Spouse-Based or God-Based?

What is the difference between a spouse-based marriage and a God-based marriage?

This is the question my Sunday school leader asked our group this past weekend. We’re currently doing Gary Thomas’ video series, Sacred Marriage, which goes with his book by the same title. It’s a great course, and I have loved hearing different perspectives on marriage and how God works in our marriages and uses them to refine us.

The answer to this question also fits into our “Out-Love Your Spouse” challenge. So here it is:

A spouse-based marriage is performance based. In other words, I’ll do something nice for him if he does something for me. Or, why should I do that for her? She never does anything for me? And how about this one: He was grumpy last night. No way am I going to be nice to him today.

Basically, as long as our spouse is performing to our standards, and meeting our needs, we will love them, help them, and be a good spouse in return. As soon as they stop meeting that standard, we withdraw our affection, love and help.

In a God-based marriage we love our spouse because that is what Jesus has asked us to do—love one another. We love our spouse whether they are grumpy or happy. We help our spouse without the expectation of getting something in return. We serve our spouse as an act of serving God.

See the difference? I know this challenge to “out-love” our spouse isn’t an easy one, especially if you’re in a difficult marriage. Especially if you’re in a situation where there is hostility and rebuff. But I want to encourage you to persevere, because I am confident of two things:

1. When we love our spouse from the motivation that we are serving God—being obedient to God—God sees our efforts. Our spouse may not, but God sees. And He is faithful!

2. In some way, our spouse will be affected on some level. They may not respond right away. They may not respond in a way that you’d expect. But when we are loving our spouse from the motivation to serve God—in essence, if we are loving our spouse from a place of loving Jesus—we become a conduit for the love of Christ to reach our spouse. That’s powerful!

Look at Hebrews 10:23-24:

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.

My friends, we heard what Shelley shared with Lynn in the video about what her pastor told her. Our calling to love and serve begins right in our own homes. God wants us to start there before He can bring us out into the mission fields of our workplace, our neighborhood, or even our friends and extended family.

Don’t give up. God calls us to love even the most unlovable. Even if that defines our spouse at the moment. And if we’re totally honest here, we aren’t always very lovable either, are we?

Last week, I did small things for my hubby, like sitting on the couch with him instead of the chair I usually sit on. I looked for little things that would make his life a little easier and his home a haven to return to. God put this on my heart as away to comfort my stressed out guy. One night, this poor guy thanked me for making dinner—twice in one meal. I didn’t ask for that appreciation. I only sought to do what God was showing me to do.

And finally, let me say that just because our spouse isn’t a believer (yet) doesn't mean we can’t have a God-centered marriage. You are the conduit to bring God into your marriage. Keep the faith and remember that through that very same faith, your spouse partakes in your sanctification (read “Sanctified Unbeliever” here) and God’s covering.

Praying and believing,
Dineen

Chronicles of the Donovan Clan

It’s been a long while since I’ve updated the Chronicles. So today, join me for a peek into the Donovan house.

Most of you who have been readers here know that I am a bit wacky and I love an adventure. I see adventure in so many things. I am convinced that is because God lives in my heart and I can expect Him to show up, show off and show me new revelations of His amazing love and grace.

He doesn’t disappoint.

One of my favorite adventures is a trip across the street to our mailbox. Yep, lame, I know. However, I have some fantastic encounters with neighbors out there. I find stray dogs that follow me home (read that story here) and mostly I delight in some unexpected treasures that arrive in that small tin box.

Yesterday was one of those days.

I trotted to the box, slipped in the key and pulled out a wad of papers. Walking back toward the house I flipped through the junk mail and bills and my eyes landed on a bright yellow envelope neatly addressed to Lynn Donovan in the recognizable and neat hand printing of my husband.

Astonished, I froze on the spot in the middle of the street.

I immediately flipped the envelope over and pressed my index finger under the lip of the yellow paper and tore that envelope almost in half.

What in the world?

A delightful greeting card with a photo of a little boy and girl slid out. I almost fell over right there, smack in the middle of the street. The world faded away. A convoy of cars could have been honking for me to move out of the street and I wouldn’t have heard it.

I opened the card, which incidentally I noticed it was postmarked from Minnesota where my husband currently travels for business. Inside was… ahem, the sweetest words of two people living life together.

