God had my back!

God has a sense of humor. He delights in the fanciful, as evidenced by a peacock’s vibrant plumage, a giraffe’s long neck, and the “armored” body of an armadillo. And He goes to great lengths to engage us, even talking through the mouth of a donkey if necessary (Numbers 22:28-30). Consequently, I delight when I see traces of His humor in my own life.

Imagine my surprise at finding an ancient school report preserved in a box my mother had kept for years. The report, written in painstaking cursive on ruled loose leaf paper, bears my name in strong blue ink and was probably a 5th grade assignment. Long forgotten, this 50 year old memento of my past reiterates God’s care for me and prompts my awe at His sense of humor, for the title of the report is…“Georgia: The Peach Tree State!”

Now, that might not make you chuckle, but it did me. You see, during my childhood I lived in northern states as well as in South America. As an adult my travels took me to Pennsylvania, Ohio, Washington and Texas. The state of Georgia was never on my radar…but God!

Finding these yellowed papers is confirmation God has me right where He wants me. Yet four years ago I wasn’t so sure. Our move to Georgia from Central Florida wasn’t a happy time. Though we were thankful to find work in Camden County, the experience of leaving friends and ministries was much like a ripping of flesh. On top of the emotional distress, I came to town with two broken ribs (due to the deep coughing of a prolonged pulmonary infection). Add to that the effort of unpacking, my husband’s long work hours, a lack of connections, and depression hounded me for months.

But God cradled us. He saw our pain and unfolded His plan. Only He could lead us to a house in a neighborhood surrounded by other believers. In fact, the “housemates” in our duplex became surrogate family as we celebrated birthdays and anniversaries together that first year. By invitation we got involved in a local church, and were open to community activities such as the summer theater group and the local art league. Tenuously, I began to put down roots. Added to the emotional challenges of my first two years in Georgia, I also faced major surgery to revise a failing knee replacement. Again God provided wonderful care through an amazing surgeon at Mayo Clinic. For all of His provision, my heart bows with gratefulness.

Are you facing a difficult time in your life? Do you need reassurance that God has your back?

Seek the LORD in the Bible and connect with other believers. Reach out and dare to be transparent. Here are a couple of verses to encourage your heart: God “will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart” Psalm 91:4. And from Isaiah 25:1, “O LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things, things planned long ago.

As you trust the Lord, may you experience afresh His faithfulness and even His sense of humor!