Tag: god

A Year To Celebrate!

Mihaela Echols2 Comments

As I put up the pastel decorations and start preparing the boys Easter baskets I’m filled with joy remembering our first Holiday in this home was last years Easter.

For those who know my journey they know I moved seven times before Peter and I got married. And most times I had no idea where I would live. But one thing I did know is faith is not blind. I knew God would provide. Peter and I rented our first home, but for only ten months and were on crunch time to either choose to rent or buy. We closed on our first home and lived there for a long eight years. I had a plan to live there for three but I needed a waiting season and had to learn contentment no matter where I lived. In that time God was preparing our hearts for this big adventure we have been on.

We sold our home of eight years in August of 2023 and bought this home last spring of 2024. We were again on crunch time. But in confidence I knew God would provide. It seemed heavier this time around with Peter needing to find a job, a different budget, parents now, and once again on crunch time. We had five months to live in an Airbnb and work from there. I never doubted God’s provision and knew if we were meant to buy again we would. But I also had to be content with possibly renting. God says yes and he also says no. In that time we have a choice to be faithful no matter the outcome trusting he knows us better then we know ourselves. He knew the outcomes all those times I had figure out my next place to live. He was faithful then, and I knew, because of that journey he would be faithful to my family as well.

Moving Blues

Mihaela EcholsLeave a comment

I cling to the truth of God being in control as we adjust to the next final step of our big move. I got what I’m calling “the moving blues” where I know I’m going to be ok and everything is going to work out, but right now I feel very isolated. We just moved to our final home and we have to start all over again. We have to find a new church, a new Awana for the boys in the fall, and new friends for me and the kids. I am a friendly person, but it doesn’t mean I like meeting new people. The vulnerability is daunting and even more so as a mother. With our appliances breaking or already broken I feel defeated. My children are having a hard time with this change too. The first two nights we had them in our room because they were up often.

As I was scrambling around the kitchen leaving the door open to be able to see the kids playing in the garage I could feel the weight of my weariness. I looked over the verses from Awana that we need to work on hanging on the fridge. I began to remember the core truths the kids and I have been learning: God is in control. What a relief. I’ve been leaning on that truth since. This is why I am working on memorizing scripture for both me and my kids. In rocky seasons such as this one I want our children to grow up leaning on the same truths. God is in control. God is our comfort. God is our peace. God is our Rock.

Philippians 4:-9

 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Paul’s reminder to the Philippian church has encouraging truths for us as followers today on how we choose to react in situations. He says “The Lord is near” and “present your requests to God”. Notice he doesn’t measure the value of the request? This reminds us that God is ready to hear our desires and be with us in all seasons even if they feel unimportant to others; it is all important to God. The great and mighty God is near, he cares, and he is our peace, comfort and joy in this rocky transition.

Trusting God’s Timeline

Mihaela Echols3 Comments

As I dig into the story of Joseph in the Bible (Genesis 37-47) I reflect on the concept of the timeline of this story. Not the time in history but the length that only God knew about. I dove into chapter 39 when he was thrown into prison for being accused for something he didn’t do for two years. Joseph had no idea how long he would be in prison. God gave him the dreams in chapter 37 but God never told him when they would happen. So in that time of prison Joseph didn’t know it would only be two years. All Joseph know was to trust God. He knew God was with him. I sometimes forget this important piece, because I’m on the outside looking in. I get to see how the story ends and Joseph only knew of his dreams. He lived this life and his story is an example of trusting God’s timeline.

Genesis 39:2 “The LORD was with Joseph…..”

Genesis 39:21 “The LORD was with him;”

Genesis 39:23 “Because the LORD was with Joseph.”

I sit in gratitude with the mana God has chosen to pour down on my family recently that he doesn’t have to pour (Bible reference Exodus 16 referring to providing). It could have taken Peter longer to find a job, and us a home, but we trusted God’s timeline. Often I see believers idolizing to hit certain milestones forgetting the story of Joseph and other faithful believers in history and forgetting that these people are real. They too served God with a timeline they didn’t know of (Hebrews 11). Christian sing the song that says “take me deeper then my feet could ever wander and my faith will be made stronger in the presence of my Savior”, but stepping back into reality is this our truth? The creator of time knows better then the timeline we create. What beautiful relief this is.