An overwhelming loved filled my heart and I smiled. I closed the card, returned to earth and realized I better get out of the street because inside our house awaits a man who is deeply loved by a wacky 5’4’ blonde and he is about to receive a big ole kiss.

Standing in my husband’s home office doorway with card in hand, I smile and say, “Excuse me, who are you and what have you done with my husband?”

He looks up, puzzlement resting on his eyes until he spots the card in my hand.

He smiles. I walk to him and grab his face and …. ahem, well you get the picture. And for those of you with a suspicious nature, no, he's not trying to get out of the dog house. "We are in the best place in our marriage that we have ever been." ~ his words....

As I share this turn in our life, this event may look like a small and silly gesture. It may also be terribly difficult for some of you to read about this encounter of a couple who are in love and how they share that love in this unexpected way. But, what I need to tell you is that I have waited many, many years for this very moment.

Not since our very early years of dating did a card “for no reason” show up in my mailbox.

You know what I find so intriguing about all of this is that I am living in a place in my life and marriage that it’s doesn’t matter to me now that I receive an unexpected card or flowers. And if you knew me years ago, you would know how crazy this sounds.

How can this be?

I dared to live the hard years.

I didn’t give up on my dream. I didn’t surrender my marriage. I wouldn’t stop praying for this man I married. I never quit pouring the love of Christ into him. I relentlessly pushed forward through the exhaustion, the loneliness, and disillusionment.

How?

Two things. I learned to love Jesus with all of my heart, mind, soul, and strength and I had to let go of “me.”

Jesus changed everything in my life. He flipped me upside down, turned me around and inside out. Do you feel like this is happening in your life? Then you are in the right place for God’s Son to do the fantastic in your life.

This life is not about me. It’s about Jesus. All of it. All the time. In every way, about Jesus. When I finally got over myself and my wants that is when the rewards, the adventures, the love and joy filled my life.

Ask yourself this question. Am I “really” ready to take Jesus at His Word and trust that it’s okay that life isn’t all about me?

Aren’t you at all curious what He could do for you if you just let Him?

Be embraced by our King this day. I love and care for all of you with a deep and eternal love. Hugs, Lynn

Milk or Solid Food?

On Friday, Lynn will host the next edition of The Intentional Marriage over at CWATV.com. (I hope you’ll tune in and participate in the meme.) As you know by the title of our program, we talk a lot about being intentional in our marriages. And last week, I wrote about thinking of our marriages as training for deeper intimacy with God.

The idea behind an “intentional marriage” is to be an active participant, not passive—being intentional about spending time together, doing things together, and praying for your spouse regularly. It’s about putting your marriage in the forefront of your thoughts and life, not in the background as an afterthought. I hope that makes sense.

This past weekend I made another connection along those lines that I want to share with you. My women’s ministry group at church is just finishing the DeeperStill Bible study Faithful, Abundant, True by Kay Author, Priscilla Shirer, and Beth Moore. The last day of this study (led by Beth Moore) spoke about walking in the Spirit on purpose. With intention. Then this morning, one of my devotionals covered Hebrews 5. Take a look at verses 11-14:

We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

Paul is admonishing the believers for becoming passive in their faith training. They’ve neglected building upon the first foundations of their faith to become mature believers and have even regressed to a state of infancy of their beliefs. They are no longer intentional about their faith or God. They’ve become passive.

Have you ever noticed how you wind up drifting away from your spouse when you don’t spend time together and make time to talk and interact—on purpose, not just out of necessity? Have you noticed how you drift away from God when you forget to pray or wind up so busy you don’t keep that appointed time to meet with Him?

Do you see the connection? Our marriages are an earthly representation of our relationship to Christ, as his bride. When we see our marriages as a training ground of being intentional in a relationship, we are learning what it means to be intentional in our relationship with God.

Just as we have to be intentional in our marriages in order to grow closer to our spouse and mature the relationship, we need to do the same thing in our relationship with God to mature spiritually.

We can’t keep living on milk. Sometimes we have to take a hefty bite of the solid stuff and chew on it for a while to learn and grow in our marriages and our faith. Even when it seems scary, too hard, or just too much work.

Remaining in infancy keeps us from fully experiencing who God is, who our spouses are, and what our marriages and faith lives can become. We miss out on the tasty stuff.

I know this faith walk isn’t easy. Sometimes God calls us to trust Him in whole new ways and calls us to difficult tasks and directions. Not to starve or punish us, but to feed us with His best.

Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. — 1Peter 2:2-3

Praying and believing,
Dineen

Marriage Monday - Get Real!

Hi, It's Marriage Monday.

This month the readers and contributors to Marriage Monday at Chrysalis have an open topic for our community. So I am going to put myself out there and be very real. I invite you into this conversation and look forward to more questions.

Let me set the stage. On Saturday I was interviewed by Jim Norman of Wise People. My interview was an opportunity to share the reality of living in an unequally yoked marriage and the hope I have. Many of you took 25 minutes and listened in. I received several emails that day from regular readers here at SUM. You can listen in here if you have time, no pressure, I know we are all very busy but you might come up with a few questions yourself. Please email me your questions.

100403 Wise People, Lynn Donovan

For those of you joining us for Marriage Monday, I will bring you up to speed. I am living and thriving in my spiritually mismatched marriage. With that said, one of the emails arrived, from a long time friend who is also unequally yoked. In a very nice way, yet with earnest need to know, she doesn't know how to reconcile what I say on the radio and the reality of living unequally yoked. 

I love this woman and I am so glad she is honest to ask how I can possibly say I am happy when my husband hasn't embraced Christ yet. I will venture to guess there are others who also puzzle this question. My answer isn't what you might think.

One of the first questions my sweet sister asked is this: In the radio station interview you said: You are happily married to your best friend - how is that?

How can a believer and an unbeliever be happy under the same roof let alone be best friends? Wow, excellent... I can tell you more than ten years ago, I would have told you it's impossible. Truly, but I can tell you today with complete sincerity that my husband is my best friend on earth. This man knows me better than anyone, next to Jesus. I trust him with my authentic self and do not fear judgments or condemnation from him. I love to laugh with him, tease him, and please him as a wife and a friend. 

It's not always this way. We must look at our marriage as part of the long journey with God. The seasons change, come and go. In our early season, I was lonely and felt judgement and struggled in my faith because of the onslaught of criticisms of Jesus. If it were not for Christ, we would not have moved past this season. 

Part of the journey to becoming best friends was maturity. I had to let go of two things. Entitlements and selfishness. If you knew me many years ago, I was full of myself and believed I was entitled to a man who would fulfill my every desire. There is not a man on the planet that can do that for a woman. We are created to need Christ to fill us up. I had to let go of some of my dreams. Flowers once a week were never gong to happen. Weekend trips to a coastal destination.... gone.... But, what I received in return is a man who I trust. A man who will never leave me. A man who absolutely loves me over all else.

I should insert here, I'm not an easy person to live with. I am driven and at times demanding. I can be critical because I have high expectation of myself and those who live with me. God bless that man for putting up with me.

But, my friend asks, even if you try to let go of things you can't change how you feel. It hurts and it's lonely. I agree. You can't fake it. But, I know how to get over it. So join me next Monday and I will tell you how God led me to get over myself and how he replaced my loneliness with fulfillment.

I am an ordinary woman, an ordinary wife, but I serve an Extraordinary God. AMEN! Happy Monday. Love and hugs, Lynn

Donna's Story -- Get Ready to Applaud Jesus!

I am constantly inspired and amazed by all of you who stop by here to read. The men and women who visit us here at Spiritually Unequal Marriage have some of the most fantastic testimonies. You live out your faith under circumstances that, for me, seem utterly impossible. But, like me, you greatly desire to honor Jesus within your marriage and through your lives.

Last week I asked all of you to share your conversion stories. I wasn't sure how this might sit and I wondered if anyone would share. God placed it on the hearts of several to honor Him through the sharing of your lives. I was blown away. (To read all the stories, scroll down.) But before you do, I want to share Donna's story with you today. I am humbled and so thankful Donna took time to encourage all of us through the sharing of her life. I love you Donna. Thank you. And, thank you everyone who shared your story. I had tears in my eyes as I read each one. Hugs, Lynn

-----

Donna: I was raised in home filled with anger. Although I was forced to attend Sunday school in Methodist Church...I never once heard the "Gospel" or the words "born again" uttered! My father forced us to attend w/our mother but he never went..Talk about confused!

My mother's sister & her husband were Pentecostal Pastors that lived 4hrs north My sister & I would visit for 2wks in the summer. We both went forward during a Sunday night service and accepted Jesus as our Savior. She was 10y, I was 9yrs. I knew something new had happened to me..but when we returned home, we were never taught and we were "stifled". My sister & I both walked onward into a life far from GOD..but HE never left us! FAST FORWARD 30yrs!

