Great Change is on the Way!

IT’S FIXED! IT’S FIXED! IT’S FIXED!   Woo- hoo!  We are up and running again thanks to the FABULOUS AMAZING dear friend of mine, Patty Ptacek.  She is the first person I met when I moved here 15 years ago 🙂  and she is lovely and kind and a good friend and she also happens to be A COMPUTER GENIUS.  Contact her if you need a techy/website/computer genius in your life…and who doesn’t?

Here’s a little blub about her and what she does:   Patricia Ptacek has her own web design and consulting business specializing in WordPress websites and all things tech for small businesses and non-profits.  You can read about her at www.patriciaptacek.com and contact her at . 

If you are thinking “What the heck is Sue talking about?”…Things around here have been a little chaotic lately.  The blog was having some issues.

I really am not a techy person so when people start talking about users and codes and hosts and all the other things I don’t understand, my anxiety level goes up.  My brain starts feeling really crowded and I get tired.  So this weekend and all the way up until today, I did some napping in between calls to the techy people.  Oh and I started watching Downton Abbey.  I watched FOUR episodes in a row.  LOVE.

I’m so glad it’s a snow day today because it’s afternoon and I’m still in my jammies and I’m thinking about hunkering down for 4 more episodes.  But first, I’m so excited to write this post.  I realize now what a life saving grace this blog is for me.  When I couldn’t post anything I felt like a caged animal…I must speak, I must write, I must post!  I missed you all so much!

I’m sorry for the emails you may have received saying the blog is under construction.  I realize now a click of a button could send god only knows how many emails out. Note to self. Lots of notes to self. Live and learn people, live and learn.

It has been chaotic.

Do you think all great change is preceded by chaos?

I was thinking about this whole situation and wondering about why it would happen at this time.   I’ve never had a problem with the blog in the past three years.  Why now?

Is it because great change is coming and the enemy is on alert?

Do you believe in the enemy?

I believe there is a battle that wages for our souls every day.  I believe that darkness is real but sometimes it dresses itself up so pretty we don’t recognize it as darkness.  We invite it in, we open up to it, we reveal ourselves.    And it weakens us.  It weakens us through fear and doubt.  We second guess, we quit, we worry.

And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.                   –2 Corinthians 11:14

Sometimes the enemy comes along and offers a break when I need rest.  He sees a weakness in me, he sees an opportunity to plant seeds of doubt, to discourage me and he attacks.

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. –1 Peter 5:8

The Lord says He will provide rest and that is true but sometimes I feel like the Lord is asking me for things.  Sometimes the Lord is saying, “Get up Sue, I want you to do this  for me.  I have prepared you.  It’s time.” And sometimes that “thing” looks heavy.  Sometimes that “thing” seems like to much.  Sometimes the computer breaks down or the blog goes a little nutty or the plane is grounded or the kids are home sick or my body feels tired or I get discouraged or I lose confidence or I feel sad and alone.  When those things happen, the enemy whispers that maybe it’s time to quit,  maybe it’s not going to work, maybe those dreams aren’t going to come true.  The enemy tells me to give up and depending on the timing sometimes giving up sounds like a good idea.  But I have to remember the part about good and evil and the battle for my soul.  I have to stay alert.

Because resting is not the same as giving up.

Someone told me once that if I start living for the Lord, if I start really showing up and being bold in my faith and with my life, the attack will begin.  At the time I thought it sounded very dramatic.  Doesn’t the enemy have better things to do than worry about me and my little ministry?  Isn’t he occupied with the louder voices and the people with bigger audiences?

Then I remembered what God said.  He said, “Be Alert!”  He said, “Wake Up!”

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. –Ephesians 6:11-12

I’m praying for the strength of God.  I’m praying and staying in His word so I can “Put on the whole armor of God”.  Because when we are clothed in the armor of God, nothing can hurt us or distract us or derail us.  Not a computer glitch, not a problem we don’t understand, not another person, not a temptation, not fatigue, not doubt, not a setback or a delay.

Next time you are facing chaos, take a deep breath and thank God.  Great change is on the way.  Stay alert!

©2013 Sue Bidstrup, Great Big Yes™ All Rights Reserved