Job 42:10

"............ the LORD made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before"
~Job 42:10

OK, so this might not make as much sense unless you have read my last entry......

So go ahead...I'll wait!

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all set? awesome. Because I am here to give such a great testimony to how faithful God is and follow up with the most perfect Job ending.

So sometime during that afternoon I was talking to my parents about what happened with Boaz. They felt terrible as you can imagine. When asked what I was going to do about Willow being alone (goats are very social animals and do not fair well alone, especially little bitty baby ones)
....I just told them that God would figure out a way for us to swing it somehow. He always has and He always will. My mom told me that she really wanted to send $100 to put towards the vet bills and/or help out. If you know me....I am not very "good" at accepting gifts. Don't get me wrong....I appreciate any gift/help beyond words, I just get a little uneasy. She also told me that my aunt (who is a total sweetheart) wanted to do the same. So we had $200 coming to us in the mail.

I felt overjoyed at this was such a blessing for this money to be on it's way. When we went to the vet last Saturday when Bo was starting to get sicker....it cost us over $120 with the visit, meds, treatments. We just don't really have that kind of money to be spending on certain weeks/times, you know?

So I was so thrilled to call Josh and let him know about the money. I could tell he wanted to tell me something, but you know me.....I ramble and he couldn't get a word in edgewise. So he let me finish.

He seemed a little choked up as he started to talk.

He asked if I was sitting down....I wasn't but I told him I was...(hey! Remember, I am ADD girl, I barely can sit still long enough to type this out)

He told me that he had called the original breeder we had went to when we first we looking for goats. Her name is Sue ......and she is one of the nicest people you will ever meet. Unfortunately all her "kids" were spoken for, but I knew I wanted to stay in touch with her regardless. Sue loves Jesus like there is no tomorrow. She gives God ALL the glory with her animals, farm......life. Beautiful Believer. Actually, she was the one I called on Sat. morning crying about Bo and what to do. She calmed me down, prayed with me and sent me to her vet. (who also is a Believer I found out....bonus!)

Anyway, Josh told Sue the bad news about Bo and she felt terrible. He asked her to keep us in mind if she came across any breeders who might have another little doe-ling or buck available because we really needed to find a friend for Willow. Sue told him that she would do some thinking (more like praying......) and call him back.

Well, she called him back shortly after and told him that she had prayed about this and had an offer. She had a little doe-ling that she wasn't sure if she was going to sell. After hearing about what happened with us.....and praying.....she wanted to know if we would like her. She was only 6-7 weeks old and still nursing on her mama. So then she asked if we would like her mama too.

now are *you* sitting down??? (no fibbing!)

.......she asked if we could afford $200 for both of them.

It was then, that not only did I sit.....I collapsed on the bed. And could not stop crying.


Can I get an Amen in the house?

Is that not God or what? Is that not like The Almighty to not only replace what has been taken, but to bless twice over? Is that not like The Perfect Accountant to bring forth just what we need?

Was this not the perfect testimony that not only does He hear our cries......but He is faithful in His blessings?

I want to thank everyone for their prayers, emails and comments regarding what we went through....not sure if you all knew the power in your words and how everything was already coming to pass. Martha declaring that I would have more baby goats showing up at my doorstep, Joyefuls' inspirations on being blessed twice, and Mich's reminders of the promises of rainbows

Momstheword proclaimed "He knows what is going on with us, and He will bring us through each trial, like gold. Gold needs to be refined in fire in order to have all the impurities burned out. So it is with us in the Refiner's fire."


But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold ~Job 23:10

Praise God for this victory! He gets ALL the glory! I hope and pray that this testimony gives hope to anyone who finds themselves amidst their own trials. God is with us all the time.....and whatever He brings to us......He sees us through.






Without further adieu (what does that mean, anyway?)

I am proud to introduce Liesel who will be joining us with her mama, Pixie, at the beginning of next week. She is a wee six weeks old and as you can see......cute as a button. We are so excited that Willow will now have a sister and a mama to watch over her.




Oh, and one last thing.....Sue sent us an email that I want to share with you:

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"....I know we are here to help each other....God's word tells us, as well as the Holy Ghost living in us .....

Something I found in 1John 3:16-20 this morning while praying.....

16.This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 17If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 18Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. 19This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence 20whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.

1 John 4:11,12

"Since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God, but if we love each other, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us".

Have a peaceful evening...

