Wednesday, October 8, 2008

WFW - Steadfast Devotion







1 Corinthians 15:58


"Therefore my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing your labor is not in vain in the Lord."

When we were pregnant with our 4th son, Joshua, who is now in the presence of the Lord; God gave me this verse while I was attending a women's conference. I was about 20 weeks pregnant. Little did I know it was just days before we would find out that our son had a fatal genetic condition and our lives would forever be altered and transformed. Little did I know that my son, whom God was forming within me, would only be with us for 119 days following his birth. Little did I know that God was preparing me for what laid ahead. Little did I know that God was telling me in advance that I needed to be steadfast and immovable in all circumstances and that in Him, my labor: that which requires effort for its accomplishment was not in vain. He was working behind the scenes transforming me, purifying me of self, teaching me and revealing more of His character to me.

What will move you from the love of Christ?

Will death? Will disease? Will financial crisis? Will an unfaithful husband? A broken marriage? Will past abuse or pain? Will anything on this earth cause you to waiver in your belief in God or your steadfast devotion to what God has set before you?

God doesn't move...we do. His love doesn't change. He is steadfastly devoted to us.

Look at your circumstances as the vehicle by which God is calling out to you. God loving you so much that He wants more of you. He wants to go deeper and reveal more of Himself to you. He desires for each of us to be steadfast and immovable to Him alone and all that He puts before us.

"For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Hebrews 9:38-39

Whatever God has laid before you, whether it seems like a boulder or a small twig, keep pressing forward secure in the love of Christ.

For some of us our labor is the daily calling of being a wife, a mother and all the work that comes with that calling. For others, it is working outside the home, a full-time ministry. For others, it is caring for a sick child, spouse, parent or even ourselves, it is wading through the uncertain economic times or maybe a new health diagnosis that seems too big for us to handle. Whatever "work of the Lord" is before, your work is not in vain in the Lord. It is important. It has a purpose....a Godly, eternal purpose.

May we all be steadfast and immovable in our calling and our love for Jesus Christ.

In Christ's love - Stacy

21 comments:

Unknown said...

Stace - that was beautiful!

AMEN! May we be steadfast in our upward calling. May the things of this world and all the circumstances before us not consume us or cause us to stumble away from Him. May our hearts be so eager to know Him and follow His plan that whatever it is that He places before us our only response be - I AM HERE LORD! Use me! Mold me! Take me to the holiest of all in Your presence.

Love you and miss you!
Jill

Alicia The Snowflake said...

Love the picture!

Love the post even more! Your testimony is beautiful! Thank you for sharing. It is in the hard times that our worship becomes true worship. In those moments, we learn what it is to have an unmoveable faith.

Thanks for sharing! I found your blog through wfw.

Alicia

Laurie Ann said...

That was absolutely beautiful. Thank you for writing from your heart words of wisdom and encouragement that will stay with me for a long long time. Happy WFW!

aspiritofsimplicity said...

Oh yes. It is so important for us to be steadfast. It is not always so easy however.

Mike said...

Love the picture! Just what I needed to be reminded of today. Thanks for always listening to HIM and being obedient!
Adrianne

He & Me + 3 said...

Thank you so much for posting from your heart. I needed so much to hear those words today. BTW...Your family is precious.

Kelly said...

Wow ~ It was like this was written FOR me today. I got a call this morning that our daughters headstone has been completed and will be placed at the cemetery on Friday morning, almost a year after she went to be with the Lord. And oh the things that have taken place in this year, and even the 8 months that I was pregnant with Liberty, and the 5 months and 3 days that we were blessed with her..God was truly working behind the scenes and continues to do so daily. It was a wonderful reminder to me today that all of the heartache we have endured, all of the pain Liberty experienced and all of the ways in which our little world here has changed has NOT been in vain. God is doing mighty works in our lives and it makes everything that we are going through worth while. Thanks for reminding all of us about this. It's easy to get caught up in our troubles and lose sight of the plan God has for each of our lives. You are an amazing mommy! I love reading your blogs!

In God's grace,
Kelly

Denise said...

May you be sweetly blessed.

DeeDee said...

