41

My kids are amazing. While each differ in their temperament, likes, aversions, activities, and accomplishments, at their individual cores is a loving and compassionate heart.

I’ve been worried about them with the changes happening in our family dynamic, but I am so proud of each of them for being considerate, adaptable, and resilient through this ordeal.

Whether it’s my youngest child bringing a smile to my face every day with his pure joy, my older son picking flowers for me just because, or my daughter whose calm and steady presence allows me to just be in the moment, I am forever grateful to God for choosing me over all others to be their mom.

“I love you, Mommy,” or “You’re beautiful, Mommy,” are words I cherish from my little man. Likewise, I will never forget the special moment when my older son, who, in his preteen years has developed a distaste for signs of affection, caught me crying recently and silently came over to give me a bone-breaking hug, no words needed.

I’ve been struggling a lot lately as it seems every day something new is being needlessly done to make my life more difficult. However, God knows my every battle and He assures my triumph. “For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory,” (Deuteronomy 20:4).

My daughter and I recently discussed overcoming bad things in life and looking forward to better times. The Bible is full of examples when, despite terrible circumstances, good eventually wins out.

If you’re a Christian or have any knowledge of the Bible, you likely know the significance of the number 41. If not, let me enlighten you.

During the great flood, “…rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights,” (Genesis 7:12). Then, on day 41, the rain stopped. After Moses killed an Egyptian soldier, he fled to the desert where he stayed 40 years. In year 41, God called Moses to lead the Israelites in their exodus from Egypt. After disobeying God, the Israelites had to wander for 40 years but were able to enter the Promised Land in year 41.

After 40 days of being threatened by the giant Goliath, the Israelites obtained victory when David, a shepherd boy, fought and killed him on day 41. “Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry,” (Luke 4:1-2). On day 41, Satan gave up because Jesus overcame all his temptations.

There are other examples, but you get the point. Sometimes your struggles may seem to drag on and on with no end in sight. However, with Jesus at the forefront of your life, you can prevail over anything.

41 has become somewhat of an anthem for me these past few months…a promise from God that I cling to. I am currently 39 years old, and there are hurdles in my life trying to defeat me. My promise to myself is that before I turn 41, those negative things are going to be banished from my life, never to bring heartache and grief my way again.

I had planned to get a tattoo of the number 41 while on our trip to Europe. However, due to time constraints, it unfortunately didn’t pan out. Knowing this, my daughter wanted to do something special for me.

The other day, she brought me to (happy) tears when she presented me with a thoughtful gift from her alone and from the heart. She said she had it specially made just for me.

The gift was a t-shirt proclaiming the blessing of 41. I will wear it proudly because 41 is about new beginnings. 41 is about overcoming. 41 is about conquering your adversaries, both spiritual and earthly, and with the Lord’s guidance, that’s what I’ll do. I don’t need a tattoo to remind me of God’s promises, but I will likely get it anyway at some point as a testament to God’s work in my life.

Surrender

To surrender is, according to the Britannica Dictionary online, “to agree to stop fighting, hiding, resisting, etc., because you know that you will not win or succeed.”

Sometimes, when you’re dealing with a difficult situation, the best thing you can do is admit that there’s nothing you can do. I’ve gotten a lot of advice recently from friends and family to be patient, pray, and just wait on the Lord.

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight,” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

That can be extremely hard, and I often fail to do that. I’m trying to do better. However, when something is falsely said about me or when people do vindictive things, it’s hard for me to sit back and do nothing, although I know I should be the bigger person. It’s definitely something I struggle with and must continuously work on.

Stubbornness can also be a factor, especially for me. I don’t like to ask for help from anyone because I don’t want to be a bother. I also think I can do everything on my own, and while that is true for most things, it’s frustratingly not true for everything.

Sometimes, we can be stubborn toward God as well. He may try guiding us in a certain direction, but instead of surrendering our heart to His will, our head tries to take over. We think our way is better, and we often end up doing things we regret.

“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up,” (James 4:7&10).

There is a woman in the Bible who illustrated complete surrender to the Lord. Her name is Jochebed, and you can read about her in Exodus 2:1-10, Exodus 6:20, Numbers 26:59, and Hebrews 11:23.

Jochebed was an Israelite woman living as a slave in Egypt during a time of great trial and fear for her people. As the Israelites continued to grow in number, Pharaoh became paranoid that they would revolt against him. Therefore, he ordered the murder of all male Israelite babies.

Fearful for her newborn son, Jochebed hid him for three months until it was no longer safe to. Then, overcoming her fears and placing her trust in God, she surrendered her son to His will. She placed the baby in a basket prepared to withstand water, and floated him down the Nile River, under the vigilance of his sister Miriam and with God’s protection.

Because of Jochebed’s faith, God did intervene and placed Pharaoh’s daughter at the riverbank where she spotted the basket and rescued the baby. When she saw the child, she fell in love with him and decided to raise him as her own. She named him Moses and allowed Miriam’s (also Moses’) mother Jochebed to nurse him until he was old enough to return to Pharoah’s palace.

