We have troubles all around us, but we are not defeated. We do not know what to do, but we do not give up the hope of living. We are persecuted, but God does not leave us. We are hurt sometimes, but we are not destroyed…. So we do not give up. Our physical body is becoming older and weaker, but our spirit inside us is made new every day. We have small troubles for a while now, but they are helping us gain an eternal glory that is much greater than the troubles. We set our eyes not on what we see but on what we cannot see….
2 Corinthians 4:8-9, 16-18
I can’t remember my first time thinking, “I believe in God”. That “feeling” has just always been there for me and it is my safe space. My whole childhood I was blessed with a family who went to church almost every Sunday and my dad laid on God many times and I saw this “wonder”. I have had many situations in life where I knew God was talking to me or had his hand on me.
The first that I recall now is when I was younger, 12 or so, my dad went in for back surgery. My dad and I have always had a strong connection, but the night of his surgery was one that stands out! My grandparents came down from WI to watch my sister and I so my mom could take my dad to Sioux Falls for the surgery. We spent the night going out for supper and then playing in the pool then off to bed at a reasonable time. At exactly 1 am I woke up throwing up and it didn’t stop until around 5 am. My dad’s surgery was from 11 pm to 6 am. I have no clue what happened, but I do believe I was an outlet for something my dad was going through. That God was working through me that everything would be ok, as I was beyond worried. But as soon as I quit throwing up, I knew dad was just fine and I was as calm as a cucumber.
Ok, so not the best story to start this blog off with but it is my raw truth.
From then on, I remember always talking to God about my thoughts and asking him for signs as to what his plans were for me or a friend or family. (I still am doing this.)
The next wave of knowledge I received from God was when; one day Dalton and I were working for my boss Lowell Barrett. We had to run to the hardware store which was on the main street. I started to get a feeling and looked out the window to see an ambulance go by, lights on and sirens blaring. I dropped what I had and told Dalton we had to go, that was for my dad. (We didn’t have cell phones, so we had to run back to work and tell my boss.) When we got to my boss’s house, he had received a call from my mom saying my dad had fallen and he was headed by ambulance to the hospital. He was going to be fine, just a broken bone.
But the person who trusts in the Lord will be blessed. The Lord will show him that he can be trusted. He will be strong, like a tree planted near water that sends its roots by a stream. It is not afraid when the days are hot; its leaves are always green. It does not worry in a year when no rain comes; it always produces fruit.
Jeremiah 17:7-8
I have called on God many other times throughout my life, to help me “feel” what was the right more or what to say, or how to act. He has been my guide through life. Even when I married Dalton, everyone was “amazed” at how calm of a bride I was. We had a large wedding, but I was not nervous at all. I talked with God many times in those short four months and had the calm “feeling” that it was the right move for me. I knew I my love for Dalton was true, but I wanted to know if that was what God wanted for me too. The feeling was and has always been calming and true. (Not saying we don’t have our trials.)
Moving out to our ranch I have found God to be closer than ever. Just the connection we have to the land and our livestock we need that trust in Him.
There have been many situations out here where I have called on God to help guide me. From livestock management decisions, money problems and knowing He will provide what we need and when we need it (he always has) to neighborhood squabbles over things that are even discussed in the Bible. God has his way of working it all out, in his time.
Faith means being sure of the things we hope for and knowing that something is real even if we do not see it…. It is by faith we understand that the whole world was made by God’s command so what we see was made by something that cannot be seen…. Without faith no one can please God. Anyone who comes to God must believe that he is real and that he rewards those who truly want to find him.
Hebrews 11:1, 3, 6
My latest feelling from God was this past summer. I was riding a horse that hadn't been ridden in 9 months and we were trotting circles just fine, warming up. I asked her to stop and it was good but I knew she could do a lot better. So, I asked her to circle again and then stop again, it was worse than before.
I had this rush of feelings telling me to GET OFF NOW. I did, and so I asked her to back from the ground. She flipped over so fast I am sure I would have been seriously hurt or killed had I been on her back. I THANK GOD for those moments when he speaks to me so clearly. Always have your heart open to hear...