The LORD moved my family 1500miles south and then one night 9mos after our move to FL..the LORD spoke to me on my outside Lanai! I was actually angry, confused about life..and i was smoking a cigarette and holding a glass of wine.. and I held them both up toward the night sky...and hollered at God! I said ..."Are you even REAL God?...Are you even there?!!!"

Well, to my utter astonishment and amazement, He answered me! lol He spoke very tenderly, yet firmly ..2 Words!

"I AM" !!!!

Ladies!... I couldn't believe GOD actually was speaking to me! It was not audible...but it was so loud in my mind, heart and inner spirit.. i almost fell down!

I continued to "meet with GOD" on my Lanai very late at night..when the family was sleeping..and HE continued to speak to me.. He actually spoke to me gently, yet firmly and very "scripturally"...thought I didn't know it because I had never read a bible.

The LORD GOD ALMIGHTY spoke to me and told me I had to give up living my way of living & seek HIM and that I would not be able to do it without JESUS! He also added one thing at the end.. He told me I was going to be "persecuted"... but I did not know or understand what HE actually meant by that last comment.. I was so excited that HE was actually talking to me and I was so intent on knowing that I was going to listen...the last part about "persecution" just didn't mean much.

I was 40yrs old when the LORD brought me out the wilderness! What a glorious year!

When I initially told my husband that GOD was talking to me on the Lanai at night.. he only had one response... "you need to lay off the Beringers (wine) lol

It wasn't until I mentioned to Dave the Name of "JESUS" that he became enraged...you see my husband is Jewish.(not practicing) I never knew how little I actually "knew" my husband until I uttered my Savior's name.. I was astonished & somewhat frightened.

From that time on a "wall" became erected in my husband's heart toward me...and things have never been the same. There has been division ever since..that was 7yrs ago.

I have not seen his family in 7yrs..Only one sister has ever contacted him while visiting in FL and I have seen her..she & her husband inquired about my belief so I was able to witness & give my testimony.

All of my daughters have accepted Christ Jesus as their Savior, as well as my niece.
My mother has re-dedicated her life to Christ as well....The LORD is on the move in my family!

This has been one of the hardest places i've ever been in my life, being yoked w/a husband who struggles with my faith, but at the same time.. the most amazing testimony of God's grace, love and mercy.... ALL of which HE is teaching me to extend to my confused, strongwilled husband.

I am believing GOD that my husband actually does know that Jesus is the Messiah..he is struggling with the rejection he has seen come upon me and he fears his family's persecution.

By the way...GOD delivered me from my smoking addiction of 25yrs..as well as from desiring any consumption of alcohol in any form.. All in one week back when HE first spoke to me!!!!! That alone threw my husband into fury..He was glad about the deliverance from smoking...but not from abstaining from drinking wine!

Anyway.. I pray this bring glory to my LORD & Savior and King of Kings!

Blessings to you all!
In His grace & service,
Donna

Partner With God and See the Wonders

Psalm 40:5 Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare. 

The past couple of weeks I shared with you how I fell off the Hope Train. I have struggled just as you struggle. There are days when it appears God is absent and He remains silent, unaware of our anguish or heartbreak. 

But….. 

Say this with me now, “WE SERVE THE MOST HIGH GOD.” 

I was immediately reminded of God’s faithfulness. You, my friends, jumped on the Hope Train and pulled me back on board, reminding me instantly of how selfish I am. (I mean this in a good way.) You reminded me of who I serve. You reminded me to stop looking at my circumstance and look at my God. 

Thank you! 

How dare I forget all He has done in me and around me? 

I looked at my husband a few weeks ago, convinced he was no different that when we began our unemployment journey a year earlier. Yet, I KNOW the many things the Lord did during this past year. God provided for us financially. In miraculous ways, remember the Woman and the Cow Story. That was God’s miraculous business in an ordinary woman’s life. How about my husband praying in earnest for the first time? Miracles of miracles. How about giving my husband a job and He gave me a job through our book contract AND has allowed Dineen and I to share our hope with others who don’t find us on the internet. 

The list goes on…. truly, and on and on…. The Lord, God held my hand every step of the way. The Lord, God confronted my man then set him on a journey toward heaven. How dare I let a single argument with my husband defeat or minimize the power of God in my life. 

