Giving thanks when things seem to be going wrong

Kathleen Maxwell-Rambie

November 2017

Copyright

“How on earth do I give thanks when I feel like life is so difficult right now and painful,” I muttered to myself as I pondered everything going on in my life. 

I was a tired mother of three children, a busy business owner with 250 clients, active in the church and community and my marriage was not doing great. I was exhausted, to say the least.

A day or two after I said the above question, my baby got pneumonia. This generated extra care for my little one, frequent breathing treatments he despised and would scream through, as I tried to be a good parent. 

A few days into the pneumonia battle, my daughter spent the night at a friend’s house and came home with lice. This created even more work for me, as if taking care of a house and three children was not enough. The next day, the school called and said my oldest son had pink eye!

“Surely God understood that I had enough on my plate and did not have time to be thankful,” I said to myself as I tended to my tasks.

The truth is, God did understand and He wanted to help me overcome the adversity I was facing. Some days in our life on this earth are just awful. He does not engineer difficult circumstances just so He can produce good; however, He works within us and through us to bring us to a better place. We are in Christ no matter what is happening in our lives and we just have to tap into that place with Him.

“Help me Lord,” I prayed. I knew God was the only one I could depend on.

The next morning, I opened my Bible and began reading II Corinthians 2:14, which states, “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and though us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him.” (NIV)

If you read the first part of the chapter, things were not easy for Paul, however, Paul had a confidence in God’s ability to overcome his challenges. I needed that and I needed it yesterday!

Several words stuck out to me as I read and reread this verse.

• thanks
• lead
• always
• triumphal procession

I discovered, I had to do my part and that was give thanks. I  began to thank God for his ability to lead me to triumph. I also began to thank him for my kids, even though they all had physical battles and  I was exhausted and miserable. I began to thank God for his love for me. My heart began to change. Thanksgiving adjusts our attitude.

Next, I began to look to God and believe that He would lead me. My job was to submit my day and my heart to Him and to follow Him. I began to thank him for my husband too, even though I was not real happy with him at the time.

“God, I thank you for my husband and kids, thank you for your love and thank you that you want to lead me and help me overcome,” I prayed. “I choose to believe you always work things together for my good and I look to your ability, not my own,” I continued. Please note I did not thank God for the difficulties but for what I could be thankful for and put my trust in Him.

In the days and months that followed that Thanksgiving, the lice and the pink eye were gone from my house, even though these childhood plagues went through all three kids. My baby got over the pneumonia, however, he had to continue the breathing treatment for a while as he was sensitive to upper respiratory infections.

I continued to give thanks for my husband and God began to work in both of our lives, and I began to look to God to change things in our marriage, instead of me trying to change him. Our marriage began to heal and it started with my heart changing first.

Not long ago, I reread II Corinthians 2:14 and could see very clearly how God led me in triumphal procession, step by step. I had to smile at God’s faithfulness. 

Pop meets Grant

Yes, there are still difficult days in my life, however, I am real quick to give thanks and look for how God is going to lead me step by step to get the better of the situation. He is always there to lead me, I just have to follow.

The great news is when we partner with God, thank Him and lean on Him in difficult days, we are developing a testimony in our lives  and a confidence in Him. Others see that in our lives and are drawn to that fragrance. In the two days I have been working on this article, I have had four people text or call for prayer or encouragement. I know it is not me, but Christ in me they are drawn to.

Right now is a good time to thank God for something in your life and partner with Him. If you are having difficulty, ask Him to help you develop thankfulness in your life. We can always thank Him for being with us and helping us. We can ask Him to open our eyes to see how we can be changed and triumph. Get excited about the triumphal procession that is ahead!

Kathleen Maxwell-Rambie is a native of the Hill Country, educator, writer and speaker. She is passionate about helping others discover the joy of walking with God and their value. You can contact her at kathleenmaxwell1@gmail.com and on her blog www.themaxwellminutes.blogspot.com

 

Divine appointments and answered prayer

Divine appointments and the power of prayer

Kathleen Maxwell-Rambie

Copyright October 2017

On August 3rd, 2017, we were on the island of Kauai in Hawaii, visiting my oldest son and his family. It was my grand daughter Collins’ fourth birthday and my daughter-in-law, Laura and I decided to take her to the spa at the St. Regis Hotel for a manicure and pedicure. We felt it was our  female obligation to introduce her the pampering herself, especially since my son and husband were playing golf most of the day.

