When God sets you up for some testing...

be prayed up so you recognize it!  Not sure if that's entirely possible, but it's a good place to start!

I had a couple really minor heavenly tests the last couple weeks and God has just been showing me where He's still wanting to help me coming into a fuller expression of who He is.

Last week, I was running around the house trying to find matching socks and what have you so that we could get out of the house.  I was getting Trey dressed talking about a lil' girl at church b/c her name just happened to be on his sweatshirt that he was putting on.  I  finally get everyone in the car to leave after facing one obstacle after another.  I was on my way to Sam's Club and I was already about 20 min behind schedule, being a bit tense with the kids and hurrying them into the car.  Then I go to leave the subdivision just to see that the road is closed, so I have to turn around and go out another exit.  

I'm praying to God and asking if I should just not go to Sam's today b/c I'm already feeling a bit haggled, and I don't hear anything, so I continue as planned just trying to regain my peace about it all.  I walk in and realize that I don't have my wallet, nor Sam's Club card to even get through the door and go shopping.  The greeter refers me to the customer service desk.  I am now filled with anxiety on how this is going to work out b/c I am on a time schedule and just don't have this worked into it, lol.  Then after convincing the woman that I am who I say I am so that she'll print me out a temporary pass, I hear my name, and turn to see a woman that I am acquainted with in church.  Coincidentally, she's the mom of the lil' girl I was speaking to Trey about that very morning.  She asks me how I am, and I tell her that I'm frazzled but just going to fly through the store and get home.  She was there to see if her Sam's Club card was still active b/c she had one thing she was wanting to purchase, and it wasn't.  I told her to just come with me and grab what she needs and throw it on my card.  At the checkout I realize I forgot two things, so I ran back to get those as she waited with my little ones at the register.  We get all checked out and as I'm heading home, I hear God's quiet and still voice informing me on what just happened and where I didn't rely on Him, but rather got all bent out of shape b/c I didn't think I had enough time to get the shopping done, feed Chase, and then get him on the bus.

I couldn't help but laugh at myself a good portion of the way home and sent the woman I ran into at Sam's Club an e-mail saying "God was blessing you and testing me all in the same thing today.  I feel so privileged that He loves me so much to use my test as your blessing.  And what a silly thing for me to be all anxious over, but yet I was!  We got home and had more than enough time to eat and get Chase on the bus too.  I absolutely, positively, most certainly am enamored with God and all of His ways"

I really did appreciate that God had purposefully allowed all the minor things that happened to test me, to happen in such a way that this woman would walk up behind me in line and I could be a blessing to her through something as simple as allowing her to use my Sam's Club card!  It didn't even bother me that I had let such a silly thing as being pressed for time cause me to be this short fused, frustrated, and anxiety ridden person, lol.  He uses all things to teach us, IF we're open to seeing our hearts with His light instead of our rationalizations =).  God does the work through His Son, and His Spirit, we just have to cooperate!

Philippians 1:6

Amplified Bible (AMP)

⁶And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you.