ZZzzzzzzz.......

Lately I think God has been trying to grow me in a different area. That of serving Him even when I am completely exhausted. Yes, I know, I have young kids, I am doing a lot it’s ok to not be the sister super-Christian. I have come to terms –rather begrudgingly that I cannot do everything. So, I am ok if the house doesn’t remain  immaculate, the Suburban still has chocolate milk that spilled in January somewhere in it & my kids wardrobes are about 3 months behind. But am I ok if because I am so tired that I don’t pray? Of all the things the Lord asks me, I think praying is pretty much the easiest. You don’t have to exert physical  energy or do anything really. If I can make a meal or help my kids I should be able to pray.

2 or so weeks ago our basement flooded. Our bedroom is downstairs and so we are now upstairs awaiting new flooring for downstairs, my daughter’s room is also in a similar situation. Things are in a state of upheaval. I didn’t pray or read for almost week! It was uncanny that week, every night we would get odd phone calls late at night (everyone knows we are usually in bed by 9), kids waking up with weird issues. In other words, every night was reduced to about 6 hours of broken sleep. On day 6, I was reading an email when I came across the quote from Samuel Chadwick (above). Now I don’t think prayer is the only thing the devil fears, but it’s definitely a huge one. In one week of sleeplessness I became relatively immobilized for the Kingdom. It says, “If you falter in times of trouble how small is your strength!” (Pr. 24:10) My strength should be from my Lord, not the number of hours of sleep I get. Do I sound insane? Perhaps too expectant of His supernatural power? Even to my own ears I do, but I think it’s just my black & white personality emerging –and I don’t necessarily think it’s a bad thing. To try and put my expectations in perspective I think about believers around the world I’ve heard about. I read about a mother in Indonesia who is up at 4:30 to spend time with Him before dealing with her children, working a full day & then coming home to stay up until midnight working on evangelical radio programs.  She said she the Lord gives her strength because He calls her to it. There are other stories, refugees, people in bonded labour who experiences are similar to this woman’s. Exhausted, yet persevering.