Answered Prayers!

Wow! God is SO good!!

Christian starts the 1st Grade tomorrow and he is starting at a new school this year. We've been praying all Summer that when he started school, we'd meet with Christian's IEP (individual education plan) team to see about altering his plan so that he is in a regular classroom more. Right now his IEP is written so that he is in a regular class half of his day, and the other half of his day he goes to special education.

Just this morning a co-worker was asking about Christian and I shared our hopes for Christian with her. We went into our staff meeting, and during our staff meeting I was praying for this change to happen. An hour later,  Christian's Special Ed teacher called me to touch base with me before school starts tomorrow. As we were talking, I shared with her that we really would like to push for Christian is be in the regular class as much as possible by mid-school year. She was so excited to hear this because she is an aid (that specializes in Autism) in the classroom next to the one Christian was going to be in, and said that if we wanted him in the regular class all day, they could switch his teachers, and she would be his aid all day in the other class instead of pulling him out for half days!!
This is so exciting for us! So he won't miss any of the academics the other kids are doing or be flip-flopping between 2 classrooms everyday! I'm so excited about this and am so thankful that God totally provided this for us. Christian has come such a long way and I know that it's all because of the guidance from God. HE has brought Christian such a long way, we were just the vessels to accomplish it for Him. :)

Having trust and faith in the Lord and what he is doing in our lives is something that the Lord is really putting on my heart lately. I shared this during staff meeting last week at work, but wanted to share it with others, so here ya go:

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.- Hebrews 1:11

There are great examples of ordinary people acting in total faith and trust in our Lord and as we look in scripture, and many examples of people taking a step of faith and trusting God in situations to which they will not know what the outcome will be or even the implications for stepping out in faith. The example that keeps coming up for me over and over again lately is Matthew 14:23-33:

After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone. Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. 25 About three o’clock in the morning. Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!” But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here! Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water. “Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the strong[c] wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted .Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. 33 Then the disciples worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed.

Two weeks ago during JAM, we had the discussion with our kiddos about stepping out of the boat and going in water if God is calling you. Most of the kids analyzed the logistics and logic of stepping in the water and decided that they just didn’t know if they would be too paralyzed by the fear of drowning to step out in faith and obedience. One girl said that she would wear a life jacket so that she knew that there would be no way she could drown, but she could still be obedient in acting in what God was calling her to do. Which is interesting logic, but is this truly trusting God? And as adults in our daily walks with God, do we analyze the implications for us first before we just trust God in where he is calling us? Peter knew logically he would drown, but he stepped in total faith and trust.

Max Lucado says “we need to remember that the disciples were common men given a compelling task. Before they were stained-glassed saints in the windows of cathedrals, they were somebody’s next-door-neighbors trying to make a living and raise a family. They weren’t cut from theological cloth or raised on supernatural milk. But they were an ounce more devoted than they were afraid, and as a result, did some extraordinary things.”

It’s not that the many greats that we see in the Bible didn’t have fears, it’s that they had more faith than they had fear. You don’t need to understand why God is asking you to do something or every detail on how you can accomplish the task being presented to you. Proverbs 3:5-6 says “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding. In all ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths. We’re told in Joshua 1:9 “This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” And we know that if our God is for us, then who could stand against us?

I just want to encourage you to trust in God and what he is doing in your life. He has your life in His hands, we just need to trust Him!! :) He is stirring up so many things in our hearts and lives and I can't wait to see what else he is doing!!