January 12, 2012
What a long week I have had friends. It has been my experience in life that there are times where we have what I call a faith check. I'm not sure if it's God's way of testing me or Satan's way of testing me. I'm no biblical scholar, so I couldn't tell you which it may be. What I can say is that I can look back on my life and point out certain times where my faith is tested. When I say tested i'm not talking about whether I believe in God or am faithful to Him. I am always His child, I will always have faith in God. What I am talking about when I say a faith check is a check in what I will put my faith in and will I trust in that. I am blogging tonight from Liberty Hospital where Adam and I have been since Tuesday night with our 4 month old Dylan. We were sent here from our Dr's office in response to Dylan's struggle with RSV, which was diagnosed on Monday. As I have watched Dylan's health go from bad to worse back to bad then worse then better and so on, I felt myself starting to have a mom freak out moment. I felt myself freaking out over all the what if's of the week. What if he stops breathing, what are we going to do with Cohen, is my employer going to understand, what if work can't survive without me, what about Cohen's wrestling and getting him to church, what if Cohen feels like we dont' care about him, and what if I can't hold it all together. All of these what if's and more were flashing through my head as we checked a very ill Dylan into the hospital. And as we got settled in that night I did a faith check. I thought to myself "This can go two ways, I can freak out and turn into a big ball of stress OR I can put my faith in Christ and let Him take control of this situation and my heart." I decided to put my Faith in my Faith. I prayed for God to take this burden and calm my heart and my fears. This was the first important step I took in my faith check, placing my burden in God's hands. The second step was almost as important as the first, I prayed about it and asked my church body and my friends and family to pray for Dylan and for us. I think one of the HUGE perks of being a Christian is our church body. Adam and I have had probably more than one hundred people praying for Dylan and us specifically. What a relief and what a huge burden off of our shoulders. To know it doesn't just lie in our hands but that we have a whole host of other believers that are commited to praying for us and loving up on us while we are here. Thank God for them and the blessing that they are to me and my family.
So what did I learn this week in my "faith check". I learned that trusting in God is the only way to live! Why wouldn't I put my problems in the hands of my creator? I also learned to trust in my Christian family. They are a mighty force! What can I say that will encourage you this week? If you have a burden, great or small, do a faith check. Place the burden in the very capable hands of Christ, he says in Matthew 11:28 "Come to me all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest". And I believe that with my whole entire heart. I believe this because I am laying weary and burdened at His feet this week and He is giving my heart the rest that it needs.
Friends seek Him if you don't know Him. Find a church body if you do not have one. Without these two things my world would be falling apart right now. If I can help you in either of these two steps please do not hesitate to ask!
Until next time friends, know that God loves you. He wants you to know Him so that He can love on you and help you carry your burdens and show you that you are Beautifully Made.
Much Love,
Chrystan Ferrell
