I have been reading in Romans for the past couple of weeks.  Good stuff.  Tough stuff.  For instance....Romans 5:3-4 Paul says "Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope." This suggestion that we should rejoice in suffering is a tough one to wrap my brain around. But God has been showing me that even though suffering is not pleasant, it is necessary for my growth in Him.  If I don't suffer...I won't grow.  I won't learn how to persevere in my faith if everytime something tough happens, God shows up and immedietly makes it all better.  

This past November we lost one of our two cars in an auto accident.  About two weeks later, we lost our other car in another auto accident.  Praise the Lord no one was injured, but the cars sure were! So all of a sudden we found ourself car-less.  Now...in the Winn household we drive old, paid for, only carry liability insurance on, cars.  Our family motto, as the rain is coming thru the roof because the sunroof leaks, is "hey, it's paid for!"  We don't mind this...we like living debt free!  But as we took stock of our situation....we were in a pickle.  So we began to pray.  We knew God was not surprised by our predicament...He wasn't up in Heaven saying "gee, didn't see that one coming..hmmm."  No, we knew He had a plan, so we began to wait and trust.  

God didn't move quite as fast as I thought He would...or should.  Each day got tougher to "rejoice" as we were driving around a borrowed car and wondering where the money for, not just one car, but two cars was going to come from. There were some very "doubt filled" moments where I wanted to take things into my own hands and just go "do the norm"...get a car payment.  But we both knew God was wanting us to trust Him.  He was speaking everyday to us through His Word.  He was not silent...He just wasn't moving as fast as we wanted Him to.

 After waiting and praying for over three weeks,  someone blessed us with some money to go towards the purchase of a car.  Halleluia!  God was moving.  We continued to pray and cling to Him, trusting His plan was better than our plan. One week later another blessing came.  A week later, another.  One week later... another.  In a matter of 3 weeks, God provided enough money for us to not only buy two GREAT (better than we had) used vehicles, but also pay for our son's Spring tuition at college. Suffering produced in us perseverance which produced character which produced HOPE!

I grew through this experience.  It was hard.  It was not fun.  It tested me.  But...I was so close to Him.  I didn't go through it alone.  Next time...yes, I am confident there will be a "next time"...I will remember His faithfulness and it will breathe into me hope and faith and the fight to persevere for His best.  

So...rejoice.

In Him,

Elizabeth