This is not a blog I want to write. If it had not been for a comment from our sister Jacquie at Joy Cottage, I doubt this post would have seen the light of day. We have been under strict orders from the Father not to post anything that would discourage anyone from following the path of uncompromising faith. I do not know if this post will cross that line. The truth is for the last 5 months the enemy has put our faith under siege. What follows is a view from our perspective of what it looks like from the trenches.
Word to the remnant
We observe the many words to the remnant of how God is going to, or is, pouring out His blessing upon them this year. We have not seen this blessing but have experienced the very opposite from the start of the Jewish new year. Instead of being a year of a great forward motion, our lives have been under near constant assault by the enemy.
Straitened circumstances
The assault began on our financial situation back in October. At first the tightening was so severe that we thought we would have to leave the motel room and be homeless again. That did not happen thankfully and we stayed indoors. We enjoyed a good Christmas thanks to the generosity of our supporters and God’s blessing, but we are once again reduced to food, shelter and laundry. We are getting by, but there is little wiggle room. I do not write this to elicit support or pity but only to let our friends know one stress in this siege.
We pay roughly 70% of our support on lodging and 28 to 31% on food, toiletries and laundry each week. What remains allows us to help others and replace things that break. We live in a small place so we need little. As you can see from the picture, we have filled this room and there is little space for anything else. We spend a good deal of time sitting in place and shuffling things around as needed.
Constrictions
The constricted space prevents us from having any activities besides sitting at the computer and browsing the Internet. This restriction has been a test of our faith even greater than the little blue house. God has kept us confined for 930 days in this small room and we can only compare it to being in a prison cell.
- 3 women, 1 man and one bathroom.
- A dog that whines incessantly when girl dogs go into heat.
- A parrot whose favorite pastime is screaming at the level of a jet engine taking off.
Can you see how sanity is tested in such confines?
Our physical circumstances are a small part of the siege our faith is under. The most difficult test we face is the steady progression of time and no appearance of any destiny for our family. We often feel forgotten and lonely. Each birthday a stark reminder we are getting older and going nowhere. After such a tremendous journey of faith and testing already behind us we find it difficult to accept this sequestration. Over the past 13 years God has placed in us a singular desire and passion for one specific destiny. God has refined this passion in the furnace of affliction many times over so we feel He has purified it for His purposes. Yet we wait with not even a hint of fulfillment. Time passes and we see no way forward.
Faith under siege
Faith under siege need not be a brutal frontal attack on one’s beliefs. We have endured that and can attest that it is but one form of oppression. This siege has been different but very much like the first 4 years of our faith journey. The endless waiting has produced frustration, boredom, discouragement and depression. It has also brought about wisdom, maturity and victory. To us it seems this strange mix is all a part of how God prepares us for what lies ahead.
A good soldier
What soldier is allowed to break ranks just because he or she does not like the orders of the commander? I suspect they would be severely punished for such conduct. Since this is the case in earthly armies why would it be any different in our Father’s army. We must accept from Him the brutal reality of battle, the rigors and chastening of training and the oppressive heaviness of waiting. This is the life of a soldier (2 Timothy 2:3) in our Lord’s fighting forces and we would have it no other way.
Holding in faith
Though we remain under siege, and will probably remain so for a time yet, we hold in faith. I cannot say if we will handle the waiting well as there are good days and bad days. What I can say is that we will remain true to the course God has laid before us. We made the choice to live in uncompromising faith and will accept the consequences of that choice. If we are to continue under siege and not see the blessing so many others appear to enjoy, so be it.
Blessings,
Homer and Wanda
Can you point me to your story? Why are you in a motel? Where in this world are you at the time? Who is this “father”. What sort if religion or denomination are you? I think it’s important to “test the spirits” so to speak for new readers so they know of who and what they are reading as you know, that not all who call Jesus here or Jesus there, are true and do cults exist. And, it is important to protect ones faith as well. Who exactly is it that you are calling the “remnant “.
I realize I am literally made of questions right now, lol, but I’m new to your blog and trying to get up to speed.
Thank you in advance – Laura
Thank you for your questions Laura. I will endeavor to answer them as I am able.
If you wish to read it the background you seek in your questions will all be answered. However it is a long read and so I will give short answers to your questions here.
At present we live in Kingston, Ontario, Canada
The Father is the Father of Jesus, our Lord, Savior, and Friend.
We do not subscribe to any religion or denomination. Jesus has been pretty clear we are to be intimately connected to Him and not bind ourselves to man and his systems. This frees us to minister to all who want to know Jesus and what faith He calls us to. [We feel that man spends a great deal of time talking about and debating faith and scripture and precious little time living it out. Our focus is not on mental beliefs but on practical, experiential faith.]
We too agree that it is important to test the spirits. There are many false teachers out there who say one thing with their lips but live a life that is far from God. We reject that. God has spent many years building character within us so we live the life of faith first and only say what He gives us to say. Each one who reads our testimony must decide for themselves if they want to believe it. I can only say that our experience is just that, experience. We are simply living a life following and obeying God. We do not claim to know much beyond what we have experienced and will only speak of the faith we live out daily. We completely agree that one must protect their faith and only follow Jesus.