Could you exhibit that kind of surrender? I don’t know if I could. What areas of your life are you trying to control yourself? How is that working out for you? If you’re doing great, that’s excellent, but just know that may not always be the case.

Surrender can also help you overcome your worries and anxieties. “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own,” (Matthew 6:34).

If you’re struggling today, I encourage you to hand your battles over to God, even if your stubbornness tries to get in the way. The Lord can move mountains in your life when you fully surrender all to Him. I am attempting to do this in my life, and I pray you will as well.

Good Friends

When you think about individuals whom you consider friends, what makes them so? What differentiates a friend from an acquaintance? How many people do you call “friend”? How many of those would you consider a “good friend”?

Good friends are vital in all aspects of life, but especially in our walks with Christ. Proverbs 17:17 tells us, “A friend loves at all times…” That can be a rare person to find.

There are some friends you can call on for anything. They’ll just drop what they’re doing and head your way if you need them. They’ll cut up a tree blocking the road in the middle of a flood so you can get home safely. They’ll go to a late-night show when you have an extra ticket just so you don’t have to go alone. They’ll watch your kids with little notice when you’re in a bind. They’ll drive two hours to come stay the night with you when you’ve had a fight with your boyfriend, and you’re scared to be alone.

There are some friends who are great confidantes. They listen well, keep your secrets, provide good advice, and are always just a phone call or message away.

Some friends may be seasonal. They come and go during different life stages but remain nonetheless an important part of who you presently are.

Good friends lift us up when we’re down. They’re honest with us. They encourage us. They catch us when we fall. They push us to succeed. They cheer for our victories. They’re willing to fight for us and, perhaps, even to die for us.

One of my favorite Bible passages reveals how Jesus views friendship. “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends,” (John 15:12-13). That’s exactly what Jesus did for us. He’s the best friend you could ever have.

My daughter recently returned from church camp. While she was there, one of the activities for the older youth was climbing to the top of a wooden beam. There were two base poles on either side, and then a horizontal beam going across the top, ten feet above the ground.

One important aspect to note is that this wasn’t a required activity, but a volunteer one. The beam was available to anyone who chose to attempt the ascent. Other students and leaders were present encouraging those to try, but no one was forced. Likewise, no one can force you to Jesus. You must be willing to go to Him when He calls you.

When you’re looking at the obstacle from the ground, it can seem impossible to overcome. Additionally, the ground can symbolize the world and your sin, in that it is often more comfortable remaining on the ground. It takes courage, dedication, and effort to get to the beam, which symbolizes Christ.

When you decide to tackle the beam, you have those who help you. There are two individuals who provide a base on either side of you and a spotter behind you. There are also others who stand around you to catch you in case you start to fall.

Friends help to lift you up high enough to grab onto the beam which allows you the opportunity to pull yourself up and over it. My daughter told me how difficult it was for her because she is shorter and had a challenging time getting herself to the top once that line of support was beyond reach. However, she persevered and was able to reach the top.

She also told me about another individual who struggled with the task. This young lady had trouble clinging to the beam and couldn’t quite reach the peak. As the girl was dangling from the beam, my daughter related it to our efforts when Satan tries to push us back down when we’re so close to Jesus. However, the girl didn’t give up, and her friends continued to encourage and help her. After several attempts, she eventually made it on top of the beam, defeating the forces that were working against her.

Like this example, when you have good friends and the determination to be near Jesus, you can overcome your sin and the devil’s attempts to make you fail. Therefore, I encourage you to lean on your friends in times of trouble, but also be that dependable friend when you’re needed. Furthermore, be careful to choose your friends wisely. Several passages in the book of Proverbs instruct us on this.

“One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother,” (Proverbs 18:24). “The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray,” (Proverbs 12:26). “Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm,” (Proverbs 13:20). “Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn their ways and get yourself ensnared,” (Proverbs 22:24-25).

Also, know that even good friends may let you down at times because we’re all human. However, Jesus loved you enough He was willing to die for you just to give you the chance at eternal life with Him after physical death.

Good friends can help you overcome many things and can steer you closer to Jesus on your Christian walk. However, only YOU can take the final step or get yourself completely over the ledge to reach Him. Although it may be hard, when you arrive, Jesus is always waiting there for you. In fact, you’ll realize He was with you through the whole journey.

Don’t give up on conquering your obstacles. Whatever trial, whatever sin you’re wrestling with, Jesus is waiting to help you overcome it if you seek Him out. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world,” (John 16:33).

Soak in these words from Mandisa’s song Overcomer. “You’re an overcomer. Stay in the fight ’til the final round. You’re not going under ’cause God is holding you right now. You might be down for a moment. Feeling like it’s hopeless. That’s when he reminds you that you’re an overcomer. You’re an overcomer.”

Whatever struggles you are currently facing, know that your 41 is coming too. Just be patient, take it day by day, surrender your struggles to Christ, and don’t stop clinging to the joyous things present in your life. With good friends and Jesus, you will overcome.

Have a blessed week!

-Becky