F.R.O.G.

We are heading through our third month of James not having a job and I am often overwhelmed by how much God loves us and is daily providing for us and taking care of us. When we stop to notice, it is amazing just how many blessings we have been given.

I have started my new job and tomorrow my students will have their first full-day in my class. When I knew I was starting a new job, I decided to go with a new room 'theme'. Up until this point, I had always had bumble bees because as was discussed in my previous post, I love the impossibility that bumble bees are as they fly even when they aren't aerodynamically supposed to be able to do so.

But I had used bees for over 5 years and was tiring of it. So I decided to use a frog theme in my class. Now I am not normally a huge frog fan, but the items with which to decorate my class were really cute! Several weeks after buying some things for my classroom, my sweet daughter asked me, "You know what F.R.O.G stands for don't you? Fully Relying On God." I thought that was pretty cool, but didn't think much more of it.

Fast forward a couple of months and James has lost his job and we are truly living - Fully Relying On God. My daughter persistently encouraged me to put that saying up someplace in my classroom so I could look at it and be reminded of it daily. I am glad she did (it is in large letters right over my desk - I can't miss it!)

I have been thinking a lot about relying on God lately. And how much do we FULLY rely on Him. I know I have always relied on Him some, but FULLY? That is a great deal more difficult. I can't control God, so I can't control when or what He does - even when it is on my behalf. Many times, I would rather control it all myself.

What does God ask of us? He wants us to lay it all down and TRUST Him - no matter what He asks and how much it may cost us. But goodness that is difficult to do at times! I have been reminded of the story of Joshua (starting in Joshua 2). Here he is, leading the Israelites out of the desert (FINALLY - it only took 40 years!). God told him to take Jericho. Now after sending in spies and scoping out the place, God tells Joshua to march around the city of Jericho once a day for six days and then on the seventh day to march around it seven times, blow the shofars and scream loudly and the great walls of the city would fall down. Now I don't know about you, but that seems like a pretty crazy plan. One most would have a difficult time following - it just seemed so far fetched. But Joshua FULLY relied on God and trusted Him and obeyed Him - no matter what. And God - who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly more than what we can ever imagine - indeed made the walls fall and Joshua and the Israelites took Jericho.

This story has always struck me as a bit odd. I mean, couldn't God just let the walls fall down? Couldn't He just have the Israelites fight those people of Jericho and win? But if that had happened, God wouldn't have received such glory. And sometimes when things just seem so weird and bizarre, God expects us to rely fully on Him and obey Him and trust Him and leave the results to Him. Because most certainly, none of the Israelites could take any credit for the defeat of Jericho.

God wants our hearts. He wants us to trust Him, lean on Him, fully rely on Him. And then when we do, we are at peace, we have joy and our so greatly encouraged by the blessings that the Lord gives us.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

There is a song that I love. It's words and lyrics fall right in line with relying on God.
Joy unspeakable that won't go away
And just enough strength
To live for today
So I never have to worry
What tomorrow will bring
'Cause my faith is on solid rock
I am counting on God

So the next time you see a frog remember to Fully Rely on God!!!