Jun. 6, 2009 - From My Devotional
Loving relationships are a family's best protection against the challenges of the world.
--Bernie Wiebe
My family has faced many challenges in the last 9 years. Unemployment, legal problems, poverty, lack, foreclosure, losing our house, wandering around the country with seemingly no destination - these are just a few of the trials that we endured together. But through it all, we had each other. When one of us was down, the others could lift him up. When life seemed unbearable, I knew I could have my children pray for me, and I would be all right again.
These terrible, Job-like trials were actually answers to some dangerous prayers I had prayed. I prayed that my children would know that God is real, that He would reveal Himself to them. I also prayed that we would be made into a family that would be a model for Christian families of how God wants His people to live together as families. I knew we had a long way to go, but I longed for it to become a reality in our lives. I even prayed for a Baptism of Fire. I really wanted God to make us into the vessels that He wanted us to be - vessels that He could trust to fill with His power and glory. I knew that I was praying for some big things, and I think I knew that purging and purifying would have to happen, but I had no idea how hard the trials would be or how long they would last.
But through all of the circumstances and situations, Gary and I stayed in unity. The children felt secure and cared for. They had no idea the stress and anxiety we felt as parents responsible for taking care of their needs when we had no money and no way of getting any. We felt like children ourselves who were completely helpless to take care of ourselves, let alone 8 children. But God proved Himself faithful time and time again. He never let us even feel hungry. He always gave us shelter, food, and proper clothing. Our basic needs were always met.
And through it all, we had joy and peace. Our relationships stayed sweet and strong. We came to know what really matters in life. My children care about each other. Their family is important to them. They know that, no matter what, we will always be there for each other. I could not have engineered the experiences that caused us to bond together so strongly. I wouldn't have had the toughness to make my children do without so many things that other children have. But the choice was taken out of my hands when I gave our lives completely to God and told Him to have His way with us. Gary and I prayed that together. It was very difficult, but we're both glad we did it.
The family we are now because of what we've been through is a very unusual, different-thinking family. I like to say that we are no longer spoiled American brats. We don't fit in very well, even in churches. We just try to live in the Kingdom of God instead of the kingdom of this world. Our priorities are different from most of the people around us. But we know that we are making a difference wherever we go, and even just by being present in a certain place. People have told us that we are affecting a neighborhood just by living in it, even if we don't interact much with the neighbors. I don't say this in a prideful way. It's just that God has done something in us through the trials and suffering. He used what we went through as intercession, and now we can pray with authority for people and situations around us.
People may think we're strange and wonder why we don't act like they do. But it's okay. We know who we are in Christ. And our loving relationships continue to protect us against the challenges of the world.
