Perseverance

I have already told y'all that we moved to MS 4 years ago. We lived in Memphis for 10 years in a small house in a subdivision. We did not have any major catastrophes while living there. Our troubles started when we moved.

After 4 years of trials and tribulations coming every 6 months while living in MS, we are wondering the "why" of it. Is God testing us? Is God not happy that we moved to MS? Like Job, is God allowing Satan to test us to see how much we can endure? In our finite minds we cannot understand or reason why these things are happening to us.

Every time we think we are over a hurdle, something else comes our way. We have bought 2 lawnmowers, new roof, new well and pump, new water heater and now we are looking at the possibility of needing a new car.

We were driving to soccer last night and we heard a sound. It's happened before. Erin, our daughter, thought the car was going to blow up. I reassured her it's just a spark plug. We have one particular spark plug that refuses to stay in it's place. We got stranded in Memphis at Goodwill once because of this spark plug. That was an easy fix. Last night, on the other hand, was different. That stubborn spark plug would not stay in. I eventually had to drive the car home on 3 cylinders. Boy, was that noisy! It made it to the house where we could make sure the car was safe, but now David has to figure how to best fix it. If it can't be fixed then.... Oh, I don't even want to think about that right now.

We have not lost our lives, the lives of family, or our livestock like Job. We have not suffered as Christ did on the cross. Our struggles are financial. We had to buy things because they quit working. We had no choice. You have to have a roof, well, water heater and a car. My husband drives a manual transmission truck- which I CANNOT drive. So, we can't go to just one vehicle.

I have heard of perseverance of the saints. I am by no means a saint, but pray the Lord is blessed by our continued faithfulness and that Satan is not! I pray that 10 years from now, we can look back on our trials and laugh or at least know "why" we struggled through them.