What Man meant for Evil, God meant for Good!

This past Friday, I did my weekly grocery shopping in the afternoon. After completing the task of shopping at three stores with my four children, I was eager to unpack all of the groceries, and to catch my breath for a minute. As I approached my house, I noticed a deputy's vehicle close to my home. I tried to reassure myself that everything was ok, assuming that something had probably occured at the vacant, bank-owned home next door to me. I pulled up my driveway, and went quickly onto my front porch. As I was about to insert the key into the front door, the deputy stepped out of his vehicle and said, "Ma'am, I am afraid that I have some bad news." At that moment, I think I swallowed my heart...I was so scared that the deputy was going to say that something had happened to my husband. It took, what it seemed like to me, an eternity for him to say the next sentence..." Your house has been broken into." It was quite hard to comprehend in that moment, as everything looked perfect from my front porch. Some guys had kicked down my back door and had broken into my house, shortly after I had left for the grocery shopping errands. My mind was all over the place....I needed to unpack all of those groceries... my children needed to get out from the heat...I needed to tell my husband what happened....what exactly had been stolen? I called my husband, and asked him to please hurry  home. My hubby  couldn't believe that we had been robbed. I entered my house with the deputy, to find so much in disarray...plastic bags strewn about so the thieves could more easily carry out our goods, my dresser drawers wide open and obviously rummaged through, cords violently hanging out of my tv armoire due to our tv being ripped out. As far as we can tell, all of our goods have been recovered. The robbers dropped the stolen goods when they were being pursued by the deputies, and many of the electronics (laptops, cameras, etc) were destroyed when the items were thrown on the ground. This has been most challenging for the children, but I have been praying that mine and my husband's response would be pleasing to God, and that we would be a good example to the children. It is challenging to see my little ones when they are afraid at night! I have always emphasized to my children that things don't matter, people and relationships matter. Everthing else can be replaced and truly doesn't matter. Shortly after the incident, I reminded my children of Joseph in the Old Testament, who was treated so poorly (by his brothers, his own flesh), yet he saw God's providential hand throughout it all!

"But as for you, ye thought evil against me, but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive." (Genesis 50:20)

Another verse that is of a great consolation during trials is Romans 8:28:

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose."

I am so thankful for God's protection, and that none of my children nor my husband were harmed. I am more convinced, than ever, that things are just things. They are fleeting...moths, dust, and definitely thieves can destroy them here. Our treasure needs to be in heaven. I am so thankful that God protects us, and that He reminds us that earth is merely a temporary abode; our permanent, blissful home is in heaven.

If you would, friends, please pray that I will have a proper attitude and true Christian love for the robbers. It is challenging, to say the least, and I certainly cannot do it of my own strength. Thank you, dear friends!