contemplating...

...what I should write on.  Let me just say that I love blogging.  I have always been a terrible journal-keeper.  But I love that I love to blog; it's {kinda-sorta} like an online journal for me - in some ways more than others.  I love looking back in my archives; it's such a great reminder of things that have happened or trials/victories experienced.

Anyways, so I could blog about how today was c-r-a-z-y {forgot a pick-up on my shuttle list, woke up late, unbeknowingly and accidentally dropped half of my story for jr. church out of my bag} and hilario {hilarious little 4 yr. olds in class today} and happy {saw my blog friend Anne today at church}.

Or I could do a post about my current knifty knitter project.  Boring.  Anyone interested?  Probably not!  haha!!  :)

Or I could blog about how I miss my younger brother so much.  Hurts so bad. 

But I'm gonna write about what was on my mind on Friday night.  My youngest brother and I went to a wrestling match at the school on Friday night.  It was the first wrestling  match that I have been to in a very long time.  My brothers grew up wrestling but then our school started a basketball team when I was in 8th grade.  Then, they started the wrestling team back up again after I was out of high school.

Saying all that to say that the verse that says "for we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world" came into such a clear word picture for me the other night.

I was once again having a great conversation with my Mom on Saturday night about how the d*vil fights us.  I honestly think that Christians think that the Christian life is just easy-breezy wonderful, smelling the roses, and walking on clouds all of the time.  That is not reality.  If we're trying to serve the Lord and trying to stay holy, I think the d*vil points his big guns at us because we're a threat to him.  Whether it's sickness, discouragement, loneliness, temptation, we are under attack.  OF COURSE, we have the answer and the strength for every trial that is found in Christ alone.

But I'm telling you, watching those guys wrestle just reminded me of how my life is sometimes.  It is a tiring, knock-down, drag-out fight sometimes between the world, the flesh, and the d*vil.  Ever feel that way?
Some of our guys pinned their opponent.  For this to happen, the guy has to hold his opponent on his back for a certain number of seconds.  To declare a pin, the referee blows the whistle and slaps the mat.  And then everyone cheers!  I was thinking about how that applied to my life. When I do get the victory, I know there are people cheering for me!  I know God is on my side! 

I have a quote in my Bible that says, "It's the suffering in this life that causes us to long for Heaven."  Amen to that!  Except, I'm not ready for Heaven yet.  I don't feel like I would get a "well done, thou good and faithful servant" from my Lord.  That's convicting but oh-so-true.

Hopefully, this is just an encouragement to you if you feel like you're never going to get to the top of a problem or situation.  We have the victory in Christ.  You are not alone.  In the end, you will win!  Don't give up! 

PS - Now, maybe you'd better watch a wrestling match so you know what I'm getting at.  :) haha!!