“Apart from me, you can do nothing??? (John 15:5).
I will never forget the day my husband came home from work with the news that he would be going to Iraq… in just a matter of weeks.
David had only been home from his last deployment with the Marine Corps for ten months, and before that he’d been on a tour of duty in Japan for over a year.? Iraq would be his fourth deployment in the seven years we’d been married.
Raised in Canada, the daughter of a Mennonite pastor, I knew nothing about military life.? Nineteen years old, and madly in love with the man God had brought to me, I jumped into this lifestyle that was full of adventure, to say the least.
One day, after? David had been in Iraq? for a few? months,? I was washing dishes when this verse popped into my head out of nowhere: “Apart from me, you can do nothing.”? Having known this verse since I was a little girl, I never thought much about it–until now.? As I scrubbed and rinsed, I realized that for so long, I had been allowing Jesus into only some areas of my life, rather than allowing Him into every part of my life.? Could it be that He would want to be a part of everything I did?? And if I allowed Him, would it make a difference??
I wanted to make this deployment different than the previous three I had stumbled through, with a fake grin on my face. I became tired of living in defeat that no self-help book or any simple advice could overcome. ?
So I chose, right then and there, to make Him a part of absolutely everything I did, little and big.? What could I? lose??
I asked Him to join me when I went to the grocery store with my four children.? I also invited Him to celebrate the holidays with us, as my husband was gone for many of them. There were several times I hid myself in the pantry of my kitchen, quickly closing the door behind me asking, “More, Lord. More of Your strength. NOW!??? My bedroom closet became my prayer closet, as I would kneel in there and weep before my God. And all these times, He was drawing me closer to Him.?
As I continued to yield everything I had to Him, I began to see real changes: I? worried less,? I was able to gain control over my emotions, I found myself? less eager to “escape” through watching the TV, surfing the internet or waiting for someone to call.? I stopped searching for ways to fill my unmet needs and put my trust in God for everything. My circumstances didn’t change, but? I found the joy and peace I had lost long ago!?
Jesus tells us in Mathew 11:28 that if we are weary and heavy laden, we can come to Him, and He will give us rest.? Whatever trials we face, we have access to an abundance of all we need, if we only humble ourselves and ask Him to join us in every part of our life’s journey.?
~ Thank You, Lord Jesus, that You love me so much, that there is nothing too great or too small? to bring to? You.? Thank You that because I am in You, I have all I need and more, no matter what circumstance I am in.? Please join me in every part of my life.?
Related Links:
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About the Author
This article was written by Brigitte Straub. You can read more about this author by clicking this link:
http://www.talk.thelife.com/brigitte-straub/
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