I know that 2018 just started, but I have a testimony.  God is amazing!  Something happened that should have brought me to (unhappy) tears.  I lost my purse.  I know that my purse and the items in it are just things.  I know that things can be replaced.  I know that there are bigger issues than me losing my purse.  However, I really want my purse and its contents back.  Where does the amazingness of God come in?  Well, keep reading.

In all honesty, once I realized I didn’t have my purse, I panicked.  I searched everywhere.  I  knew where my purse should be and it wasn’t there…or anywhere else I looked.  While searching I even tried to negotiate with God – if I get my purse back, I’ll be sure that I get some more rest like I should and spend more time with God.  (I know, I know.  Trying to negotiate with God is not what I should have been doing.  It wasn’t my strongest moment of faith.)  Once I searched high and low (a few times), I prayed that God would allow me to get my purse back immediately.  I didn’t get my purse back immediately, but I felt a sense of peace that only God could provide.  I then called on some friends and a family member to pray that my purse is returned to me with all of its contents.  I don’t have my purse back yet, but I believe that God will return it to me without it being tampered with.

As I replay that day back in my mind and ignore the thoughts of frustration that are trying to outshine my peace, the timing of losing my purse is interesting.  I chose to go to prayer service at my church that day and then I went back to work to get a few things done.  I commuted home and then I lost my purse going to the store to get some food right before a snowstorm.  The store I was in was one of the last stores barely open in town, and even that store was closing for the evening.

About that prayer service earlier…I went to prayer service at church and my friends prayed that I would be able to get some rest because I have had some long hours at work.  Hours after this prayer, I lost my purse.  I can’t help but think that this was an answer to that prayer.  It was definitely not the answer I envisioned (or prayed for or hoped for or suggested or wanted), but without the phone that was with my purse, there was all of a sudden a lot less distractions.  Spending time with God should always be a priority, but I suddenly had even less of a temptation to interrupt my time with God to answer a phone or text or email.

Why am I sharing all of this?  Well, (this is where the amazing part from earlier comes in) because there is a testimony in what happened.

1. What should have scared, frustrated, and brought me to tears is actually the foundation of one of my testimonies for 2018.  The testimony?  God is still God, and even in the midst of what I should be panicking about, God is using the moment as a blessing.  I’m not saying go lose your purse so that you can be blessed.  But, what I am saying is that regardless of what obstacle, unexpected event, twist, or turn you are facing, God will transform that storm into a blessing.  You just have to be willing to shift how you view the storm.
2. Be aware of God’s unexpected answers to your prayers.  What looks like a loss may actually be a spiritual gain.
3. Keep praying.  Prayer really does change things.  Get a community of believers to pray with and for you too.
4. Praise God throughout the process or storm even before you see/experience the outcome you are praying for.

So, what is your 2018 testimony?

UPDATE: My purse was found (which was not the case when I wrote this post)!  God is amazing!

Blessings and Love,
PurposeOverFear

*Picture in this post is from pixabay.com.