Transitions & Trusting in God by Carrie Fancett Pagels

Matt & Beth Fehl

Today at Northside Christian Church our Executive Minister Matthew "Matt" Fehl, spoke about transitions, relationships, and  trust as part of current church study on life transitions. I don't know about you, but I'm in the midst of some of my own possible transitions, some of them pretty big for me. Rev. Fehl spoke about how when you isolate yourself you become overwhelmed, when you aren't getting help from others. As someone with a disability, I understand where some of that isolation comes from. When you are unable to do many things that others take for granted as ordinary, and you need help with some of those things, you end up learning that there are many people who do not want to help you. And that rejection can lead to isolation to avoid the upset that comes with people being unhelpful or in some cases downright rude.

I have found, as strange as it might seem to a fully-abled person, that it is often others (emphasizing not shouting!) WITH DISABILITIES or issues themselves who are most helpful! Yup. You read that right. It may seem counter-intuitive, but those who know the eye-rolling and smart-aleck comments one gets for doing things a certain way because of a disability, understands what it takes to be truly helpful.

Rev. Fehl talked about being in relationship and in community and learning to trust one another. I've found on this blog and in my personal groups, such as Pagels' Pals, my readers' group, that it is often the others suffering and overcoming something who are quick to pray for each other, fast to offer suggestions for help, who step into the gap and send private messages to encourage. This blog would not still be going had it not been for Diana L. Flowers, who despite her health issues came forward to join me and what a blessing she has been (we miss Diana here on the blog, but God knew she needed to focus her attention on her condition which had worsened.) Similarly, Teresa Mathews, despite her health difficulties came on board to help encourage others who are overcoming and despite having lost her husband, having had surgery for esophageal issues, having had breast cancer this past year, and a host of other Job-like problems has continues to minister to our OWG blog guests. Our other OWG reviewers who have been with us for longer and some shorter seasons, Noela Nancarrow, Marian Baay, and Bonnie Roof, despite life's difficulties stepped in to encourage others.

In my recent Christian fiction release "Dime Novel Suitor" in Seven Brides for Seven Mail-Order Husbands, my heroine, Caroline Kane, doesn't trust the notion of having a husband come to her via an ad and a mail-order husband scheme. You see, she has some serious trust issues having lost her husband years earlier and her father the previous spring, who left her with her siblings and an inn to watch over. And her older sister ended up being untrustworthy as far as helping Caroline out. My heroine does, however, have some trust in God, even as rocky as that trust is. And God has used a man-made event to bring her what looks like a God-ordained answer  -- it is? Can she trust that God has brought her a possible husband even though it is through something her controlling sister contributed to bring about?

Have you ever had something like that happen -- where God stepped in even when it seemed like something driven by worldly desires? I have. God can use any situation to bring about His will. We have to LOOK, SEARCH, LISTEN, and OBEY when He gives us His direction in life. And we have to TRUST that He will prevail. As Matt Fehl said this morning -- if we can trust God with ETERNITY can we not trust Him with our present situation?

GIVEAWAY: Autographed (personalized if you wish!) copy by Carrie of Seven Brides for Seven Mail-Order Husbands (Barbour, June 2017). Any Carrie's question to enter!