I have always been one to want to control my life.

Even though I am always amazed at what God will do when I relinquish control of my life, I continue to find myself struggling to let go.  When I try to control everything, it never works.  When I put my trust in God and surrender to Him, it just happens.  He takes care of everything!

So many stories come to my mind.  Times when I just let go and watched God work things out as only He can do.  And this story, it’s just one of many amazing times that God has shown Himself faithful in my life.

I was in a hard place.

The difficult work environment kept me calling upon God daily.  I had so much resentment built up toward a co-worker that I had a difficult time praying as I should.

I had to pray a hard prayer.  I had to pray that God would change my heart toward this person because the way I was feeling was not honoring God.  I didn’t want to pray because I was so angry but God enabled me to do the right thing.  As I prayed, God allowed me to see this person as He sees him.  Slowly, my perspective changed, my heart softened and I began to see this individual in a different way.

In the course of time, an employment opportunity opened up for me, my husband and our two daughters to move from Florida to Arizona.  I had lived in Florida for most of my life.  My extended family was in Florida and we knew no one in Arizona.

I was afraid.  I was leaving my family behind.

One morning I was struggling.  I was having a hard time making a decision about the move.  I prayed and asked God to give me a sign if we were to move to Arizona.  After I prayed, I began to feel sorry that I was demanding of God.  I prayed again and told God I was sorry for asking for a sign and told Him that I would trust Him to guide and direct our path.  Later that morning my nine year old daughter and I were driving in our car.  She knew nothing of my earlier conversations with God.  Suddenly she told me to look at the bumper of a car near us.  When I looked I saw the car had an Arizona State sticker on the bumper of the car.  My daughter then said, “Mom, I think God told me to show that to you.”

God opened the doors.

My husband and I moved forward with the move to Arizona.  While I remained in Florida, my husband flew to Arizona and before nightfall on the day of his arrival, he had secured a home for us in our preferred school district.  Shortly after our arrival, we found a church and I met a woman who was involved with Love God Greatly.  I joined her group and through the studies I began to form close relationships with women from all parts of the world.  We encouraged one another during difficult times in our lives and eventually I developed a very close relationship with two women in Australia.

God placed me in a family of believers. 

During a period of time when I was struggling with some personal concerns, I experienced many restless nights.  I was not sleeping and I knew that if I messaged one of my friends in Australia she would pray with me.  Our friendship grew and the 17 hour difference between Arizona and Australia became a blessing.  At some point we asked each other why we have to live so far away from one another.  Then it hit us.  God created it this way because we are available for each other and pray together at times when others aren’t available.  I can’t imagine my life without her.  If it wasn’t for Love God Greatly, I’d have never known her.  We love each other like Jonathan and David loved each other, yet we live miles apart.

God made it happen.  It was another test of surrendering and trusting God.  I was trying to control everything and yet when I let it go, God took care of it all.  Our house, our neighborhood, the children’s school, our church, my friends!  Wow!!

It is so freeing.  So liberating.

 As I begin 2016, I am excited and I move into the New Year with courage.  I know God is with me wherever I go.  I am not going to fight Him.  I want to do what he has planned for me because that is when I am truly blessed.

Love God Greatly gets me in God’s Word and it is manna from heaven.  My relationships with other women from all over the world enrich me.  Their stories and their lives reaffirm how good God is.  When I think about how God has cared for me and blessed me I want to pay it forward.  I pray that God would put someone in my path so I can bless them.  I want to bless as I have been blessed.  I want to be there for others as they have been for me.

I am humbled by God’s goodness.     

Romans 12:15 “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.”

 

Shaunie Brody

Peoria, Arizona

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What an amazing testimony of God’s goodness through answered prayers and sweet friendship… across the world! There is power when we come together centered around God’s Word and holding each other up through our prayers and words of encouragement. We need each other! God did not make us to live our lives alone!

Sweet friend, let me take this moment to encourage you to invite a few of your friends to do our upcoming study, Growing Through Prayer, if you have not done so already!

If you are leading one of our Love God Greatly groups, we have two amazing Facilitators groups that we encourage you to join for encouragement and support! One group is for returning Facilitators and the other for 1st time facilitators!

Click here to register your personal LGG group and join one of our support groups on Facebook!

The #GrowingThroughPrayer study is available on YouVersion!! Click here for the direct link.  Be sure to start the plan on Monday!

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Sarah

Saved by grace. Army wife. Mom to two amazing boys. Team member at #LoveGodGreatly