Thank you for your WFW and for sharing your story.
Sweet Blessings,
DeeDee

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Peggy said...

Awesome Stacy...I've been waiting all day to be able to come & meet you and visit your post & read your words because your comment inpsired me. This was the Lord's strength and such great encouragement! I believe if you get a chance to see my Thankful Thursday post(now up) you will see why God delayed me reading this to read it just in time...to be so encouraged & know since God has me where He wants me that He will not forsake me but wants me to stand firm! I pray that any task He gives me, I will not labor in vain for allow Jesus to work through me
so others will be drawn to Him!!!

I'm so sorry for your experience with loosing Joshua temporarily & the pain & suffering but I know you enjoyed every one of those 119 days...at Especially Heather today she had a video on Eliot that touched me just like your heart breaking story yet I see your love & joy that Joshua is in the Lord's presence & all will be joined together again. I'm so glad that you held on to this verse from the conference and Stood FIRM!

You spoke to many circumstances and advised us to be immovable or asked us if this would cause us to waiver in our faith. It's strange I always wonder how people who don't know or trust in the Lord how they make it through these trials! I guess I've been through many crisises that I crumbled but
I can never remember questioning my belief in God or Christ as my Savior...in fact, many drew me closer & made me stronger &
did transform me and increase my faith! I know He is still molding and changing me, may I remain pliable in His hands but firm in my commitment to follow the Cross!

Hoping we become good blogging friends! You inspire me!

Sharon Sloan said...

Hi, Stacy.

This is beautiful! Thank you for sharing these precious parts of your heart. God does prepare us so tenderly...for the blessings and the trials of life.

Your precious Joshua will be reunited with you in glory. What a beautiful treasure.

He has been speaking to my heart about steadfastness and wholeheartedness. Your writing was a blessing. Thank you!

Warm blessings,
Sharon

Stacy@hiswaynotmine said...

For those of you leaving comments....not sure how this gooood girl comment came my way...but so sorry if you go to that blog. It is nothing I endorse or have anything to do with! I guess this is why many blogs have comment moderation. I don't know how to delete this comment...or even if I can! Just wanted to send out the disclaimer, as I would never want to stumble anyone. I really didn't want to use the comment moderation...but the time might be coming.

In Christ,
Stacy

Tricia said...

What a wonderful post! Thanks for the reminder and encouragement that we can and need to stand firm in the Lord no matter what comes our way. He is faithful and He will always be there for us, He will never leave us or forsake us! What a wonderful God we have1

Blessings!

Unknown said...

Stace - Praise God for how He's using this blog and your faithfulness in doing it. Thanks for sharing your heart and what the Saviour is teaching you. Great and mighty are His ways. And oh how thankful I am that He is immoveable - what peace to know His provision and sovereignty in our lives. Thanks for walking with me by faith. The trials come but Great is our God and worthy to be praised.
love - Allyson

Jessica said...

I found your blog through a friend's.

Joshua is beautiful!, as it the rest of your children.

lori said...

Stacy...I'm late getting around...I think I used that excuse last week too..mid week is just crazy and I really like to get around and really enjoy these WFW...that is a beautiful image and an even more beautiful testimony to faith....

I have been blessed....thank you for sharing your heart...what a beautiful family you have there!

peace,
lori

Tonya said...

Stacy,

I enjoyed your post - we also lost a child. There is so much GOD can teach us through our darkest hours isn't there?

I noticed you're a home-schooling mom. I am too. (Sounds like we've got a lot in common) =-)

Okay, I won't keep you. I just wanted to say, Thanks SO MUCH for your comment! It was SO NICE to meet you!

Jenn said...

Thank you for your sweet words of encouragement. It's difficult to share personal pain but I feel like it's part of a growth process that God is doing in me. If I don't release it then He can't completely work in me the way He wants to. Again, thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment. Please do so frequently!!

Amydeanne said...

wow, what a powerful picture! God Bless!

Suzanne said...

Wow Stacy...this was just what I needed in this moment. That verse and what you said speaks to me in such a wonderful way right now.

I am dealing with some things today and God keeps reminding me that he has a purpose for what I'm going through.

Thank you so much for being willing to share what God has laid on your heart. You are an amazing inspiration!