Each day we are blessed to wake up and breathe in the life that was graciously given to us from God. 

Often we wake up and we rush into a routine of getting ready for work, hitting the gym, taking care of pets, waking our kids up to get them ready for school, and making that perfect barista style coffee. Then there are times that we wake up burdened and feeling that unwanted stress that life can bring. 

Last October our family hit some stress of our own. Our 10 year old family van began having transmission issues (for the second time) and it became obvious that it was best to sell it and part ways with it, rather than spend the thousands to repair it again. So with only having one car, it took a lot of work for me and my wife to strategize and maneuver around schedules. At the time, it was overwhelming for us to think of beginning to search, find, and finance another car. So putting our worries aside we gave it to the Lord in prayer. 

My wife and I carefully figured together the type of car, mileage, trim, features, CarFax, price point, etc. When we started searching it seemed the market and inventory was just out of reach or not quite what we desired. It was often that I woke up in the morning dwelling on the thought that a huge expense was looming and I had no idea how we could finance another vehicle. The waiting and anxiousness of the whole situation was warring. As the months went on, God began giving us that peace of mind and assurance to fully trust Him and His perfect process! 

In times like these, I love how God pours his Scripture into me. He reminded me of Lamentations 3:23-24: "Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." And also, Hebrews 10:23: "Let us hold unswervingly to the hope that we profess, for he who promised is faithful.” 

Hiding these words in my heart I began to have faith that it was going to be ok even when I couldn’t see it directly. God soon provided for us! 

The week after Christmas our family went on a beach trip near Corpus Christi. On the last day of our trip, I got a notification on my phone about a particular car that we had been trying to find. And it exactly met all our check points...and more!

Through this whole experience, it was a reminder that inconveniences in life happen and sometimes they can feel insurmountable. But if we allow ourselves to become humbled, patient, and fully trust in God’s timing and process, then those seasons of uncertainty can turn out to be blessings beyond comprehension. 

My encouragement to you is to wake up each day, dwell upon how faithful God is (as you place your hope in Him), and begin experiencing the joy of life, knowing that God is with you on every step.