It's Still A Wonderful Life??

"He must increase, but I must decrease."   --- John 3:30

"... the Holy Spirit will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come."   --- John 16:13

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Perhaps you remember when this happened. 

Back in October of 2019, between 2 and 3 a.m., I'd consistently, poof! Be jolted wide awake. And that's when I began creeping down our dark staircase, curling up on the couch, then watching instructional Youtube videos.

It's like God said, "Do this."

Never before had this happened in all my 60 years and was I tempted to ignore the promptings? Oh my, yes. This girl likes her 8 hours of sleep.

And now, okay, sometimes I'd watch the videos, then fall asleep again before awaking Tom at 6, but a wild thing? Never do I recall feeling tired during the day those entire 18 months.

All those videos and all those new folks I 'met'! Preachers, preppers, prophets, teachers, decorators, builders, dreamers, artists, travelers, pundits and more. Strong, determined folks sharing their God-given purpose in Life, pouring into me essential truths.

And then came March of 2020, the beginning of 'the covid years'. Yikes!

But you know? I felt prepared mentally, physically, spiritually greatly due to God's awaking me for early morning 'schooltime', and all those teachers, and what He'd worked into me since 1994 (long story).

And because of 'what God had wrought', instead of hiding in 2020, I marched ahead, excited at those historic days. "What a fascinating time in which to be alive!", I mused.

Those nights I began taking notes and updating my prepper lists, then eventually that early morning season morphed into something different. 

I'd still awaken around 2 a.m., but only to check my laptop, read/watch the increasing worldly chaos, confusion, deception and calamities, then I'd shut it off and crawl back into bed---

---while feeling God's presence and the deepest, sweetest sense of peace, gratitude and safety, ever.

One thing of which I'm absolutely certain: God wants to prepare us ahead of time for difficult Life events. This whole planet is shaking side to side, even swirling upside down and around? God, earlier, created a way so that, in perilous times, we can stand. Sturdy. Upright and shining, still experiencing a wonderful life with and because of Him.

When we long for God to increase and us to decrease, that still, small voice isn't nearly as whispery-quiet as before. It's actually rather amplified and very, very persistent.

For a reason. Or many.

"But if you carefully obey his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries... If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land..."   --- Exodus 23:22, Isaiah 1:19

"But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved."

Hebrews 10:39

This is not the hour to SHRINK BACK from pursuing God with your whole heart while standing for his Truths. The two are eternally connected." --- Sean Feucht

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This lady is sweet. It's always like hearing your grandma talk about prepping.  ツ

Yesterday I finally began reading Joyce Meyer's, Eat The Cookie ... Buy The Shoes. What a treat! And I would highly recommend this if you have frequent 'Catholic guilt'. (I've heard it called that in tons of movies. heh.) I bought the $1.99 Kindle copy (I knew I'd be highlighting much of it), but you can find this book free here at Open Library.

Today's question: Is God asking you to do something you've never done before?

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Please remember: My posts are always about more than they appear to be. 

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 "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15