When God Whispers

There are times when God speaks so clearly into my life that I stop and am truly amazed.  The God of the universe loves me enough to speak personally to me.  He pursues me and whispers encouragement through friends, books, His Word and sometimes it happens when I least expect it.  Perhaps that's when my defenses are down and I am more open to hearing. 

Last week I learned that I needed to have some surgery, which is to be done next Monday.  I had several tests and doctor appointments and was nervous about the outcome, and when I learned that surgery was required, I was less than thrilled.  I don't know anyone who wants to have surgery, but this was kind of a blow to what I thought was really nothing to worry about. 

One morning I awoke early and knew I needed to just get up and have quiet communion with God.  As I prayed, I poured my heart out to God.  God, why?!  God, is it all going to be OK?  God I need you!  In the stillness of the morning, He said to me, "Do you trust me?"  My immediate response was, "Yes, Lord I trust you but..." He said, "You either trust me or you don't.  There is no but.  Do you trust me?  I have brought you through much more than this.  I am in charge and I have a plan." 

In that moment I knew that God already had this all figured out.  I knew that trust was a choice and I can choose to trust Him or not.  I knew that I could sit and worry and wallow, or give it over to Him.  I chose trust.  I still choose trust.  It is a decision every moment of every day to trust that He has a plan and His plan is perfect.  That His purpose for me isn't always what I would choose, but that He will use everything that happens in my life for His glory.  When I begin to worry again, I have to make the conscious effort to choose trust.  It isn't easy by any stretch of the imagination, but nothing about this is easy.  So I can choose to "go it alone," which I'm not alone anyway, or I can choose to trust that God will take care of me.  John Wesley said, "The best of all is, God is with us."  Indeed, that is the very best.  It means that I don't walk alone, but that when I go into the operating room on Monday morning, The Great Physician will be there with my doctors to guide and bring healing.  Thanks be to God.

Beyond Ordinary ~ Book Review

Beyond Ordinary ~ when a good marriage just isn't good enough by Justin and Trisha Davis



Overview:

Justin and Trisha Davis know all too well the dangers of settling for an ordinary marriage.  Their own failure to recognize the warning signs almost resulted in the end of their marriage, their family, and their ministry.  Now, with disarming transparency, they give readers a rare glimpse into the slow fade that eventually led to the near destruction of everythingt they held dear.  Using a compelling "he said, she said" approach, Justin and Trisha share two sides of the same story, exposing the seemingly insignificant comments nad decisions couples make every day that can dramatically alter the course of a marriage.  They also share the invaluable lessons they learned that helped them restore their relationship and transform their ordinary marriage into and extraordinary one!

Review:

Justin and Trisha Davis had a seemingly fine marriage from the outside.  They were building a ministry and a family together and from a distance they were living the fairy tale marriage.  For a long time, they didn't even realize themselves that something was wrong.  The mistake they made, the mistake so many of us made was that they settled for ordinary. 

As I read their narratives there were times I could see my hubby and I in similar situations.  There were times that as a woman I would read Justin's thoughts and shake my head, knowing just how much trouble he was digging himself into.  I became involved in their story because I think we can all identify with rocky times in our relationships. 

I like the way they incorporate Scriptural principals into the book so that the reader can see from the outer perspective how God made us and what our natual tendencies are as couples.  Illustrations from the Bible help put it in context and also help the reader to learn who God wants us to be in our relationships with Him. 

There are questions at the end of each chapter that can help couples as they think about their own marriages seek the extraordinary.  I enjoyed reading this book and reflecting on my marriage and how I can go the extra mile to make it extraordinary.  God wants His very best for each and every one of us and until we seek Him first and obey His calling on our lives, we can't have that.  God has to be at the center of it all.

 I highly recommend this book!  It was a great read ~ so go get your copy today!

Check out the rest of the Blog Tour of Beyond Ordinary here (PDF File) and visit some amazing blogs!

***I received a complimentary copy of this book, courtesy of Tyndale Blogger Network, for the purpose of review