Well I’m sure we’ve all had one (or two, or three) in a year.  For my family it’s just been a crazy month and I am SO glad that November is here! (Yes, I know it’s half over already and I’m just now posting this…but allow me some grace…last month was “one of those months”)

I love fall…the leaves, the crisp air, the changing of seasons, the hope of Christmas around the corner!  But October did not hit me well.  Between renovations, job changes for my husband, sickness (from the common cold to my father in the hospital for 8 days), and more… I was ready to see the END of October.

Ever feel like that?  As homeschoolers it has even more consequences.  As my month got busier and busier, there was less and less time for homeschool.  Less and less time to sit and enjoy the company of my children.  I hate feeling that busy…that I push aside those I love…even if it’s only in little ways.

My son getting his first phone!
My son getting his first phone!
My  hubby at our son's  13th Birthday Party with a bunch of 12-14 year old's at Funopolis!
My hubby at our son’s 13th Birthday Party with a bunch of 12-14 year old’s at Funopolis!
My CC Essentials Class
My CC Essentials Class
We saw Disney Frozen on Ice with our CC Group!!
We saw Disney Frozen on Ice with our CC Group!!
Getting stuck in ice/snow in NC on our way to TN
Getting stuck in ice/snow in NC on our way to TN

A cute picture of us!

October proved to be stressful.  Job changes = tight finances.  Renovations = overworked minds and bodies…oh and again tight finances.  Sickness = physical exhaustion.  Basically in one month we felt sick, tired, and out of money!  That’s just no fun at all.  We know that all these things are totally TEMPORARY, but it’s still hard at the time.  I’m reminded of what Paul said in Philipians 4:11-13

Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

His secret was to know and understand that all these things are temporary and that IN CHRIST we can do all things!

And as you can see from pictures, there were many highlights last month too!

I share this silly yet thankfully over month with you because maybe some of you are having a bad month…an even WORSE month.  Maybe sharing the daily realities of my life will help somehow.  I mean, we are all REAL people who have REAL drama and problems.  Sometimes a month that makes you say “AHHHGGG” and sometimes worse….and sometimes so much better.

So why do we have bad months?  Well, first I must say that I believe that the devil is bad and God is good!  God does NOT bring bad things for there is no bad/evil in him to bring.  John 10:10 tells us that the thief (Satan) comes to steal, kill and destroy, but Jesus came to give us abundant life.  So sometimes bad things happen because the devil is against us.  He rules this world and so when we feel that the world is against us, we’re right.

But…sometimes I believe that bad things happen because of our own stupid mistakes.  I mean, as much as I’d like to, we can’t blame everything on the devil, right? If we didn’t budget correctly and we’re out of money I can’t say “the devil made me do it!” I have to say that I was responsible for being irresponsible!

So as I look over the last month I can see where I made errors that caused junk to happen, and I can also see where the devil was against my family in several ways.  The Bible tells us in 1 Peter 5:8:

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.

Wow.  That is strong, but it’s true.  Especially in these times, the devil is doing everything he can to shake you, the church, your family.  Do you feel like you’re being shaken?  The devil isn’t actually a roaring lion.  This is a simile (using like or as).  The only Lion in the Bible is the Lion of Judah or that representing God. The devil likes to make us think that he is big and bad, but he’s only big and bad if we let him!  “Greater is HE who is in me, that he who is in the world.”

So how do we “stay alert?”  We have to renew our minds to the Word daily.  We must not forsake the fellowship of believers.  For us, the month of October was also the month that we were the least involved in Church.  We were busy.  We weren’t trying to stay away, we were just busy with renovations, with birthday parties, planning for events, etc.  Then a few bouts of sickness, hospital visits, etc.  We we keep ourselves way from God’s people, from God’s Word and teachings, we make ourselves vulnerable.

So if you are having a bad month… maybe a REALLY bad month, first “count it all joy” because “God is our ever present help in time of trouble.”  If your month is just little annoyances that add up like mine was, or if your bad month was a way worse (maybe a loss of a loved one), either way, GOD will always comfort.

Here are a few scriptures that you can meditate on

Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Jer. 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

James 1:2-3 (or just read the whole first chapter!) Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

Romans 5:3-5 More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

Isaiah 54:17 No weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall confute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord.”

www.aholyexperience.com - Great place to get resources like these printable scriptures!
www.aholyexperience.com – Great place to get resources like these printable scriptures!

 

I hope you only have amazing months full of blessings, but if you feel, especially in this busy holiday season, that life has you down, read these scriptures and know that we all go through tough times and God is always good, loving, full of grace and always pulls us through if we let Him.

 

I'd love to hear from you...tell me what you think!