Today is our final day of our 26-day trip in our RV. I literally woke up with a pit in my stomach just thinking about it coming to an end. It has been a joy and a privilege to spend this time together as a family. Our family of five has managed to live in a space smaller than our family room and kitchen combined and we survived. Did we have moments of frustration? Sure. Did I misread the map a time or two? Of, course! Did we meet new challenges with an RV? Yep! Were the kids always best friends? Yes, because they came back together after the frustration. RV living isn’t the only thing in life with challenges, though. Life will bring challenges whether you’re in a RV with your family of five, hearing the diagnosis from the doctor, raising young kids, or saying goodbye to those you love. The challenge, though, isn’t as important as your attitude in handling the challenges.

When times on our trip got tough, I stopped and remembered how fortunate we were that we were taking the trip. As we raised our kids when they were younger and I felt the next time one of them cried I would have a nervous breakdown, I remember thanking God we had kids when my friends were struggling to have kids of their own. When a diagnosis came that I wasn’t anticipating, I struggled through the frustration. I committed to God that I wanted His will to be done, and I prayed over and over for His strength as I lived out that line, “Thy will be done”. I had to readjust my attitude.

I’ve been reading Nehemiah in my Bible these last few days. I’ve really enjoyed the idea of His continually praying. When He’s distraught over Jerusalem and the king asks him what’s wrong, he prays before answering. I just love that that’s in the Bible. There have been many times this trip where I’ve found myself praying under my breath as something was happening. And, not all things were challenges. There were times I heard the kids singing in the back, or playing a game as we traveled, and I would pray right then thanking God for them and for their love for one another.

I pray under my breath a lot and I tend to think that’s a good thing. I find myself wanting to react to a situation with worry and fear. But, God says, “Be anxious for nothing, but with prayer and thanksgiving, let your requests be known to Him.” (Phil 4:6, my paraphrase) Today, as I awoke with a pit in my stomach, I reached over to my side table (it didn’t take me long to get there), placed my hand inside my Bible (sometimes I just need to feel God), and I prayed He would change my attitude to one of celebrating the life He’s given to us and not sad about something I no longer have. I prayed we would be ready for our new life, which was our old life, back in our home, which feels a bit overwhelming compared to what we have now. I just needed an adjustment!

We are all on this journey of life together. Thank you for walking with me through both good and bad circumstances. Life is a challenge. As followers of Jesus, we are guaranteed eternal life that can be celebrated. If you’ve not chosen Jesus, I beg you to choose Him today by asking Him to be Lord and Savior of your life. Would you choose to celebrate life today in whatever circumstance you’ve been placed? What else do you have today that you need to stop and celebrate?

© 2018 Susan M. Sims

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