When God Doesn’t Fix Your Problem

Friends,
Meet my MOMs Together and Mom Initiative colleague, Lindsey Bell. Lindsey knows what it is like to have a struggle and to feel as if God isn't fixing it. Have you felt that way? I know I have. Lindsey's post is hope-filled and encouraging especially for those times you need to come out swinging instead of surrendering. YOU will love her words--especially if you feel beaten down in your circumstances. At the end of this article Lindsey is doing a big give-away in celebration of her book, Unbeaten, being released! Check it out. ~Lori

When God Doesn’t Fix Your Problem

By Lindsey Bell

What if God doesn’t fix your problem?

Of course, I hope He does. I hope He heals your body, provides a spouse, grants you the child you long for, provides a job, or whatever it is you want Him to do. But what if He doesn’t? What if, for whatever reason, God chooses not to heal your body?

It’s one thing to trust God when He answers your prayers; it’s a whole different story to trust Him when He says no or doesn’t say a thing at all. Will you remain faithful even if your greatest fears come to pass?

This is the question Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego each had to answer.

If God didn’t save them, would they still follow Him?

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were taken captive by King Nebuchadnezzar. Their story is recorded in Daniel 3. King Nebuchadnezzar ordered the citizens of his kingdom to bow down to a golden image he had created. Anyone who refused would be thrown into a fiery furnace.

Most of the people living in Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom obeyed. They didn’t want to face the rage of a man who was known for being hasty with his sword. Three men, however, refused to bow their faces to the ground in front of an idol. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego believed God could save them from the hands of Nebuchadnezzar and from the fire.

These men standing up to the king who held their lives in his hands is amazing in itself. Even more amazing, though, is that these men realized God might not save them — and were okay with that! Even if God does not save us, they said to the king, we will not serve your gods (Daniel 3:18).

Impressive faith, huh? Because of this bold proclamation, I expected God to save the men. If I had been He, I certainly would have. With a speech like that, these men deserved to avoid the heat. Apparently, though, God didn’t see it that way.

God didn’t prevent their fire, but saved through it instead. Isaiah 43:2 says...

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”

Nebuchadnezzar ordered the fire heated seven times hotter than usual. Then he had the three men bound and thrown in. The furnace was so hot it killed the soldiers. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in contrast, weren’t harmed at all. The flames did not singe their hair, and the text says they didn’t even smell like smoke.

When Nebuchadnezzar saw the men walking around in the fire that killed his soldiers, he jumped to his feet and said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.” (Daniel 3:25)

God didn’t prevent Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from being thrown into the fire. What He did instead was join them in it.

That might be what He does for us too. He might not prevent the fire, but He will join us in it.

He’ll walk with us on the hot coals and make sure not one hair on our heads gets singed. He’ll make sure when we leave the fire, there’s not even a smoke smell lingering on our clothes.

This post contains an excerpt from Unbeaten: How Biblical Heroes Rose Above Their Pain (and you can too) by Lindsey Bell (CrossRiver Media). Used by permission.

This post is part of Lindsey’s blog tour to celebrate her new Bible study and devotional, Unbeaten: How Biblical Heroes Rose Above Their Pain (and you can too).

To celebrate her book, she’s giving away a HUGE bundle of books! Leave a comment on this post to be entered to win. You can get more entries by commenting on other blogs in the tour as well. Get a full list of participating blogs here.

About Unbeaten:

Why does life have to be so hard?

Difficult times often leave Christians searching the Bible for answers to the most difficult questions — Does God hear me when I pray? Why isn’t He doing anything? Does He even care?

In Unbeaten, author Lindsey Bell shares the stories of biblical figures who went through tough times. Through this 10-week Bible study and devotional, she reminds readers that while life brings trials, faith brings victory. And when we rely on God for the strength to get us through, we can emerge Unbeaten.

About Lindsey Bell:

Lindsey Bell is the author of Unbeaten: How Biblical Heroes Rose Above Their Pain (and you can too). She’s also the author of the parenting devotional, Searching for Sanity. She’s a stay-at-home mother of two silly boys, a minister’s wife, an avid reader, and a lover of all things chocolate. Lindsey writes weekly at www.lindseymbell.com about faith, family, and learning to love the life she’s been given. 

12 Key Bible Verses For Kids

Friends, We have a guest blogger today. My friend and fellow M.O.M. Initiative mentor mom, Lindsey Bell . Read to the end and discover how to win 6 free books. 

A belated Merry Christmas!

~Lori

Most Christian parents want to teach their kids about the Bible. We know we should do it…and we genuinely desire to do it.

But something happens…and we don’t. 

For some of us, that “something” is busyness, tiredness, or forgetfulness. (I wrote a post a while back about many of these obstacles—and how to overcome them—here).

For others, we don’t teach our kids about the Bible because we don’t know where to start.

The Bible is a big book, after all, so how in the world are we supposed to figure out where to begin? What story should we start with? Which Bible verse should we work on first?

We allow the enormity of the task to overwhelm us so we stop moving forward at all.

That’s why I wrote this post…to give any of you who feel overwhelmed a place to start.

Start by memorizing one of these verses with your kids each month. Then, at the end of the year, you’ll have all of them memorized.

I’ve also included a condensed version of the verse for your younger kids. As you’re working with them (especially the youngest ones), make up hand motions for the verses. It’ll make it fun and also help them remember the verse.

12 Key Bible Verses for You and Your Kids:

1. On Behavior

Colossians 3:23

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.

Condensed: Work at everything like you’re working for God.

2. On Anger

James 1:19

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.

Condensed: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.

3. On Trusting God

Romans 8:28

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Condensed: In all things, God works for our good.

4. On Prayer and Thankfulness

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Rejoice always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Condensed: Always rejoice, pray, and give thanks.

