TESTIMONY TUESDAY!

Hey guys,

Hope you've all been well! With exam season over its back to blogging for me and I figured I would start with a catch up of the last few weeks and what a month it has been! Here are just two of the many testimonies that God has blessed me with this month!...

So in April this year I passed my driving test which I was pretty ecstatic about, particularly because being someone who lives in what can be best described as 'Narnia', (C.S. Lewis readers will understand lol) as this would mean safer and faster journeys home and just easier commuting all round.

Naturally, the next step after passing my test would be buying a car right?
However, I had seen lots of my friends rush into this end up with a problematic vehicle. Hence, with no desire to follow suit, whilst looking for my own car I began praying:

©pixshark

'Lord I thank you for bringing me this far and helping me pass my driving test. I know buying a car is a big and risky decision and so I pray that you will sabotage any car that may come my way that is not in your will for my life. I ask that you keep me covered and protected. Give me what you know is safe and best for me. 

Amen.'

Lo and Behold, the whole month potential buys came to me left right and centre and I was pleasantly surprised. In the midst of my excitement I had forgotten the part where I'd asked God to sabotage any opportunity that was not meant to be. As a result any time I was close to purchasing a car something would go wrong or I would receive some sort of sign that I shouldn't take it, and to be honest, after a while I became very frustrated and disheartened and began to give up. Though I had prayed this prayer, the itch to get behind my own wheels was preying on me and the thought of all the benefits it would bring. So in the midst of my frustration I decided to pray again and ask God to help me to have more faith.

However, I didn't get the answer to my prayers that I'd expected. Instead of feeling that warm sense of comfort or a restoration of faith I just kept hearing 'Instead of moping around and wasting time pondering over the what ifs, you should be praising me in advance because you've already got your car'. To keep it all the way real that didn't really make sense to me. I'm a very logical thinker so I like to plan and have purpose for my actions. Therefore being told to praise in advance for a car I'd never seen whilst constantly hitting dead ends with all the ones I was finding was proving to be very challenging.

On Friday 22nd May I shared the message God had given me with my housemate Louise  (who also happens to be a blogger) and asked her to pray with me. From that day onwards it seemed like God was giving her a word for me everyday to cancel out any form of doubt I may still have had. One thing she said that stuck out to me was
'The instruction from God is to praise Him for your car as if its already here. Remember Izzy, God loves a faithful and obedient Servant. When God tells you to do something the time is never later or in your own time. THE TIME IS NOW!'

She also reminded me that instead of giving up, dwelling on what I don't have and basking in disappointment, I should remember that all it takes is faith as small as a mustard seed (Matthew 17:20) for our God with limitless strength (Psalm 147:5) to fulfil our hearts desires, so we should never allow ourselves to drown in frustration or impatience. My mother (who never gives up on anything!) also reiterated the same thing, stressing that if God has declared it, then it is already done!

       © Bistrips

So by Sunday 24th May I was back on my 'A Game' and was confident that my car was coming. But on Sunday night I received a phone call saying that all the potential offers had fallen through so I was back at square one. But by this point I refused to except defeat and held on to Gods promise and began to search look and call again at 1:30am Monday morning! (Yes I was eager lol) ... by 4pm the same day it was confirmed that I officially had my first car!

Though for some getting a car may not be a big deal, for me it was more than  just a car. It represented the journey God had brought me through; from doing my theory test, to providing me a job so I could work long hours to be able to pay for driving lessons and buy a car whilst still a student, from setting myself a target date to pass by and actually meeting it, and then finally waking up to see my car in my driveway. Everytime I see her (yes her lol) I'm reminded about the power of PRAISING IN ADVANCE and that we should:

'Know, recognize, and understand therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, Who keeps covenant and steadfast love and mercy with those who love Him and keep His commandments,' -Deutronomy 7:9 (AMP)

Now I'm aware I've entitled this post Testimony Tuesday as I was supposed to publish it last night, but I kept feeling like I should wait because something else was coming..

In the midst of this car hunt I had also been waiting on a summer job I had applied for that was quite a competitive role, but would be a great opportunity for me. Though I felt like my initial interview had gone well, it was still a waiting game and I had been thinking about it a lot last night. Rather than asking for faith again I decided to just declare that the job was already mine and speak my letter of congratulations into existence and guess what the content of the first email I woke up to this morning was?! Not only did I get the job but I was given a higher position that I didn't even apply for!
It all suddenly became very clear why I kept feeling like I should delay my post because my testimony was being doubled!.

I am honestly so grateful, happy but most importantly thankful for everything God has brought my way in this last month and this only half of it!
I really hope my experiences will encourage you and stress the importance and benefits of PERSERVERANCE IN FAITH.

Having faith and steadfastly trusting in God (even when everything around me seemed to be working against his plan) has opened so many doors for me in this month and I promise it will do the same for you so 

GO GET YOUR BLESSING! =] 

                                              X