“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds” James 1:2

The past couple of weeks have been a test. A test of our strength, endurance and, especially, our faith. My husband was in an accident and really hurt his shoulder. So bad it required surgery to repair.


It was a lot to process and pray over. You see, he makes his living with that arm giving hitting lessons and running a baseball academy. So, not only are we praying for healing, we are praying for provision as well. His recovery will take several months.

I have seen God moving in big ways as we’ve experienced the accident, surgery and transition back home.

Before this happened, Steve was pressing. Firing on all cylinders. Between running the academy for competitive teams, giving private lessons and working as a hunting guide, he was spread pretty thin. I think the devil was at work in the situation, keeping him so busy he barely had time for his family, much less time to focus on God.

Just before he left on this particular guiding trip, we had a talk. As the one who picks up the pieces and tries to keep “everything else” going, I needed more of him. More important, he needs more of him. The Steve who is fun to be around, makes me laugh , loves his kids and is there for his family. All this happens when he is able to relax and refocus after busy days.

Interestingly and concurrently, his academy coaches have been counseling him to spend less time throwing and hitting to the kids, and more time instructing. We talked about this a couple weeks ago while I was reading in the Book of James, so I read him the first few verses. We talked about confirmation of his calling and that even with that realization, there would be many trials.

Can’t you just see God’s hand weaving all this together? With that knowledge, we need to cling wholeheartedly to our faith in Him because the trial isn’t over and it isn’t isolated to Steve alone. This is a family battle and I’ve felt my own flaming arrows.

As I’ve balanced playing Florence Nightengale with Wonder Woman (and failed miserably, I might add), I’ve been driven to my knees. He is the only one who can give me the kind of strength I need to get through this. When it’s the pain talking and not Steve, only He can help me extend the grace that covers. Only He can cause me to pause and pray rather than react and respond as my flesh would have it. Only He can wrap His arms around me in the middle of angst and worry to reassure me that He is in control and is working it all for good. Only He can give me the words of comfort for our children as we pray each night. And only He can take this circumstantial mess called life and polish it to make it shine for His glory.