Milk, Cookies, and Miracles

Had a friend tell me once that there was "milk and cookies on the other side" of the battle I was facing.

Sounds cute, huh?

It was far more than cute.

See, I'm not talking about one of those trivial day to day things that we like to deem as a battle on any given day of the week.  The battle I was facing was big.

I'm talking real-deal, on-my-knees, only-GOD-can-handle-this-because-I'm-dying-here kind of battle.

I found my solace in Romans 8:28 and Jeremiah 29:11.

I had to keep things simple and my brain could not quite wrap around more than that for a while.

Romans 8:28 promised that God would take all of the junk in my world and use it for my good and His glory.

Jeremiah 29:11 said simply that He had a plan for me and it was good.

The combo assured me that I would not die standing up to the battle, but that God definitely had MORE for me than regressing into that same battle over and over again.

Those verses told me that He had a purpose for me... and I needed to hear that.... because, quite frankly,  I had forgotten that I had a purpose beyond surviving day to day.

Eventually I branched out and Ephesians 3:20-21 became my constant reminder that when I released my clenched fists, God would fill them up with more joy than I could possibly imagine.

His plan was to take the tired, beaten down woman that I had become and renew my mind and heart with HIS joy.

I couldn't imagine how He might pull that off, but I had a mustard seed of faith left that told me He would be true to His word.

Nehemiah 8:10 reminded me that the JOY of the Lord was my strength and that I didn't have to have strength on my own.  Like everything else in my life, HE would provide.  I just needed to be willing to allow Him to do so.

So, I made a decision with wise counsel and my God about that battle (you know- the one I mentioned earlier).  I made a decision... prayerfully and focused on what God had for me.  It felt good for a moment.

And then, guess what?

Then it didn't.

I doubted myself immediately.

Big doubt.

Bigger than me.

Bigger than the supporters around me.

... and the doubt FELT bigger than God.

((Yikes.  That's a terrible sounding truth, but it's just how it felt.))

So, I told God that.

And guess what?

He didn't take me off heaven's roster for eternity.

There were no lightning bolts that zapped me from the face of the earth, either.

He kept talking with me... and He just stepped in a little bit closer by sending one of His kids.

"Don't quit 5 minutes before the miracle."

That's what she told me.

Whatever you do, just don't quit 5 minutes before YOUR miracle.

She said it enough that I started receiving it... and I didn't quit.

And I didn't die on that battlefield...

And I'm here.

Years later I'm sitting on my couch on the other side of the battle with milk and cookies in hand...  and I've seen the miracle.

Let me rephrase that... I've seen the MIRACLES.

Tonight, I felt like someone needed to hear that and to know this is just for them.

My words to you are simple....

Lean in... listen to the Godly counsel around you (and choose that counsel carefully).

Talk to God even when you don't want to (He's big enough for your angry, sad, mad, and tired moments).

Keep things simple (4 verses were all I could handle back then).

Don't quit before your miracle.



My PROMISE to you is this...

I'll save some milk and cookies for you.

It would be my distinct honor to do so.

Even better, though?

God's promise.  

He's not going anywhere.

You'll never walk alone and He has plenty of miracles to spare.

In fact, He has one JUST FOR YOU.

Don't miss it because you are fighting life's battles on your own.

He is your Advocate.

He's your Attorney.

He's your Physician.

He's your Best Friend.

Ask Him to walk with you.

Milk, cookies, and miracles are waiting.