“I Thought I Trusted”

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6

Just when I believed I had this scripture down pat, along comes a Monday planned by the enemy himself! The day began with extreme lower back pain. Those who suffer from back pain can definitely empathize for it makes everything that much more difficult.

After successfully making it into work, I was able to have lunch in my office, which consisted of a bag of popcorn. As I put the fourth mouthful in, I felt something strange and realized half of a tooth was missing within the mix of my chewed up popcorn. As you can well imagine, I panicked. Again, the Lord was with me and I felt no pain.

I sat in my office feeling the pain in my back and realizing half my tooth was missing only to receive a text from my night shift staff member explaining she was sick and not coming in. I realized I would have to now cover that shift which lasted until 10 pm. Could it get any worse? My advice is to never ask that question, for it always can.

The following morning I left the dentist’s office understanding a crown was in order to save my tooth along with a large bill. I called my husband and began to complain about all that was happening to me and feeling very sorry for myself. How would we pay for this dental bill and continue to do what God has called us to do? Why was everything going wrong? Ugh!

This morning I drove to school begging for God’s forgiveness for not trusting Him with my bad back, which is better, my broken tooth, which never pained me and is being repaired, and then with my finances and doubting He would provide the means to do what He has asked our family to do. I felt His love, comfort, and forgiveness wash over me while I drove to work knowing He was listening.

So, what have I learned? I admit that I do not trust the Lord with all my heart, as I should, and I do often times lean on my own understanding. I don’t always submit my ways to Him in the beginning but when I get my head and heart focused on Him I see He does make my paths straight. I will work even harder to TRUST my God and Savior, for He has never left me nor forsaken me and never will.

Publisher Note: Jessica Daly is a native of Wayne County and currently resides in the Lynchburg, Va. She is a graduate of Eastern Wayne High School and East Carolina University where she has earned a BS in elementary education as well as her Master’s Degree in Library Science. Jessica is married to Brian Daly, a native of Wayne County for 14 years and they share a daughter, Taylor who is 11 years old. Jessica began My Daly Outreach Ministries, a ministry dedicated to caregivers, in January 2011. The ministry consists of an online website, www.mydalyoutreach.com, a published book entitled “Brian’s Update” and inspirational speaking across the country bringing awareness to forgotten caregivers. Jessica is now a Research Librarian at Liberty University.