So today, it’s my turn to reveal something to encourage you. God is the God of wonders! 

Why do I always want to make it about me? This thing with my husband, his salvation, it isn’t about me. My roll and responsibilities when I partner with God is to do my part. Period. The end. When I do my part, then God will do the wonders. 

Read the scripture verse at the beginning of this post again then stand with me amazed. We need only to do our part and then step back and be WOWED. 

 This past Sunday, I learned a couple of things we as unequally yoked spouses need to know. (thanks Pastor Josh)

1. Discover and embrace your role in His-story. 
2. Learn obedience by choosing faith over fear. 

My role is to live for Christ. Nothing more. Nothing less, then let Jesus to the rest. And when fear arises such as when I don’t understand why my husband still hesitates or I can’t get all my questions answered or what the end of this journey will result for him, I MUST choose faith. I know the truth and I cling to it with every part of my mind, soul, heart, and strength. 

When I do this, God shows His wonders. I am living in the Promised Land. 

A sinner set free! That would be me. 

As I sat in church Sunday, my husband joined me for the first time in many months. I glanced his way during the morning service and behold; his eyes were closed and his head bowed, and at that moment, I watched him pray in earnest. 

I see the wonders Lord. I see Your wonders. 

I love you Jesus, Lynn

Trust AND Action!

I don’t subscribe to the old adage; God helps those who help themselves. I am acutely aware the Lord helps many of us when we are so low we can’t even get off the couch. But, I am also certain God wants our active participation in His plans.

With that said what does it mean to “trust” God?

Suppose you were unemployed, would you pray and trust God saying, “Oh, I am trusting God to give me a job,” then never apply for work?

Would you fail to intervene in your teenager’s life if you found marijuana in their room? Would you just pray about it and say, “Oh I am just trusting God to change my daughter’s mind about drugs.”

HECK NO!

Well, I think sometimes we fail to join the Lord in His plans with regard to our unbelieving spouses. There are times when we must stand for the principals we know to be true. I am convinced ther are times when the Lord wants us to be a fighter for His kingdom.

Discernment is the critical component when you are married to an unbeliever. There are indeed, times when you need to let go of your rights and/or desires and then there are times when conflict is necessary. I can tell you through the years of my marriage there were many heated moments of conversation (read: fights) over our different worldviews. Some specifics were church attendance. I would attend. Period. The end. So would my kids when they were little.

I look back over the years and KNOW, without a doubt, my consistent defense of the Word of God in the face of my husband’s skepticism played a powerful roll in his discovery process. The Lord would allow my words to land on my man’s heart from time-to-time where they would sink in. Coupled with living my faith with authenticity and enthusiasm, my husband softened to the Lord.

Trust is to be confident and secure. Trusting God is an unafraid trust. We know the Lord has our best interests at heart. But the Lord is also expecting effort. He gave us a brain and wants us to use it. He also calls us to action. He expects us to move in our world for His benefit and glory. There are numerous stories of God calling His people to action throughout the Bible. There are just as many where God calls His people to trust Him.

So why am I sharing this today? I know many of you are walking a difficult road right now. I know the Lord is calling you to trust Him but He may also be calling you to action in a specific area.

Ask Him.

The New Year is quickly approaching and what you and the Lord set into action today may be life changing for those you love tomorrow.

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Be blessed, Lynn

Day 6: God is Good

You send an email to a friend updating her on everything going on at the moment. Your letter seems more like a list of crises than anything else. Then you go to sign it with “God is good” but you hesitate.

Can you honestly say that and mean it in the midst of your discouragement? You know in your head it’s true, but in your heart…in your heart, you’ve noticed a disconnect. You’re tired and struggling to believe that the trials in your life are in God’s control.

Are you there right now?

I know in recent weeks I have been. But I have the answer for you. If we spend anytime at all in the Bible, we are shown over and over again a God who cares and sacrifices for his children, his ultimate sacrifice being his Son. Jesus Christ is the greatest representation of God’s incomprehensible love.

Along with that, we see the evidence that God is good in his constant provision for his people. Like I said, we can know that in our heads, but sometimes when life gets hard, and I mean to the point where we think we just can’t take anymore, God is still right there in the midst of it all.

