Getting real...Our reality the last two years

I could lie and say that the last two years have been easy and fun. But I am going to be honest. I have talked before about my OCD and anxiety and to be honest the last two years have been the worst ever for me in that respect. But that is not the only reason things have been a challenge. The last two years have been a huge struggle financially for us, my husband lost his second job as a home builder (he's also a fireman) and we lost over half our income, no matter how hard we tried to remedy the situation we got further and further behind. At the same time we found out I was pregnant, even though I was breastfeeding our youngest son, had never had a period and was on birth control. Not exactly perfect timing. We eventually gave up on our house, which had been on the market well over two years at this point and moved to a cheaper house closer to our family, we thought things would get easier.

Flash forward almost 18 months, our house which we quit paying on two years ago is just now being foreclosed after we exhausted every measure to sell it, short sale it etc. We are still struggling and are actually in the process of filing bankruptcy. TO say the least the last two years we have been tested in every sense of the word.

But you know what, the last two years have been some of the best as well. I can honestly say I have seen God work more in our lives and in our hearts these last few years than ever before. We have grown closer as a couple and learned to trust God with every aspect of our lives, something we were not very good at before. We are still a work in progress but I know in my heart we are here for a reason. We are struggling because God knew we would learn so much more from our struggles than we ever would have staying where we were.

We even through the struggles have been so blessed and that is what I really want to share. We are all healthy, happy, we have a beautiful new son, a family that is there to support us and an awesome church family. You see, even in the times you think God is not there, HE IS. Your life may not be just as you had planned it but it is exactly how God planned it and you just have to keep praising him, have faith, never give up. He never will.

WOW.. that was a lot of personal information, but oh well! It is our reality and I am no ashamed. I know there are many others walking this path too and I pray that for all of you who are struggling that you too can find the hidden blessings in your troubled times.