Life's trials and tribulations...

While a friend weeded the garden near the corner of her house she noticed the nook near the basement window had become a “snake pit”. Too many slithering and uninvited guests were more than enough reason to retreat to her writing and leave the snakes alone to absorb the warmth of the sun. I asked “Are you going to blog about this?” Although I was serious, she laughed and teased, “You could a find a blog in just about anything.”

Well…this past Sunday while at her house, I visited the dreaded snake pit in hopes of capturing some snakes on camera for a future blog. Thankfully there weren’t any snakes, yet there was a snake skin left behind. I smiled, secretly took the picture, returned to my vehicle and returned home. With the photo downloaded and a itching to write…I prayed about my friend’s snake pit and how it relates to life.

I was overcome by the thought of that many snakes taking up residence outside one’s living room. If it was me, the window directly above this garden would be not only shut but locked and sealed. I was impressed with her strength to overcome and rid her garden area of this slithering and intrusive creature. She had a choice to make. Either let the snakes overtake her home and the serenity of her garden OR take action to regain her precious garden and security within her home. My friend is a fighter and survivor so she researched, shopped and armed herself with everything she needed to preserve her garden. After reading the directions and protocol she actively began eliminating the snakes and their babies. She even learned ways to prevent them from returning. She was motivated, determined and thus far…successful. Two weeks later, only one snake skin remains among the leaves and cobwebs of the nook. A reminder of the battle recently fought and won.

The multitude of snakes that were lurking within the branches of the tree, under the leaves and throughout the dirt housing my friend’s flowers represent the various trials and tribulations we face in life. What snakes are lurking in the trees of your life? We all have something that has tested, afflicted, grieved, or caused us great stress in our lives. I let my sister’s kidnapping hold me captive for ten years, “afraid to open to the living room window” and lacking the strength to face the fears keeping me trapped within myself.  Thankfully God used one of my students to point out the snake repellent I needed in life…Jesus Christ!

Life isn’t fair and it does throw events, diseases and tragedies at us we would never expect yet there is a repellent stronger than any of those. In 1994 I was angry and walked away from God because I blamed him for taking my sister away but this wasn’t true. Proverbs 3:5 tells us “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” Since grasping the truth of knowing God didn’t take my sister I’ve researched, studied, read and armed myself with the toughest armor available to me…The Word of God.

I’ve overcome and rid many of the snakes in my life with the love and support of my family and most importantly…with the strength, power and repellent of Jesus on my side. God has given us the power to “trample” the snakes in our lives. Not only will we trample them, but we will overcome “all power of the enemy”, “NOTHING WILL HARM YOU”. God makes it clear though, we aren’t to rejoice because of the power but instead we need to be celebrating and rejoicing for the eternity we can spend with Him.

I’m happy to say my windows are open, my heart is trusting and my strength comes from the Lord! I’ve faced trials and tribulations in life, with the greatest of these being the loss of my sister. With Jesus by my side I can look at the old snake skin lying in the pile of leaves and see it as a reminder. A reminder I will face different troubles and snakes in my life but with Jesus repellent…I will trample and overcome!

Luke 10:18-20  He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”