After All

I have had some very personal, bumps in my road of this life lately.

It would be so very easy for me to gripe and complain most of the day.

My flesh would like to lash out in my fear and anger that surrounds the sound of the enemy’s voice. I have been working on quieting his voice. It is a minute-by-minute conscious struggle.

Before I knew the Lord, I was a top-notch worrier.

I was so very good at it. I was taught by the best, could compete with the best.

I was also very well trained in the negativity department. I knew so very well how to over analyze and see the bad in any situation.

So when the enemy tries to come in now, these are the things he uses--
My thoughts mostly.

I am so grateful that I now have the ability to discern the voice of the enemy vs. the voice of the Lord.

I can sense evil before the thoughts even come.

I am so thankful to the Lord for choosing me, seeking me out, and finding me. If I didn’t know who he was these days, my life would be different. I have to admit that I continually fight the voice of evil, and some days I still let it in.

But I know that I know that my God is who He says He is. And He really is in control.
I am thankful for the road that He has prepared for me, and I know He is counting on me to follow His lead.

The good Pastor Osteen says often, “The enemy fights you the hardest when he knows God has something good in store for your life.”

I am fighting this good fight of faith and standing on His path—through His word and His promises. I am ready for the next turn or twist in the road—ready for what He has in store. I will keep my eyes fixed on Him, and I know His light will lead the way.

I have to trust Him.

I choose to trust Him.

After all, I’ve given Him my life.

Maria and her family reside in NE Ohio. She and her husband are the parents of two. Their daughter is a person with hemipelegic cerebral palsy.Because of her experiences, Maria provides parent-to-parent support for families involved in her local early intervention program. Her gift for writing has come directly from the Lord since her daughter’s diagnosis. She writes a monthly column entitled, “Special Parents, Special Kids” for the Mahoning Valley Parent magazine in Ohio; and has expanded into Parent magazines in parts of Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
She is also a contributing author at http://www.mommiesmagazine.com/.Maria's first published work is in Jan Ross and Jeanice McDade's Women of Passion's anthology, "Ordinary Women Serving an Extraordinary God". Both Kim and Maria have been selected to have their work tentatively included in Lori Wagner's upcoming book, Quilting Patches of Life, Volume 2.