We have a puppy!! These are words I honestly never thought I would ever say. Between the allergies, cost and all of the time required for training, it just seemed like an impossible reality. But then came Trixie. By God’s grace and a generous gift, we now have a dog! Trixie is a part of our family, she has won all of our hearts… well almost all, as far as Eric goes…it’s just a matter of time:)
Anyone who has ever had a dog knows that puppies need training. Lots of training! One of the first tricks we taught Trixie is to sit. As we repeatedly say the word and encourage her to obey by gently pressing her back end down, it reminds me of a spiritual lesson I have been learning.
Difficult times can sometimes be opportunities for our “training”. It is never comfortable facing trials, we can find ourselves asking, “Where is God in this”. We may even try to take care of things in our own strength. As the hardships and pain continue, we begin to realize that we can’t do it on our own. In our desperation comes a deeper leaning in to God, trusting and resting more, growing in faith.
Recently I have found myself in this classroom. As a mom, it can sometimes feel like the weight of our children’s struggles rest on our shoulders. The new school year has meant a new chapter for the Wallace household. We now have two college students. There are plenty of new opportunities for anxiety. Taylor has had great improvement in her health, seizures seem to be controlled by the current medication regiment (Full story can be found here). There are still concerns, she has been out of school for a year, can she handle it? Will her health remain stable? Phin, our ambitious pre-med student is also starting out, he is so excited and young and feels like he can take on the world;) My mama heart wonders, is he taking on too much? Will he burn out? These times as unpleasant as they are, can be God’s hand gently pressing on our back, bending our knee. As we submit and surrender to these circumstances, we find a deeper peace and joy. We learn that we are not God, He is in control and that is a very good thing!
It is encouraging to see Trixie grow in her obedience, mastering new commands. So much more we can be thankful to see God’s hand in our own growth as we daily bend our knee and rest in His perfect care to cover our concerns and anxieties.
Some verses I have found encouraging, as I walk the surrendering road: Psalm 46:10, Isaiah 42:3, Romans 5:3-4