5. On Love for God

Deuteronomy 6:5

Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

Condensed: Love God with all your heart, soul, and strength.

6. On Love for Others

John 13:35

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.

Condensed: Everyone will know you follow me when you love each other.

7. On Words

Ephesians 4:29

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

Condensed: Don’t let anything come out of your mouth except what is helpful for others.

8. On Worry/Fear

Philippians 4:6

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Condensed: Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.

9. On Thoughts

Colossians 3:2

Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

Condensed: Think about things that matter for eternity.

10. On Insecurities

Philippians 4:13

I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

Condensed: I can do all things through Jesus.

11. On Creation

Genesis 1:1

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Condensed: God created the heavens and the earth.

12. On the Gospel Message

John 14:6

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Condensed: Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. He is the way to God the Father.

Let’s Talk: What other verses would you add to this list?

Readers, This post is part of Lindsey Bell’s December blog tour. To enter to win Lindsey’s MEGA-GIVEAWAY (the winner will receive 6 books!), leave a comment on any of Lindsey’s guest posts this month (including this one).

For a full list of participating blogs (and other ways to enter!) visit this post on Lindsey’s blog.

Lindsey Bell is the author of Searching for Sanity: 52 Insights from the Parents of the Bible. She’s also a stay-at-home mother of two, minister’s wife, avid reader, and chocolate lover. Click her to go to Lindsey's blog. 

About Searching for Sanity:

Have you ever looked at your beloved children and wondered, what in the world am I doing? Why did God trust me—of all people—to raise them?

 

Motherhood is the most difficult job many of us will ever take. Searching for Sanity offers moms an opportunity to take a breath, dig into the Word, and learn from parents of the past. In short devotions designed for busy moms, this book uses the parents of the Bible—both the good and the bad—to inspire today’s mothers.

You can pick up a copy today at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

A Letter to First Time Parents

Friends,

Meet Lindsey Bell. She is the author of Searching for Sanity: 52 Insights from Parents of the Bible. She is my guest blogger today and a fellow M.O.M. Initiative team member. I love her 5 points for new parents. Read her blog and then enter her contest to win a free devotional! 

With faith, hope and Love,

Lori

Dear First-Time Parents

Holding that baby of yours for the first time really is amazing, isn’t it?

You tried for months (maybe even years) to get pregnant, and then waited another nine months to meet your little one. Or maybe your wait began when you sent in your application to an adoption agency. You waited to finally get the phone call that changed your life: you had been chosen.

But now that your little one is here, the wait is over and real life begins.

And maybe (though you don’t like to admit it) this life you’d been waiting for isn’t exactly how you expected it to be.

Maybe your baby cries all. night. long.

Maybe nursing—something you assumed would come naturally—isn’t working.

Maybe your spouse—who just months ago was the love of your life—isn’t looking quite as good now that you are both sleep-deprived and irritable.

Maybe parenthood isn’t the glorious rush of emotions you expected to feel.

If any of these describe you, I want you to know something: It’s okay.

You’re not a bad parent because your baby cries a lot.

You’re not a bad parent because you can’t (or choose not to) nurse your child.

You’re not a bad parent if you don’t love everything about your new life.

To you, the first-time parent who is struggling in your new role, here are a few things I want you to know:

What First-Time Parents Need to Know:

1. You ARE doing a good job.

You’re meeting the needs of your child. You’re feeding him, changing her, and loving him as best you know how. That matters, and you should be proud of the parent you already are.

No first-time parent has it all together, even if they look like they do. (Scratch that…NO parent, even second or third time parents, has it all together). We are all learning as we go.

2. Your marriage might be rough for a while…but don’t give up.

Many marriages struggle immediately following a life change like the birth of a child. Mine certainly did. But please hang in there. Don’t give up on your marriage or your spouse. Allow your spouse to find her rhythm. Wait until you aren’t so sleep-deprived to hash out the problems.

3. Don’t compare.

Your baby is different than your friend’s baby, and your family is different than your sister’s family.  Instead of comparing your life to another’s, learn to enjoy it.

Comparing will do nothing good for you; it will only leave you disappointed and discontent.

4. Hang in there.

The first few months of parenthood are hard. VERY hard. Surviving on only a couple of hours of sleep, plus learning to adapt to a completely new role, is something anyone would have a hard time with.

Hang in there. I promise it does get easier (and your baby WILL eventually sleep through the night!)

5. Pray. A LOT.

There is no formula to parenthood. When I first became a parent, I wanted one. (Or rather, I needed one!)

Now, though, I’m learning to love the freedom God gave us as parents.

God never asked us to follow a specific set of instructions as we raise our kids. Instead, he asked us to follow Him.

To celebrate Mother’s Day, Lindsey is giving away 1 copy of her new parenting devotional called Searching for Sanity every week until May 11^th! Use the Rafflecopter form below to enter to win. Then, check her blog every week to find a new giveaway!

Let’s Talk: What has been the hardest part about adjusting to life with a baby?   Or, if you’re a veteran parent, what advice would you add to this list?

About Lindsey Bell:

LindseyBell is the author of Searching for Sanity: 52 Insights from the Parents of the Bible. She’s also a stay-at-home mother of two, minister’s wife, avid reader, and chocolate lover. 

About Searching for Sanity:

Have you ever looked at your beloved children and wondered, what in the world am I doing? Why did God trust me—of all people—to raise them?

Motherhood is the most difficult job many of us will ever take. Searching for Sanity offers moms an opportunity to take a breath, dig into the Word, and learn from parents of the past. In short devotions designed for busy moms, this book uses the parents of the Bible—both the good and the bad—to inspire today’s mothers.

Click here for a Rafflecopter giveaway .