Ready to Graduate

I want to graduate from the unequally yoked club. I bet you do to.

In January of this year, God had me write something important down. He gave me a specific word about my future. Part of what he said was, “this is the year I will do great things in your life.”

Now I will honestly say I knew these “great things” didn’t necessarily mean complete success and all my dreams coming true. I know God well enough to understand that what I consider great and what I want may not necessarily be in agreement with what God is shooting for.

And I’m a firm believer in Romans 8:28. I have no doubts that everything God does has a purpose, nothing is wasted, and anytime we, his children, are included in these events, he always has our best interest at heart. So even faced with a difficult road ahead of us, I know God has a plan, a reason, and I trust him.

But looking back at his words during this time with my daughter has illuminated a new aspect for me. What God considers great can have much deeper ramifications. And more difficulties than we anticipate.

Sometimes “great” has farther-reaching ramifications than we can ever imagine. “Great” then takes on deeper meaning than the casual usage implying better than good. Great can mean significant, important, earth-moving and life changing.

What do we do in those times?

Hang on to God. I can tell you from experience, he’s very faithful. He’s certainly not letting go of you. And if you’re a control freak like me, the best thing you can do is spend a lot of time with him, especially in his Word. The better you know God, the more you will understand his will and find peace in acceptance and trust. God speaks, we just have to listen.

Look beyond ourselves. There’s always a bigger picture there, I promise you. I can look back over the last seven years and see ways God has been moving us to this point, AND preparing us for what we face right now. Those times are significant. Those times were great. Struggles, difficult decisions, set backs, failures—all of these have equipped me to deal with we are facing now. In this viewpoint, I can be grateful to God for all he’s done to get me ready. And I see it’s really not about me. It’s about God and his plan, which he set in place from the beginning, and he’s completely in control of it all and knows the outcome. I can’t do any better than that, so leaving it all in his most capable hands brings me tremendous comfort.

Join God. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned recently regarding ongoing issues is that much more is accomplished when I seek to join God in the process instead of demanding God just fix it and make it go away. Does it seem like God’s not hearing your prayer in a particular situation? Are you praying over and over again for God to change/fix/remove this problem, but nothing’s happening? Change you prayer. Instead of asking God to deal with it for you, ask him how you can be a part of the solution. God doesn’t need our help but he wants us involved as part of our growth. And that growth is what brings us closer to him, allows us to know him better, and even gives us a glimpse of what God has planned in his perfect will.

So much has happened in my family these last few weeks. And we still have more to face. We learned yesterday the tumor is cancerous. She will need more surgery, weeks of radiation, and months of chemotherapy. I know there will be days that I will wonder why God has taken us down this path.

But for now, I’m holding onto God’s promises for my daughter and for my husband. I can see that there is so much more going on than just the visible. God’s allowed this time for a greater reason than ourselves. Lives will be touched and changed. One in particular… God’s presence is being and will be revealed.

I want to be a part of that. I want to walk alongside God and participate as he’s calling me to. The big picture is salvation and relationship to God. That’s what this is all about.

And I can’t wait to see the culmination. I’m ready to graduate.
Praying and believing,
Dineen

Comments

[Lynn]

Oh Dineen,

You are just amazing. It is a privilege to call you friend. I am crying tears along with you but can truly say, I am trusting and walking with you..

Humbling and inspiring testimony. Thank you girl. Hugs...

[Laurel]

Dineen, and we will be here lifting you up in prayer. Why do we have to make certain journeys? We will never know this side of heaven. I pray this is something your daughter comes out with strength and a powerful testimony of giving God the glory even in the darkest days.

[Melanie]

Wow, Dineen... what a post! Such a great message you have given us here. Praying with you as you continue to walk in this journey with your daughter.

[Dena]

Your post is amazing and as you know your faith is giving you strength you may not have even known you had. You, your daughter and your entire family will be in my prayers.

[Amy]

This is awesome Dineen. So glad your daughter is on the mend, Romans 8:28 truly outshines everything else at the moment.

[Noreen]

Dineen, I know that the Lord will use you and Leslie in a mighty way at Stanford-they don't know what blessings they'll recieve. Please know I am here, standing in the gap and believing too.
Love,
Noreen

[Dee]

Dineen, this post inspires me. God is amazing! Girl, I can't wait 'til you graduate!

[Tamara]

dear dineen, I am sure you are ready to graduate - is mike? I would love to graduate too but it is more important that Jack is ready - I am also praying and believing for you and your family and for mine too - smile - love you - hugs Tamara

[pia]

this is so inspiring. i too would love to graduate from my situation. dineen,this is truly uplifting. we're almost at the finish line. God bless you, dineen.

[Marsha]

You all continue in my prayers as you travel this road.

[Angela (Ang4him)]

Dineen,

Thank you sooo much for sharing. It is so amazing to see God's hand in everything that you are going through right now. He is using this to not only make your family stronger and closer but to draw others to Him as well. It is amazing how inspiring you are in your strength and faith through Him right now. Bless you for your obedience to Him by sharing with all of us when it would be so easy (and understandable) for you to be focusing on your family only right now.

Love you and I'm praying for all of you!

[Dineen Miller]

Thank you so much, ladies! Your comments are so encouraging. God is so good! You all bless me so much. :-)