with my God and with some great music. As I was driving today, I couldn't help but be thankful for all the Lord has allowed in my life. I am loving how the 'testing of our faith develops perseverance' (James 1:3). I feel so much stronger this year. I have more faith and trust in my God than I ever have. I am so thankful for the crazy prayer of, "Lord, do what it takes in my life to get me where you want me". I remember praying that a few years ago. I prayed it again today, remembering the wrecking ball that demolished my life the last time I prayed it. But this time, I didn't pray it in a hesitant manner. I know that the Lord is faithful to do what HE says. I know the Lord is about bringing us into HIM. I know the Lord is good and gracious and loves us with an ardent love. He is jealous and a warrior and kind. He knows all and can see what I can't. So, I pray it with a trust in my soul that I didn't have last time. With a knowing that things are not going to go the way I imagine. 

I am running hard after the Lord. I am seeking first His kingdom. Let's see where that takes me....

WOW

WOW. I am blown away right now. Not just by the cool Virginia breeze but by the goodness and faithfulness of my God. My heart is in such a great place. I am so thankful for all the Lord has allowed me to go through and all that He continually allows me to go through. There is a constant in my life that nothing can shake. My feet are standing on a Rock that is not moving. I feel the stability. I have worked so hard on the core. It's all about the core. My gaze is forward and upward.  I hope that you are allowed the experience of getting everything that you hope and plan for ripped out of your life so that you can experience a concept called FAITH and watch the Lord, in His perfect timing, put things back together better than you can imagine and in such a way that shouts to the everyone around you that your GOD IS GOOD!! its my birthday month.