All along our journey of homelessness, as we followed Jesus in faith, He reminded us we were not alone. There are a number of us who have given up houses, lands, businesses, family and friends to follow Him. These He calls His remnant and some prophets have used this term as well. We are simply a family of 4 that is a part of that group. We only know one other person who has gone through as much trial as we have following Jesus in faith but we believe that there are many others with testimonies like ours.
I hope this answers your questions Laura. We are not people that are looking for followers. We just live our lives of faith and testify accordingly. This life has not been easy but we can say that it has fundamentally changed us from being ‘normal’ church going people to mature adults who live the faith they speak of. Along the way God has humbled, chastened and brought us low so we know just what evil lurks within our own ‘self’ nature. That battle has been brutal but necessary to win. If we had not been so badly broken I doubt we would have seen the power and love of Jesus leading us through the valley of despair. As it is He has gotten us through and now we wait, compelled and bound to His love.
Blessings to you Laura! May you find all the answers to your questions.
Thank you so much! I will definitely read every drop. And, thank you for the clarity too. I was trying to determine if by “father” you mean Father or…a priest which would determine denomination and/or context and too, wondered if you were missionaries? You have both given me better insight and I thank you so much for taking the time to help catch me up on everything.
Wrapping up in prayer – Laura
Yes, to be still and know that I am the Lord. Through the travail the father prunes the branches to bare more fruit. All the pieces are in play for the final realization of the Lords plan. What is the realization? That it is already complete, that it is finished, that the war has been won, it is already over. We need now only to wake into the truth, being in the rest of the Father since he finished the creation. The seventh day. Amen
Homer and Wanda, I want you to know I was greatly encouraged by this post !! To see saints following Jesus in obedience, as Abraham chose to not enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. Please be encouraged, your call reminds me of John the baptist, preparing the way of the Lord. And you know how he lived out his days. Remember his greatest trial as he sat in prison, not knowing he was about to receive his complete victory, when they chopped off his head ! 1 Cor 8:3 But if any man love God, the same is known of him
The Lord KNOWS you !!!! And Great will be your reward ! You love not your lives unto death !!
Matt 5:3-17
3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Isa 41:10
10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness
Thank you for enduring for the elect’s sake and be encouraged my dear brother and sister, your labour in the Lord IS NOT IN VAIN !!!
Your sister in Christ our Lord,
Kim
Thank you so much Kim. You have greatly blessed us with these words. We will continue to patiently endure to the end and we will see His goodness in the land of the living.
May our Father bless you with the abundance of who He is today!
“But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you…1 Peter 5:10
Praying for your continued steadfastness in Christ Jesus!!
Amen! Thank you and may our Father continue to bless you abundantly!
It’s an inspiration you’re still holding on to your faith in God. I pray the Lord continues to watch over your family.
Thank you so much Dawn. We value your comments. May our Father continue to bless you richly with an abundance of His wisdom and discretion!
Beloved family of the faith, it is so encouraging to read your honesty. A call to live by faith as many falsely believe is not an easy feat. There are days when one head looks forward to heaven with great joy and expectancy and there are days, when one looks forward to heaven with great sorrow. As I read this post I was reminded of the Psalms and how many times David cried out God regarding a myriad of issues. In fact, I learnt yesterday that nearly 40% of the Psalms are laments, go figure lol. In any event, I learnt that the Lord allows us to lament because in this, we go to Him, we groan before Him, we ask Him and then, we make the stance to trust Him. How wonderful to be able to go before our Daddy and groan! How much of a blessed thing it is to pour before Him our anguish, our displeasures, our uncertainties, our gripes and for Holy Spirit to descend in our hearts and encourage us to keep hoping in our only Hope.
I continue to lift you all in prayers during this time. For whatever reason, our Father has us in our various valleys, and will continue to reveal Himself to us and others even in our sorrows.
Continue to let Christ shine and live through. The fragrance from your crushing is magnificent!
Love to you all ❤️?
Thank you for your precious words Deandra. Knowing that we share in the trials, faith and love of our Beloved makes your comments all the sweeter. Thank you dear sister!
Many days when homeless we would meditate on what David went through and how he poured out his anguish to God in songs of praise and hope. Knowing he was going through such trials as he wrote the psalms made his words all the more poignant and relatable. We have found great comfort in what he wrote. I find the sweetest parts to be that even in his darkest moments David had faith. Those his words were negative he always pointed back to God and saw His immense, powerful Light and knew all would be right with the world, even it took a long time and he could not see it at the moment. This is where faith grows.
I know I struggle putting out such raw words onto the Internet. I want us to be real but I do not want to get pity, condescencion and ridicule back. It is a fine line and risky but worth it when we read that what we are experiencing, even if it sucks at the time, can be a benefit to others. It is hard for me to see this right now, especially being cooped up here and having very little contact with the outside world apart from this little blog. Your words help break through our myopic viewpoint. Thank you.
Thank you very much for your prayers. Know that you are in our hearts as we live before Him laying our lives out as a sacrifice. May your own walk be enriched by His deep abiding presence both today and everyday! You are a dear, blessed and much loved sister!