Complete in Him

This week we have experienced some van trouble. To preface this post, I want to give glory to our Heavenly Father for His sovereignty and provision for us. Our van decided to give it up after 450 miles of driving home this past Monday. We were about 60 miles west of Jacksonville, in the middle of nowhere, in the pitch dark! Thankfully, we did have power, so I was able to flip on the visor light and read to the girls while we waited for Bryan to get in touch with our insurance company and line up a tow truck to come get us - all 5 of us. It wasn't the most comfortable ride home, but it was warm in the truck and we all fit (snugly). We made it home just after midnight.


After two different automobile shops, we have determined that it will cost over $1000 to fix our van. I must admit, my heart sank into my stomach at the thought of putting that much money on a credit card this time of year. Aside from my feelings overall about debt and credit cards, the situation just seems overwhelming to me. How am I to respond to this? What should my focus be? Where is God in all of this?


It would have been easy to jump ship and lose all joy. There was a moment where I did lose joy. This was supposed to be Bryan's vacation week - time off, time as a family. It wasn't turning out that way at all! I wanted to go to the zoo, go shopping for Christmas together, start advent with the girls, maybe do some baking together. Our week was suddenly wrapped up in repairs and decisions and cramming all in one car to go anywhere.


Once my moment of self-pity was over, I went back to God's Word. I pulled out my Bible and read again from the book of Colossians, where our pastor has been faithfully preaching for the past several weeks. One phrase kept coming to my mind: "complete in Him." In Colossians 2:9-10, Paul says, "For in Him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in Him, who is the head of all rule and authority." I am complete in Christ! My circumstances, good or bad, have NO bearing on my standing with my Savior. He has died for me and cancelled my debt of sin. I am righteous because of His work on the cross. I am COMPLETE! Van or no van, my joy is found in Him alone.


Life lessons are such a blessing! They are hard to swallow sometimes, but once you get over the initial blow...it really quiets the heart and settles the soul. I am thankful. Thankful for a car we CAN drive; for a Father who knows what is best for me and my family; for friends who have encouraged us along the journey; for a husband who maintains a calmness in trials like these.  As I stated at the beginning: I give all glory and praise to my Savior and God who loves me and who has made me complete IN HIM!