While we were at the spa, we visited with the nail technician, Cindy, and I took a picture of her doing Collins’ nails. 

“When is your baby due?” Cindy asked my daughter-in-law.

“October 12th,” Laura replied.

“My sister-in-law was due October 27th but she delivered twins a few weeks ago at 27 weeks” Cindy said.

“Oh my, how are they doing?” I asked.

“Well, we lost one twin, Faith, but Hope weighed 1lb 8oz and is still fighting for her life, in Honolulu, at a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU),” Cindy continued.

My heart went out to her sister-in-law, who was living at the hospital taking care of her baby and grieving the loss of her twin. I know what it is like to live in hospitals and know what it is like to lose someone you love.

As believers, we are called to help those that are going through trials and share in their suffering.

“I will pray for Hope and your family,” I stated, and then offered up a silent prayer for this mother and her child.

“Lord, heal this mother’s heart and breathe life into Baby Hope,” I prayed as I left the spa.

Numerous times after our spa day, I prayed for this baby I did not know and her parents. I prayed that God would help her to live and grow and prayed strength and provision for her parents.

I am forever grateful for those who prayed for my late husband and me as he battled cancer. I wanted to give back to someone else in a tough situation.

On September 6th, my son Austin and his wife Laura, gave birth five weeks early, to my new grandson, Grant Robert Maxwell. Our precious new addition to the family was put in the NICU in Honolulu, HI, to receive careful monitoring since he was a premature and had some other complications.

“Mom, Laura and I need you to come out and help if you can, as soon as possible,” my son said, as we visited on the phone, shortly after Grant’s birth.

I was happy to help and had a flight booked in a couple of hours.

Several days after I arrived in Hawaii, I took Collins to a Sibling Tea, that was hosted by the March of Dimes, in the lobby of the NICU. I sat next to another grandmother and her daughter. 

As we enjoyed our tea, I overheard the young mother sitting on the other side of me tell someone she was from the island of  Kauai and had delivered twins in July. One little girl did not make it, but her daughter, Hope was doing alright, she stated.

Could this be the baby and family I had been praying for? 

“Excuse me, I overheard your conversation and do you have a relative that works at the St. Regis Hotel in Kauai?” I asked.

“Yes i do,” replied the young mother, with a puzzled look on her face.

“My name is Kathleen, does she work in the spa?” I continued.

“I am Jean and yes, my sister-in-law works in the spa as a nail technician,” my new friend stated.

“I’ve been praying for you and your baby Hope for the past month.” I said excitedly.

I quickly showed Jean a picture I had taken of her sister-in-law and my grand daughter that I had taken and Jean smiled, confirming this was her relative.

“God has his had on your little girl’s life and I cannot believe I am getting to meet you!” I exclaimed. 

“i call this a divine appointment and this is such an encouragement to me to pray.  God loves you and your baby so much and has had this lady praying for you in Texas,” I said.

My new friend, her mom and I visited for a while and I prayed with Jean, for healing and blessing over her little girl, Hope.

Jean invited me to come see her baby, meet her husband, and I cannot tell you the joy I felt seeing this tiny baby that was now doing well and growing. Baby Hope weighed over 3 lbs and before I left to come back to Texas, she weighed 4 lbs. 

“Come back and pray again. Your prayers change the atmosphere and make it peaceful,” Jean said.

Often times we pray for people and we do not get to see the answers to our prayers. God was so kind to orchestrate things and let me meet this precious family. 

I still pray for my new friend and her baby, Hope. Jean sends me pictures and updates on her daughter and I am honored to intercede on their behalf.

My grandson Grant, is now out of the NICU and doing well and  I am back in Texas. Meeting Jean and Hope and experiencing this divine appointment has encouraged me in my faith and given me a new excitement to pray for others. 

Hope is now up to 6 lbs. 14 oz. and is still in the NICU. I talked to her mom the other day and she is hoping to take her home any day now.

The Bible instructs us to pray for others and share in their suffering. Who can you pray for today? Who needs you to take a few minutes of your day and invest in the life of those around you? I want to encourage you to be sensitive to God and pray for situations you encounter. And remember, you never know when you might have a divine appointment and get to see the answers to those prayers.