The story of a chair.

The other day I woke up with some massive heart issues. No, not the kind that requires a rush to the ER or an appointment to see a Cardiologist. And not even the kind where you could call up your best friend to just vent for a few minutes. It was worse.

Much worse.

Something had been eating me up for days. I found out something wasn't the way I thought it was and it just created a whole spool of thread that the devil delicately wove into a tricky sin pattern. It was as though a covering of darkness had been placed on my life and I didn't know what to do. Typically, I flee from all evil. It's what we naturally want to do.

However, this was not a situation that was so black and white nor that I could instantly run from. Why? Because there was good woven between the evil. And it was one of the most confusing situations I have ever been in. So for days I spent time in God's word battling this fight within my soul of what seemed to be good vs. evil. But nothing seemed to work.

I was fighting a fight I couldn't win.

One particular morning I was wrestling deeply with it. Claiming scripture but then falling back into the deep pit of despair again. Frustrated with this overwhelming burden I told God that this just seemed impossible to overcome and I just didn't know what to do anymore.

That same morning, I got an e-mail from a friend. A friend I hadn't heard from in quite awhile and knew nothing about what was going on. I went ahead and copied the e-mail straight from my in-box so you could read it word for word:

Girl I don't know what u may be going through but about 20 mins ago God laid u on my heart to pray 4 u. the holy spirit led me to pray for this Burden u r feeling to release it. Then a vision of a heavy blanket-like was laying on top of ur whole body and it represented this burden. And then it was lifted straight up in the air away from your body just like God wants to take this burden away from you!You know I'm not crazy girl:). Love u!


For the record, my friend is not crazy. She has a gift I believe...there have been many times where she has sent me words like this to me and even to other's and has been right on. Her heart of discernment is something like I have never seen.

As I read her words I immediately went to my prayer closet and I felt like He whispered to me, "Not only do I want to lift this burden from you but I want to bless you too. You just have to trust me."

It felt instantaneous. And every time those thoughts trickled into my mind the rest of the day I pleaded that picture of Him lifting the burden away.

I felt so good that I felt I could take on anything! Well, almost anything. {wink}

That afternoon I had drug my girls from store to store, to store to store. I was in search of some very specific things on a shoestring budget. We were blessed with a little Christmas money and Kris gave it over to me to do some decorating. The biggest thing I was in search of was a chair for our living room.

The girls were groaning to please go home so I started to make my way back. I was quite happy with my finds for the day but a little disappointed in not finding a chair in our budget. But suddenly I felt like I should go to one more store. It was on the way home and I agreed to buy the girls a book so they piped up a little with excitement.

Taylor, my oldest said, "Mommy, I just don't think your going to find your chair today. Maybe it's just not supposed to be."

I could have agreed with her but then I remembered my friend's e-mail and how much her prophetic words meant to me. And I said boldly to Taylor, "We are gonna find that chair."

She rolled her eyes and uneasily said, "OOOOOOOOKKKKK."

As we pulled into the parking lot my heart began to flutter with excitement as it does when I am bargain shopping. {wink} I got all the girls out of the car, stuck my keys in my purse and opened the doors into the store. The girls quickly ran under me over to the book section to pick out their reward for momma's insanity.

I didn't see it right away. A few other things caught my eye and I seemed to lose focus for a moment.

And then...I turned my head and there sat near the window a beautiful red and cream gingham check chair. EXACTLY what I had been looking for. Quickly I rushed over to see the price and I noticed that the tag that would tell me it was still for sale was gone. No!

Disappointment flooded my body but something told me to take one more look. I looked again and into the crease of the back of the chair and the seat of the chair I noticed something was sticking out. THE TAG! I thought it was a mistake when I read $29 and quickly asked the store clerk if it was sold and if that price was correct. He told me no it was not sold and if I wanted it, it was mine!

I could have cried right there in the store!

Taylor, who was so involved with her book search heard my squeal's of delight and glanced over at me with a big smile upon her face. She simply pointed her finger up to the sky and nodded her head and gave me a big 'ol wink.

Had my friend not been obedient and said those words to me that morning and carried my burden to God's feet, I might not have been set free and evil could have prevailed. But because she did I got to carry into my home...the blessing instead of the burden.


"Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ's law." -Galatians 6:2 (MSG)



The Chair:

The chair has a name: The blessing rather than the burden chair. May it always remind me that God wants to carry the burden and He doesn't ask me to.

So I wonder today if there's someone you and I need to carry the burden for to God's feet?

It's easy to forget how powerful our prayers and words of encouragement can be to someone. We think we aren't discerning right or that they may think we are silly. Please don't believe that lie. I know who I need to pray for and who I need to send some encouragement to. And may she experience the same freedom that I did through this experience.

Nothing is impossible with God.