Hey my friends, I don’t have much happy stuff to say right now. There are probably some nice and encouraging posts in my backlog that I could share with you. They would talk about the Bible and how good the Lord is and hopefully be an encouragement to you. But I suppose it would be putting up a front and not being real. Although the Lord is always good. If I’m real, I must say it has been a rough couple of days. An end of the month peanut-butter and honey or better yet empty soup because we’re sticking to our budget whilst arguing with South African Revenue Services and FedEx about a package my Mom sent that they want us to pay pretty much the entire value of the package for in duties and customs kind of couple of days.
I have more blessings than I can count. But sometimes I still struggle to stay content when I’ve gotten splashes of oil on yet another top even though my apron was hanging on the hook behind me, and we didn’t have enough milk to at least make chocolate milk and still have cereal in the morning. Tomorrow is another day, hopefully a pay day and a grocery-store visiting, car-filling up, smiles on our faces kind of day. But in the meantime, I’ve been working on sending encouragement your way for a while…so if you’d like to send some my way, today would be a good day, and I sure would love to receive it. And feel free to throw up a prayer or two while you’re at it, especially one including a certain 18 month old receiving his grandmother’s birthday present. Before he’s two.
Is it okay for me to be real?
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Caroline… I started to write about how it will get better and the Lord has good things for you all out there, but then I started to laugh. Not in a mocking way but that is what we always tell people in dilemmas as the one you are in.
So this what I would say instead. The Lord knows what to do and this is a great opportunity for Him to show off his provision and blessing for y’all. I’m right there with y’all especially this month and I’m reminding myself about this as I write it. But seriously there is a great miracle He wants to do for y’all and at the same time reveal to you a new truth about His character. And its okay.
Love y’all and believing for y’all! Y’all are such an encouragement!
Ben
Yes it is ok for you to be real.
You, Mrs Collie are one of the most inspiring, encouraging, wise women I know.
And having to live day by day for finances when you know you could probably choose to live it up in a well paid job, large house, near your family and all the rest is tough. Well, I think it is anyway.
But you are doing something that is easier said than done – being obedient to God, giving up comforts so that you can help in whatever way you can to live out The Great Commission, live out good news to the poor and all the rest. I vision God smiling upon you, his precious daughter.
exodus 15:13….praying for you all. we love and we miss you.
Hi Caroline. Sorry that things are tough right now. God has a plan for you, and right now, He is making you stronger. It will pass, and more than likely, it won’t always be this hard. Please know that you and your family are in my prayers, and feel free to be real anytime! I am learning that when I let others see me struggle, they are able to also see me make it to the other side. And sometimes that is more powerful than any bavado I could create. Stay strong, and know that you are loved.
sorry about the package- that’s a real bummer! 🙁 of course you can be real- don’t ever be fake! how can we share the highs if we never walked through the lows? i’m all about being real about what’s going on… it can be such a relief to get it off your chesticals! it’s been a rough season over here too- so we feel ya!
Dear Caroline,
Thank you for being real. I love reading your blogs and I so appreciate your honesty. As I pray for you and your family I feel lead to encourage you by just simply saying that following Christ comes at a cost and often times our churches and spiritual leaders don’t tell us this at the beginning, but the Bible definitely does and you have definitely not skipped over those verses! You and your husband HAVE counted the cost and still chosen to pay the price. YOU ARE BRAVE! You are not only walking in relationship with God, but are in covenant with Him. He calls you FRIEND (so much more than just a servant)! I know you would never boost in your sacrifices so let me just boost for you in closing ;-)…You are part of a very wonderful (yet sadly too small) group of Christ’s followers who actually is living out His Word! You and your family are making Christ’s Gospel real to people through the way you live your lifes! Thank you. Love and blessings, Amber
Hey Amazing, Beautiful, and Inspiring Caroline!
You are one of the most phenomenal women I know. The way you respond to life’s situations and walk out this journey your on with such INCREDIBLE faith, joy, and strength makes me go “how does she do that?! Man, I need to pray and get in my Bible more!” You are such an inspiration and encouragement. I don’t think you realise the effect and impact you have on so many people’s lives worldwide. The Lord is using you and causing His impact through you to reach the globe (literally).
I love you so so so much and I know that you know that God is good and He’s got all of this under control.
I love you SO dearly and miss you!
Sarah xxx
If you weren’t real, I’d probably punch you in the face, eastern NC style. 🙂
Seriously, hang in there! And, yes, it’s absolutely to be transparent. No one expects perfection. Life is rough sometimes, especially while you are doing the Lord’s work.
Oh honey. Sometimes life is crappy. Romans 8:22 “We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.” Our world is fallen. And it’s good to be reminded of that. David did plenty of complaining.
And you know how blessed we have been by your posts- they are all encouraging. Even this one. 🙂
You sound like the story of my life for the past 2 1/2 years! At least you have the ability to say things in a cheery way.
You have been through some huge life changes that can make things more stressful than normal, and when you had to financial strain on top of that, well, sometime you just feel like you can’t take anymore. And when I realise that I also realise that God will not put us through more than we can handle. And I also realise that everything that I have been through will make me that much stronger for the next difficult time. I have come to the point at times where I think, “What on EARTH could you have next for me, God, because I seriously don’t want any more trials more difficult than this one!!” And then I realise that we all have our health and I think that would be the most difficult thing for me to go through. I think of the hobbits. 🙂 No one thought they could survive such a perilous task, but each step made them more capable for the next step.
We were on an incredibly tight budget during our entire stay in Scotland, and it only got worse when we moved here to help my MIL which caused a debt that we are hoping next month, after over 2 years, will finally be paid off. It can feel so desparing at times. And it doesn’t really help much to hear, “You’ll be fine” even though you really know that God is watching over you, especially when you believe you are making good choices and the choices you made were for others, not yourself.
So, I don’t really have any encouragement other than, “I understand, hon.” 🙂
Yes, Ma’am. I am right there with you! I have eaten our “home made” leftover pizza for FOUR different meals now. So, much for my “I don’t like leftovers” mentality! God is good though I too am trying to focus on the positive. Like, at least Bella has not complained about eating pizza so many times!
My heart is very heavy to hear how you are feeling, and have been praying and asking God to give me the perfect words of encouragement for you. How I wish I had a magic wand and could with one little swish, make all the grottyness go away. Alas, I cannot. But I can pray and I have been and will continue to do so. You are such an inspiration to me Caroline, I love how you love God and it inspires me to do better. Hang in ther friend, life does stink at times, but I know that sometimes the manure, makes for a beautiful rose garden.
xxx