Since I was a child I have known that good comes out of everything. I can’t take credit for it. God instilled that in me for some reason I’ve yet to completely fathom, but I can tell you that I knew Romans 8:28 before I ever read it.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to his purpose. — Romans 8:28

The longer I walk with God the more I grasp the truth of these words. We may not always understand the reason why we go through certain trials. We have to trust that God is working on our behalf to accomplish a greater purpose through our trials. A purpose that not only affects us but those around us a well.

Yet this is a truth that is hard to fathom at times. We skirt around it, fearful that it would mean accepting that God allows difficult things in our lives. So why would He do that if He loves us so much?

Let me tell you this, and please hear me. He does this BECAUSE he loves us so much. He wants us to grow and move closer to being more Christ-like, to realize our purpose in Him and to know Him. God is a redeemer. Not only of people but of circumstances. He may allow these times of trial in our lives (and I’m speaking of trials, not consequences), but I promise you GOD WASTES NOTHING AND REDEEMS EVERYTHING!

Can you believe that? Can you trust that He’s working in your circumstances even though you may not see Him there? Romans 8:28 says He works for the good of those who love him. That means He’s there working right now in whatever trial you are facing.

Are you ready to believe this TRUTH? Are you ready to turn control over this situation, OR EVEN YOUR LIFE, to him and trust he’s going to work it out (no matter what it is and every part of it) for YOUR GOOD?

Trust is the key and it’s a muscle we have to develop. Make this choice today and when doubts come in, say these words:

“I know God is working in my circumstances to bring good and resolution. I’m CHOOSING today to trust Him and leave the outcome completely in his hands. I BELIEVE God is working for my good.”

Say it as often as you need to. This is part of the process Romans 12:2 speaks of in transforming our minds to the likeness of Christ. We must actively give those thoughts that work against us to Christ and replace them with biblical truths.

Keep praying. Keep believing. And keep watching! God is about to do something amazing!

Praying and believing with you!
Dineen


In your journals, explore these Scriptures and questions:

1. “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” (Heb. 11:1)  What does this verse mean to you? Are you certain that God’s unseen hand is still working in your life? (For extra study, read the book of Esther. Though God isn’t directly mentioned once, do you see his hand working in the circumstances surrounding Esther and the Jews?)

2. Think of a time that you felt alone, yet to look back, you can now see how God worked in the circumstances to bring resolution for your good. Write it down and date it. From now on, when you see God work like this, record it in your journal. When you have times of doubt, go back and read about these times.

3. “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.” (Isaiah 26:3) This verse clearly explains the benefit of trusting God and keeping our minds focused on Him. We will have peace. Look this verse up in other translations if you can, and write down the one you like best in your journal. Repeat it several times until you memorize it. Then when doubts assail you, fight back by repeating those words. And congratulations! You’ve already transformed your mind one more step closer to Christ.

The Prizes of Victory

“I’ve prayed, but nothing’s happening.”

I felt my daughter’s pain. Not just over the health issue she was struggling with but also her confusion that God hadn’t taken the condition away.

How often had I prayed over several issues in my own life—some for years—to see nothing change? Through those years I’d come to learn about God’s faithfulness and his desire for me to learn from trials, not just get through them. I’d come to trust him and his plan, and to realize that though circumstances may appear nothing’s happening, something definitely is. Yet to encapsulate years of learning about God and my growing faith to a handful of words is a tall challenge. Plus, I still shared her frustration at times.

I recently read a devotional in Streams in the Desert, which spoke of this perseverance in the face of trials. The author made a connection to Romans 8:37, “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us,” stating that in walking through the trial and seeing adversity as tools of learning, we become more than conquerors.

Here in lies the victory, that we see the things working against us as key elements to further our journey and growth. I read this verse many a time and had even asked God to make me “more than a conqueror.” But it wasn’t until reading this devotional that I realized God was already answering my prayer in these difficult times. I was learning to lean on God and depend upon him, despite the situation and in spite of the ongoing issues. In the midst of difficulty, I was already victorious.

Again, I was amazed at the synchronicity between everything in our lives and God’s plan. And here’s the final piece to this puzzle—one that blew me away. When we obtain this is attitude of seeing trial as important to becoming the people God created us to be, we’re not only conquerors, we discover the prizes of our victory.

The peace that surpasses understanding (Phil. 4:7) and the joy in the midst of trial (James 1:2-3).

Praying and believing,
Dineen