Love in Christ~
Sue
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And this my friends.....is victory!

Have a wonderful and safe weekend!
xox
*~Michelle~*

Job 1:21

".......... The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;
may the name of the LORD be praised."

Ever have a certain word, person and reference repeatedly show up in your life? Sometimes it could be something you hear on the radio, then you happen to see a billboard with the same relevant message. The next day you might be talking to someone and out of the blue, they mention this same issue/subject. Another few days go by and you're flipping through a magazine and *bam*.....an article of that same topic is staring you in the face.

You might look over your shoulder as you think you hear the "Twilight Zone" music in your head.

For me....after I rub out the goosebumps on my arms and wipe the paranoid look off my face....I realize it's time to look *up* as I am thinking that God is trying to get my attention somehow.

Oh, let me back this up......the subject that has been being strategically placed in my life these past few weeks has been the story of Job and/or seeing passages from the Book of Job.

And I am kinda figuring out why these past few weeks as well....

On a much less devastating level....we've been living with Job circumstances with our little farm. One of the main reasons we wanted to start our little hobby farm up was to raise the kids up with the appreciation for life, learn responsibility and nurture/care for God's creatures. And it all started out that way.....we experienced the miracle of life watching a mother hen's patience and endurance setting on her clutch of eggs, and hatching every one. We witnessed how awesome it is as God has taught all living things to naturally know to prepare for birth and tend to their young. It's all so amazing.

And then we dealt with devastation. We learned and accepted that along with the happy barnyard scenario, the truth is that there will be death as in the circle of life. In our case......this lesson is being driven down our throats......in fact, I am starting to choke.

We brought home our two new additions a couple of weeks ago......Boaz and Willow. Boaz was a little "under the weather" when we brought him home, but we just assumed it was the stress from the move, getting castrated (sorry!) and it's common for baby goats to not fair as well during these times. But they usually bounce back within a few days. Baby Bo didn't.....in fact he got worse. We were at the vet's house with him this past Sat. loading him up with medications, vitamins and antibiotics....

.....and with all our best efforts and intentions.......it wasn't enough. I found Bo this morning passed away with his sister laying right beside him. It was like she was watching over him until I got there. As soon as I walked in the stall, she got up......and I fell down to my knees in tears.

I sobbed "NO! Please No...." but he was gone. He must have died shortly before I came in as he was still warm. He just looked like he was sleeping. I pray he just fell asleep from exhaustion/weakness and entered into his eternal rest. I know he is now healthy, happy and whole.

Rest in peace sweet Boaz, you blessed our lives in the short time you were with us.

I am crying as I type as this little guy was such a sweet little creature. I knew in my heart he was sicker than "normal" sick.....but kept holding onto the thoughts that all our love and care could beat this. But that wasn't the case. He was just too weak to recoup.

How "ironic" is that right before I went out to the barn that I was reading a couple of blogs where that passage for Job (God giving and taking away) was highlighted/mentioned?

How "ironic" is that I was listening to a sermon last week from my random Lightsource list and the pastor was talking about the life (and faith) of Job?

How "ironic" that I have been seeing the word "job" ever-y-where this past week?

So obviously I am not going through the level of loss that Job experienced.....but it does feel that we have been getting stripped of things that bring us joy lately. Not only with the animals.......but stuff that gets even more "hardcore" like finances and the issues of me conceiving but not being able to sustain the pregnancies.

This is all happening while we've been trying to chase Jesus and get closer to God more and more.

So what's the deal?

Am I getting the "Job" memos so I can identify with his times of pain and loss and apply it to my life?

Am I able to still trust in God when He is quiet and never answers the “why” question?

Is this to strengthen me, "put my praise on" and continue to serve God out of love......not just for what *I* get out of it?

When we suffer these losses and have these "why?" questions when there is pain and confusion.....with no explanation from God.....do we continue to follow Him? Or is there a part of us that wants to doubt and withdraw?

Many of us get to this crossroad more times than they care to admit.

I have gone down the path without God and know that it only brings darkness, loneliness and destruction when I try to figure out things on my own. I've tried it....and I am not good at it.

.....so it is a "no brainer" that I will continue to press forward and trust in Him. But I won't say that it is hard to not feel defeated during this time and desperate to have some answers as to "why" sometimes.

But Jesus tells us to pray without ceasing.....

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus ~1 Thessalonians 5:16-18


........to be continued.