God has been showing his faithfulness in my recent study of the book of Jonah. The book is fascinating because it ends in a way you wouldn't expect. Jonah preaches to the city of Nineveh, after much reluctance, and the city repents. Instead of staying, rejoicing, and teaching them further he retreats to the outskirts of the city. Jonah hopes and believes it would be fitting for God to still bring the destruction He promised Nineveh. Despite this, God reminds Jonah that He is a loving and gracious God. God relents and does not bring destruction on Nineveh and this makes Jonah angry. Throughout the story we see God pursue Jonah. He cares for Jonah so much that He is not willing to leave Jonah's heart, with all its hatred, in its current state. He wants to get Jonah's attention so badly and cares so much that He sends a storm, fishermen, a fish, a protective plant, a worm, and then finally confronts Jonah with His own voice. 

​What I realized in the book of Jonah is that when I value anything over God, His glory, or His plan He will get my attention. When I hold my own ideas, plans, and desires above God I am making Him a liar. I am saying He doesn't know what is best for me, when in reality He is my perfectly just, loving, and all - knowing creator. It does not do me well to be angry at Him. God knows what I need and holding the different idols of my heart tighter only hurts me. 

In Ezekiel 34: 22 -24 it says "I will rescue my flock; they shall no longer be a prey. And I will judge between sheep and sheep. And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David , and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. And I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them. I am the Lord; I have spoken." 

For me, God's faithfulness is shown in the power He shows in His word and in my own life to bring about what He will, for His glory. There is nothing sweeter or more peaceful than knowing God will bring about what He wants for my life. I don't have to be anxious because he is my creator and comforter and knows what is best.

I've been reading through the Bible this year and it has been sweeter than I could have imagined. The stories of God's faithfulness in the Old Testament show a more powerful and merciful God than I knew before this year. I think my encouragement of God's faithfulness is how beautifully and fully He reveals himself in consistent time spent in scripture. 

As Daniel says, "Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. He changes times and seasons; He removes kings and sets up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; he reveals deep and hidden things; HE knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him." Daniel 2: 20 - 22

My daughter asked me to write about God’s faithfulness in my life.  I thought about it long and hard and found it someway overwhelming to pick out just one story. God has done so much in my life that I could write several books about his faithfulness, and His promises. I hope you notice that I said HIS PROMISES, for Jesus does not lie, and He does not make empty promises like we do…ok, I will speak for myself as I do.  I am truly thankful that God keeps his word because people will disappoint every time.

I thought about writing of a time God saved my husband and I from being crushed by an 18-wheeler truck. I was driving and it would have been my fault. I may tell that story one day. Then I thought about writing of a time God showed me in a dream which daycare to put my toddler in, that’s an interesting story that I may share later.

What I am going to write about is a conversation that my husband and I had with my daughter Olivia at my birthday dinner this past week. Some how we got on the subject of “raising children in a corrupt world." She was explaining to us that in this technological age and the horrific things going on, this would be a difficult time to have children. My husband and I agreed that it is not an ideal time; however, each generation has voiced this same concern. This took me back to my early twenties, when I was thinking about marriage and children. I remember sitting in a car listening to the radio when the news came on. The broadcaster announced how a local school system was making plans to put police officers in the schools because of the growing drugs and gang violence happening among students. Wow! That was not only shocking, but disturbing. I thought to myself, "Oh no. This world has gotten too cruel for me to bring children in it. Lord, what am I going to do?" Well, you know what popped into my head? Yep! That scripture that people half quote…where God said-be fruitful and multiply. God said so much more:

Genesis 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

There are many more scriptures in the Bible that reference to us being fruitful and multiplying, we can even apply this concept to our own lives in serving Him.

Back to my story, in the car that day, I almost went against what God wanted for me. I almost missed out on my blessing. He sent his son to this world in human form. He knows exactly what is going on in this world. As time goes on, His message should become stronger in His followers, His disciples. We are here to spread God’s word in this world, to do God’s work-to bring in the lost to His kingdom. Christians already know how this story will end: we have the victory! Through my conversation with my Heavenly Father that day, he helped me to see the work of not only what I was put here to do, but what my offspring will do in His name. I trusted Him and believed in His promise. He put a shield of protection around my children and helped me to raised them to know Him, to worship Him, to live for Him, to be disciples for Him. Thank you, God, for His faithfulness, and His promise. It was not me, for I did not always hold up my end, but I thank God for His grace and mercies, they are new every morning. 

Antone Scott, a disciple of Christ, a mother of three, and a school counselor