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When Steve was in the military he once had a temporary duty assignment to Norfolk, Virginia. One week he took me with him and one of the most interesting things about this trip was a tunnel that we had to go through. If my memory serves me correctly the tunnel was over three miles long and it was underwater. Talk about being trapped if there was a wreck up ahead, there would be no way out.

That is how my life has felt lately. So instead of my normal column, here is a story of how I see things happening in my life today. I think you will be amazed at how very similar our story is to many of you reading this column yourself!

We were at one time traveling at a high rate of speed down the interstate and everything was beautiful. It seemed like we had it all. Our lives were great, the ministry was flourishing, and everything was so wonderful. But, we had forgotten something very important! God sometimes does things to slow you down. Sometimes He even brings you to a stop. And that is what happened to us. God suddenly took us into a tunnel. We went so far into it that we couldn't see behind us, nor ahead of us. We weren't sure what was happening to us, but "WHAM!", all of a sudden everything was going wrong in our lives. The car was overheating, (in other words people, we thought were friends are jumping ship). The tires were going flat, (in other words the bank account is running out of money). We were running low on gas, (in other words Steve’s health has taken a steady decline). We were having too many things go wrong to even list, (in other words we were told to shut up no one wants to hear your problems, if you were truly in God’s will for your life none of this would have ever happened to you).

So here we are trapped in this tunnel, surrounded on every side. We have done all we know to push forward. But still we sit trapped in this tunnel. WHY GOD?? "Why", we ask? At first the silence is deafening from the Heavenly Father. But, we hear plenty from others. You know the calls you get…. "My sister went through the tunnel over on Victory Ave. and she didn't have any problems." "My uncle sailed right through the tunnel over on Hallelujah Blvd." "I don't understand why you’re stuck in the tunnel, I went through it ten years ago and I didn't have any troubles." Well, I think you get the picture.

Suddenly we are hearing things like "You must being doing something wrong." And, "I just don't understand why you aren't getting any better. People are praying for you everywhere, so you should be healed by now." Well, DUH!!! Guess what? We don't have the answers either! We aren't enjoying this! We are trapped in this tunnel and we can't see what the hold up is either. BUT, every now and then God will send a Word, a Word of encouragement and strength. A Word to let us know that we aren't forgotten and that He has not forsaken us.

In the scheme of things it would be so easy to throw up our hands and quit. But, just when we feel like doing that, God will send along a man or woman of God to give us strength. In other words. He is putting water in to stop the overheating, gas in for the low gas, air in the tires to hold us up. But, He says He still has something vital, a vital part that He has to get to us to help us get out of the tunnel. What is it? Where is it coming from? I don't know, no one knows but Him. But, I realize something as we move slowly through this tunnel, I have meet some pretty amazing people. These people have an unconditional love, they are what serving God is all about. They are the ones who call to lift you up not beat you down. The ones that mean it when they say call me if you need anything. They are the ones who let you know they have been stuck in some tunnels also, but that in time God has brought them into the light.

We think we have been in this tunnel so long. But, to God it has been no time at all. It would be the equivalent of putting a child in time out for 5 minutes. They think they've been there for hours! But, only a minute has gone by. That’s how I view this, God has put us in a holding pattern and to us it has seemed like years (and it has) but to Him, it is only minutes.

I recently read this quote from Charles Swindoll: "The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our Attitudes."

I have to work constantly to have a good attitude. It would be so easy to just give up. But, I serve a God who has performed too many miracles. A God who loves me with all my faults and failures. A God who has come in way too many times in the ninth inning, bases loaded and scored tied, to hit a grand slam. I can't give up on a God like that. He loves me, He is faithful, and I can see more and more why Job said, "Though he slay me yet will I trust Him."

Why do I still trust Him after all this time? Because He never gets it wrong. Let me share this with you. I heard of a missionary who did not receive her monthly check. She was seriously ill and because of no money had to live on oatmeal and canned milk. She received her check thirty days later. After mentioning this incident while on furlough a doctor asked the nature of her illness. She described the intestinal digestive trouble she had been having and the doctor said, "If your check had arrived on time and you had been eating your current diet you would now be dead, because the best treatment for your illness was a thirty-day oatmeal diet." You know, our problem is that we do not wait upon the Lord. We forget that it's through faith and patience that we obtain God's promises. God was in control, He is always in control. Even in the darkest situations!

So, as we travel slowly through this tunnel, I pray that people will realize that God has a plan. And when He wants us out of the tunnel we will come out victorious. We have discovered something very important in this tunnel, it doesn't matter who you are, what you've done, or where you've been, or who you know. When all is said done the only thing that matters is your relationship with God. You have to keep your focus on Him.

"On the road to life there are many paths... some twist, some turn, some dip, some curve. As long as you keep your focus, your destination is obtainable."
---Brenda Good

"Faith sees the invisible, feels the intangible, and achieves the impossible."
---Unknown

So as Steve and I move slowly through this tunnel, please keep us in your prayers and don't judge us. For you also one day may find yourself in a difficult situation. And when you do just remember this - even though God does answer some prayers immediately, He just as often says wait, it’s not quite time yet.

Trust God. He is all that matters! And He does have a plan!

Love & Prayers,
Kathy

"The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me. Thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands."Psalm 138:8.