When facing the unknown, unfortunate circumstance, death, personal victory, how did you know it was God's plan? What came of it? How did it strength your faith?

we go through trials and tribulations in this life b/c we are not in the perfect place yet. So..until then we will always have to face things of discomfort here on earth. I know God has a reason for everything and at that very moment we may not have the answer as to WHY this is happening but in HIS time he may reveal why we had to go through it. Often times it 's a test of strength and to build our faith and character..to make us stronger. In these times his word tells us to still praise him..his word says he will be a shield about us and the lifter of our heads!

Very True busymom I agree whole heartedly!

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Mom of one kangaroo!

With the passing of my dad (my only parent) recently along with other circumstances I cannot talk about, i have learned some incredible things...when things really start to go bad in life, I run to God with everything that I am, I cry out to Him. God is faithful and I can say I feel closer to Him during those terrible times than is even possible when things are well. He makes Himself so real I'd swear I could touch Him if my eyes were closed. The last few years I have lost most of my family, and my faith is stronger than ever. I dont even know how to explain it better, but sometimes I find myself longing for the closeness that I feel with Him when I am in a terrible time( although I dont want any more terrible times ) God is so real to me now- more than ever before, I know that whatever happens, it is all okay. If I have good times, I am soo thankful for them, and when tough times come, my relationship with Him grows to an intimate closeness with my hero,my friend, and my savior.
Hope this doesnt sound too goofy

I learned that things truly happen for a reason. Every little bitty thing.

2 weeks ago yesterday, I was on my way to work. (I work in a diff.
city every day). This town is 1.5 hrs away. I had to put gas in my
car before I left town. The gas pump wouldn't work. I got very
frustrated because it put me about 5 minutes late.

About 1 hour into my drive, I come around a curve and happen upon
a car accident. Nobody is there to help them. I get out to help and
find that one person is injured, one person is dead. It had happened
5 minutes before. I can't describe the feeling I had and still have.

I haven't talked about it to many. I had to tell dh and of course my
coworkers, because it happened on the way to work.
But, I think it's still sinking in.

I believe everyone has a "time". I don't at all feel that it could have
been me, because it wasn't my "time". It still feels very weird though.

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I had about 5 years where everything went wrong. Fire, destruction, death, divorce, lawsuits, etc. It was terrible. The whole time I depended heavily on my "family" brought into my life through church. I called it my "year of deep dark depression" although it was much longer than that.

Sometimes, I'd skip Sunday School for a month or two and just go to church because I couldn't handle all the couples having babies and what not while I was feeling so alone. Sometimes I'd just be grumpy and yell at God, but I never forgot He was there. My loved ones always reminded me that He and they were around because they loved me--even when I was too depressed to move. And my loved ones were brought to me by God. I knew things would improve, I just didn't know how or when or anything. It was a trial of patience in many ways. But things did get better. I spent a lot of time thinking and praying and meditating on the idea of contentedness in my situation no matter what it was. Eventually I found my dh and now I treasure him and our families (friends and blood relatives) more because I've been through some yucky times. My husband is truly a gift of calm after those years of bad situations. That's not to say we don't have difficulties now (ttc, job changes, etc.) but my family reminds me that I've been through bad stuff before and THIS STUFF is nothing compared to what I've already seen. And I have seen how God changed me through all of it too. So, I have more confidence in Him and myself as we face our current set of challenges.

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Wife to the best husband ever.
Mommy to the cutest dog in the world!
Human twin babies due Oct. 11, 2008

I honestly think that sometimes when we face things in our lifes, it is intended to show us that we are not really in control, like we think we are.

I came from a very wealthy family, with everything handed to us, but love. I got preg. at 16 and married, daddy didn't like my ex and I would not ask him for anything. We struggled and finally made it ok.

But my ex cheated on me from the get-go. Finally 5 years later and 3 kids, I left. But the two boys had a disease and died. I started my own buisness and raise my daughter. Didn't remarry till she was around 25.

I think that going thru everything, has made be a stronger, independent person. I realize that the only thing I can control is my own happiness. I can choose to moan and be depressed about the boys, or I can rejoice in the memorys of their short life here on earth.

I am thankful for their life here, because at least I had some time with them. It also made be appreciate what I did have. And how precious anything we have is.

There is never a day that goes by that i don't thank God for what he had done and given me in my life.

I also make sure that my family and friends know how much they mean to me and how much I love them.

Thanks for sharing your hearts. I'm too tired to type about my feelings in depth right now, but I will say, without God, I couldn't imagine going through my rough spots.

During difficult times, I spend more time alone contemplating and praying and it brings me peace. I find strength in my faith, and have never been disappointed.

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Attaining financial freedom is like eating an elephant . . . it takes one bite at a time.

When I was 15 or 16 I was saved. I went to youth group on Wednesday nights. There was an opportunity for me to go on a missions trip to Jamaica. I had the plan to earn my money, but my dad was having no part of it. He would not let me go and that was that. When I spoke to my youth group leader about this we prayed, not that I could go to Jamaica, but that God would soften my dad's heart and let him feel God's love. I never go to go to Jamaica, but a couple of years later my dad found the Lord. His life is truly blessed now. I am so happy for him. I know it was God's plan for me to help pray for my dad. It was never God's plan for me to go to Jamaica. Years later I finally told my dad about all the praying and we both cried when he told me he could feel somebody praying for him during those years. The Lord is awesome and I know that he has a plan for each and every one of us. We are all here for a reason and God shows us that all in time.

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Mommy to Hope (10.10.06)
Monkey mommy to Allyson (10.13.02)