Sweet Submission

I never thought in my wildest dreams that I would ever say something like "Sweet submission".  Any who know me, know that I'm not afraid to give my opinion even when I'm not asked for it.  I can be pushy when I'm passionate about a subject.  I'm not scared of being told that I'm wrong, and I have no problem fighting for something.  In general submissiveness is not something that comes to mind when people think of who I am.  Yet, I am able to find rest there.

For two in a half years we've been working towards a job as a customs agent.  Every step of the way we've not only seen God keep the door open for us, but watched Him open the door.  We have constantly been reminded of how weak we are and how great He is.  While all of this has been happening our hearts have become more and more driven to the understanding that we need to be deeper in the ministry.  This past Friday we were finally offered a job with Customs, but we'd have to leave our church and move almost three hours away.  We only had the weekend to decide what we would do.  Weekends for us are the busiest time in our week, so each night around nine o'clock we would begin our talking, planning, and searching together.  I knew from the time Customs called what Charlie would decide to do, but he didn't and CBC (Calvary Baptist Church) wasn't my preference.  However I firmly believe that Charlie is going to have to stand before God and give an account for how he led our family, and I will also stand before God and give an account for how I followed my husband.  Ephesians 5:22-24 has been in my mind a lot this past weekend:  "Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord.  For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior or the body.  But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything."  I can rest in God's Word and I can rest in the journey God has taken me on up to this point.  Many times He has called me to do what didn't make sense to me.  I know that my husband's love for Jesus is more then his love for me and I know he cares deeply for me and consistently tends to my needs.  He does a fantastic job of living out the next part of Ephesians 5 "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.  So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies.  he who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we are the members of His body."  Because Charlie loves me in this way I am able to rest in my submission to him.

As I spent much of my weekend in prayer with the Lord, I asked God to give Charlie clarity, peace in his decision, and conviction.  I asked for myself that I would ask hard questions and have keen insights that would help him find his answer.  God is always good, and gave all of these things and more.

"Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever.  Amen." (Ephesians 3:20-21)

I'm glad that we are able to use CBC as a place to put our roots and raise our family and learn to Love God.  As I always say, God is good!

Boy do I ever love this man!