Remember when you were in school and knew you had to study for upcoming tests? The countless hours spent studying days before along with the anxiety of wanting or needing to pass for a good grade.

Living a life of a follower of Christ, is by far the most wonderful thing I have or will ever do. Being born again and accepted into God’s family just as I am without ever having to do anything but accepting God’s wonderful Grace. Wanting to be more like Christ and trying to follow in Christ’s footsteps, is not an easy task. Having a strong Faith is not a talent, it is something that you have to work at and study for. Your faith will be tested and by testing it will become stronger.

This year in 2015, my spouse’s and myself faith has been tested over and over again. In the 21 years of marriage, I can’t remember when we have been tested as much as this year. Right now we are having to make decisions for my wife’s father who is living in an assist care living facility. His insurance has ran out and will no longer pay for his care. He is not on medicare as yet and since we are not people of wealth, we can not endure the monthly cost of keeping him there. Therefore the only option is to bring him home to our house and take care of him here. In the course of our prayers and many others from family and friends, God answered us by giving us a person (Mike) at the care facility who is stepping in and helping us trying to get my father-in-law in rolled in medicare to keep him there at the facility. While we do not have the funds to keep him there even for a week, Mike has offered to waive all fees until we find out or when medicare will step in and start paying for his care. Not all of our prayers have been answered as of yet, but we can see how God is working and prayers are being answered.

So my point to all of this is: Walking with Christ is not and will not be an easy task. You will be tested to stretch your Faith. How you prepare for the tests is by being in contact with Christ on a daily basis in prayer and also a daily bible reading. Just like testing in school. You didn’t pass tests by not studying, so likewise, you won’t grow your faith without testing.

Being tested is not a ride in the park, most times it is very hard, you feel like your up against it, you want to cry out “why me?” Hold steady, know that you are never in it alone, you are given the power to overcome through God, you will find the sunlight at the end. As you look back weeks, months, years. You will be able to see how your Faith has grown and all the prayers that have been answered along the way.

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15