By: Charity Gutierrez
This is copied from a conversation with my good friend Rachel.:
Rachel Wrote:
Hi ladies! I was reading this morning in Heb 12:7-11 and I really wanted to share with you! 
“7Endure hardship as discipline… God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. 11No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”
I know we are all hard pressed with our husbands coming and going with missions, deployments, tdys, trainings, and more. When I read this passage a little light bulb came on, and I thought “This is hard— even a hardship— but God is giving me the chance to grow and be “trained” in the process, and that will produce “righteousness and peace”.
I hope you are encouraged today knowing that truth . I would love it if you reply and let me know what God has been doing to provide & teach you through this challenge. I’m always looking for great ideas to stay faithful & positive as we support our husbands.
With love to my sisters in Christ,
*Rachel
My Response:
Hey Rachel,
I just wanted to get back to you on what you wrote. Alex is out on a trip and I was reflecting on what you wrote. When he is gone life is more challenging. Every day tasks- like yesterday picking up eggs and trash bags at the grocery store- become challenging when I had to take all four of the kiddos along. But the Lord has really pressed upon me that I can do all things with his help- and that he does strengthen me.
Where I see him disciplining me the most is in my outlook. If I chose to view something as “too hard”- it will be. If I view it as challenging then I will rise to the challenge. Many times I gain confidence in my own abilities only after I am faced with the opportunity to employ them.
This just gave me a little slogan to keep in mind when hubby gets sent off- a little cheesy but easy to remember: I should consider it joy that when he is deployed my faith is employed.
For me that faith is my faith in God which allows me to have faith in myself and in my own capabilities. And since Christ is daily strengthening me with his Holy Spirit I know I still have a husband with me at all times. What an added bonuses from God that I get a good looking and God-fearing man with me most of the time. Stay encouraged my sister in Christ!
We all love you to pieces!
Charity and Crew
James 1:2-3
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
September 19th, 2009 at 8:26 am
Charity stated,”If I chose to view something as “too hard”- it will be. If I view it as challenging then I will rise to the challenge. Many times I gain confidence in my own abilities only after I am faced with the opportunity to employ them.”
I had to laugh after reading these words. Because, my lovely daughter rang me up very early this morning 4ish EST about 3 AM where she sat almost in tears. “Mom, there’s something crawling around under my bed. I saw a rat outside the other day. Could it be a rat?” I assured her that a rat won’t keep moving about under her bed with her there. I secretly held back my laughter as I know how she hates cockroaches. I told that it’s probably just a bug scratching around in some papers. I told her, “You are 5’4″ and with a broom in your hands you’d be a very scary adversary for a bug.” We talked and prayed and then when we signed off. I said a silent prayer for for courage for my girl. She called me back within an half-hour and told me she had caught it… I won’t reveal what it was.. I’ll let her tell that story.
God grants us courage when we need it!