Perfect Preparation

After John's last 7 and a half month deployment to Kosovo, our family took a vacation up to the Netherlands.  While we were there we endeavored to see the Corrie ten Boom house and 'the hiding place' inside.  We were carefully escorted through the narrow home where first we learned of Corrie's life before WW2.  At the time, I was familiar with her famous work, The Hiding Place.  The Hiding Place is the story of Corrie's life during WW2 in the Netherlands hiding Jews in a closet in the house and subsequent imprisionment and spreading the Gospel in a Concentration Camp in Germany.  Corrie survived the war and later went on to Tramp for the Lord and minister to the Germans, and many others, who suffered so much during the devestating time of war in europe.

Corrie's first book, In My Father's House begins with the following Introduction:
Today I know that memories are the key not to the past, but to the future.  I know that the experiences of our lives, when we let God use them, become the mysterious and perfect preparation for the work He will give us to do.

So, one of the best things we brought home from our trip was a Triology of Corrie's writings and we began to read it aloud in the evenings with all 4 children.  We cried as we read her story of such great suffering.  Now, with 2 of those children gone from home, it's time for the little 2 to hear this life story of an amazing hero of the Faith.

I've wanted to blog so much about the Perfect Preparation times of our lives that lead us survive and mature during our own suffering.  However, I feel more compelled to prompt you to read In My Father's House. 

In the Believer's life, suffering is assured.  We have choices to make with the free will God gave us.  We can choose to cling to every exprience God's used in preparation to bring us closer to him, or run the other way.  Here are a few preparation times I'm grateful for that gave me the ounce of hope in Him I needed to stay faithful.

sick children, lengthy deployments, moving, extensive training and schools for John, bible studies, over coming new languages as we moved, financial ups and downs, conflicts, insecurities about homeschooling, dyslexic children to teach to read, homemaking skills to hone....

During all of the above, I had a choice, take it all to Him and allow Him to use these experiences to grow me into who He wanted me to be, or throw all the training He offered away.  Now, at times, I'm quite a hard learner and I had to have exposure over and over again to certain circumstances as opportunities to do even better 'the next time'  but I can honestly sing this morning....

He leadeth me, O blessed thought!
O Words with heavenly comfort frought!
What ere I do, where ere I be,
Still tis God's hand that leadeth me!

Shabbat Shalom!