Stick-it to Satan

So it really isn't nice to say "stick-it" to someone is it? Well, considering it is Satan I can rationalize it alright within my own personal moral framework. :)

A few weeks ago I told you about my three Jesuses who showed up at my door with a sandwich. Well, that day they "stuck- it" to Satan for me. See, when Satan is after you he stoops low and does seedy, frustrating and cowardly things. I think many of us have come to recognize these attacks on us to be Satan is a very bully-like form. They are particularly apparent that way when we are working extra hard to d and be in tune with God's will. Satan knows we know that and he hopes it will detour us in some way and if we don't see it then he just hopes we blame God instead of turning to God.

I knew Satan was working hard in my life to pull us down emotionally, but even though I knew my emotions and reason were not following, well um, lets call it, God's ideal design for emotions and reason I still couldnt seem to stop that downward spiral on my own. So he sent three sandwich bearers to remind me.

One of my Jesus friends at the door that day holding that delicious sandwich has since, in the last two weeks, lost a family member to death, had to travel a great distance in bad weather with three very small children(one of whom was sick puking at the time) to get to the funeral and 2 days before the funeral another family member was injured in a car accident. Now that they are home and she is finally back around her network of people who love and support her as a mother struggling through this time, there is more illness to go around forcing her to miss all her small group support time. Stupid, stupid Satan!!

Well, this is the same friend that said to me during my oh so low week that I should take the sandwich gesture of friendship and love and take it only in that spirit bc she knew that I would be the first at her door if she were in need.

I don't know if I was first, bc frankly there are a lot of people who love her, but I do think that she made a great point. Sometimes when we are in need for any reason- illness, lost job, troubled marriage, depression, spiritual warfare we find it hard to accept love and generosity from others because we feel guilty or indebted, or maybe even a little bit embarrassed at our own need. It is hard to be humbeled weather it is within our control or out of our control.

I think that is SO Satan! All of those feelings are not from God. God calls us to worship and live and share this life in community with one another. Not so we can ignore each other's need, but so that we can know of it and answer in big ways for God, or smaller ways with a sandwich. When we let our hearts refuse to be humbeled or admit we are in need we deny others the opportunity to let God move in the situation.

Wanna know why my sweet godly friend and her husband are being attacked right now??

Well, they decided to finally take a honeymoon-about ten years late. They saved up for a while and then felt an urging from God that this would not be just any ordinary honeymoon. They committed the money for the honeymoon and their time to God and he led them to a service opportunity in a Liberian orphanage. In five days they will leave there three children with family and head off to Africa for 10 days to serve these children who have no one and on top of everything the last two weeks has already brought them Satan is now busily frustrating their lives and thoughts with stomach bugs, and cleaning up the remnants of stomach bugs from three children, worrying over leaving sick children, all while they attempt to pack and prepare for this massive trip. As I said before, stupid, stupid Satan.

So on my way to a doctors appointment today I felt God urging me to call her husband and find out her favorite coffee. Coffee from one specific coffee house for this friend is a ministry all on its own. It's a relatively warm day here today so it seemed an odd thought, but I called and he called me back and left a message with the exact info I needed. It took me all of 30 seconds to run in and get it and when I arrived at her house she was on the phone with the pediatrician and so I just stuck my hand through the door with the coffee and stated what it was, that I loved her and to call me later.

I had a message a few minutes later on my cell phone explaining that she started her day today with a prayer that she could have a coffee from this particular coffee house today. She didn't say it to anyone and was hoping that her hubbie might bring it home to her, but never asked anyone but God. When I showed up with it she knew, without a doubt, that God had heard his little girl and knew she just needed some encouragement.

It meant so much to me that my friend never said, 'you didn't have to do that' or 'that wasn't necessary.' She looked relieved and just so happy to see that cup of coffee in my hand-that is, once she realized it was for her. :)

I couldn't help but think as I drove off, God just SO stuck- it to Satan...Go God!

Thank you God for giving me friends to bring me sandwiches and for putting someone on my heart. What an unexpected blessing to me. Here I thought I was just making the day of a treasured friend a little easier, when in fact God showed me how seriously He feels about our lives and our happiness, even down to a prayer for coffee on a warm day from a desperate mommy tired of cleaning up puke. He loves them so much and I feel certain He is so proud of what they are doing in His name, and-Donn and Cyndie- we are so proud of you too!

Feels good to help God stick-it to Satan for someone.