Surrendering Your Dreams to God

When singer-songwriter Laura stories husband, Martin experienced a traumatic brain tumor more than a decade ago.

Things got very challenging. On a practical level with our faith trying to understand how it is God who loves us and has a good plan for our lives, how why he would allow such hardship and why she wouldn't answer our prayers. Necessarily the way we been praying for complete healing for Martin for 13 years now and have not yet we still believe God's capable of it, but we are relearning what it looks like to trust his timing to trust his plan above our own. And just because he's not working the way that we think that he should doesn't mean that he's not at work in ways that are best for us and bring him this is family life today host Sgt. Wilson and Bob team. You can find us online@familylifetoday.com will hear from Laura story today about how she learned that sometimes blessings come from raindrops stay with us and welcome to family life to. Thanks for joining us really think what we have for listers today is kind of an early Christmas present because you're right. I I so love Laura story and when she was here and we have a chance with the staff to interview her and to hear her sing was just a was a sweet time.

It's amazing she can sing like that. After pulling up in a van with all the gifts and offer our early in the morning about o'clock in the morning and we got the whole staff together and for those who don't know Laura is a singer-songwriter from Nashville. She wrote the song indescribable. Wrote the song blessings.

What if your blessings came from raindrops.

She just written a book called I give up all about surrender. When she came here and so order to hear that conversation with Laura which was recorded with our staff. You're just a minute. But before we do. Were hoping maybe some of our listers might have an early Christmas present for us for a week and 1/2 from the end of the year and that we just had some friends of the ministry who came along and said we know you guys have a matching gift in place and we'd like to would like to add to that matching gift amount to really encourage family life today listers to get on board and support the ministry so our matching gift is moved from $2 million now to $2.7 million which is an amazing, incredible, and were just hoping between here and the end of the year. We can take advantage of that and for that to happen were asking family life today listers to maybe be generous here a few days before Christmas and and go online or call us and make as generous a donation as you can. You know about I would say maybe I would say we we need you know Christmas present often is like I may need this gift they may not. When you think about our ministry at the end of the year.

I don't think people understand especially this year of all years, 2020. We can't continue to do what we do, we can't be a blessing to people without you partnering with us financially. So I'm looking through the weight radio waves or through the podcast and send join us, man. We need you. We love you.

Hopefully you love us and that means you not just gonna pray for us to say wow you mean somebody's going to double my gift yeah they are so join us and let's make a difference this year. I think this is a gift that keeps on giving Mike out on about you guys but I'm so amazed and impressed with our listeners. With this ministry that I'm always sharing with people and so really is a way we can impact our kids and our grandkids and our friends. This is something that matters stand, one less thing.

Remember this. There's some people I can give this year because of coven they might've lost a job, and so if God has blessed you. Please bless in their behalf. In a way that maybe is more than you ever thought you would give. We just last week got a very sweet kind thank you note from a mom who said a family like today's lifeline for me for my marriage for what I'm trying to do in raising my kids she is plugging in every day so that she can get the help and hope she needs as she tries to raise her children. According to the Scriptures and keep her marriage focused on him as well. So you guys make that possible for her and for so many others. When you make a donation and if you can make a donation today we'd like to say thank you by sending you to gifts. A copy of my book. Love, like you mean it and will send you a flash drive that has more than 100 of the best family life to a programs from the last 28 years, kind of the best of the best. Both of those are our way of saying thank you for standing with us here at year-end. You can donate online@familylifeto.com or you can call one 800 FL today to make your intonation and we look forward to hearing from you and now it's hard. Turn to give you a Christmas gift. So here is the conversation that we had not long ago with singer-songwriter Lois saw 2000 I was in college and two 2000 something and Chris found my song indescribable and recorded in it was his first radio single so you play it lead us as an so many times when you wrote your 2020 T 23, 22, 23, one of the myth that songwriters is that we write about truths that we mastered in all for me it's to God's beginning to teach me that he knows is can it take me over and over and over again from Frick to finally think I really was just driving down the interstate near Carolina one day just beautiful and it was just this gorgeous landscape, I was looking at and I was reminded of you in the Psalms were David says the heavens are declaring the glory of God.

Just was really awestruck by the beauty and the time my car stereo. It was broken and I was broke college I wanted to hear music in my car just going because my heart was sinful and at first thinking there were no words to describe the beauty I was experiencing right there and it was this just a reminder to me of the fact he truly is in this is indescribable. You eventually got to Job 38 song and looked at God's interaction with Joe where he says what you think you are and describes his own attributes and kind of has Joe put his hand over his mouth and say I knew you before, but now I really song is the greatness of God and just the grantor theory and its kind of wondering on the fact that he sees the dance of our hearts, and he loves God never secreted everything he still into that relationship with me and you know we are knowing our imperfections and sent Jesus said he could have a relationship with that you think I think is yeah you know and see him in concert, so did the words come out with St. words come first in this by the way, because I read all the cells in their terrible. They were so many noble words you will talk to about you know you just myself telling people war stories. One of those people who has placed an unusual amount of adversity in her life and reflects joy every time I see her and I just want to know how you do will Bob thank overwhelming, and we are there for a while quite a while now and the University that Bob first so I been married to my husband Martin for 15 years now and within the first two years of our marriage.

Martin was diagnosed a brain tumor and that was something you don't experience especially early on in your marriage and what the plan we had for our life so graciously planned for you clearly realize that this was not the plan. This is not what where Laswell look like in Martin we have a wonderful life for fantastic kids that Martin still lives with a disability lives with the vision deficit and a memory deficit and it's a challenge to us just in daily living. He faces a lot of challenges and with our faith is trying to understand how a good God who loves us and has a good plan for our lives, how why he would allow such hardship and why she wouldn't answer our prayers. Necessarily the way we've been playing for complete healing for Martin for 13 years now and have not yet we still believe God's capable of it, but we are relearning what it looks like to trust his timing to trust his plan above our own. And just because he's not working the way that we think that he should doesn't mean that he's not at work in ways that are best for us and they bring him the most glory time that he struggled with that on some level many things about the Scriptures is that they actually give space for Ike I love the Psalms because it it reminds us that as believers we don't have to always have this Heidi put together faith, you see a guy like David what my favorite Psalms is some 13 where he says how long the Lord will you forgive me forever how long you can hide from me comforted to see the David said that as a man after God's own heart, but that God included, however, that worked with him compiling read scripture together that he includes a guy you shows the help that is honest about feeling forsaken what I love about David is he ends with this volitional decision. I will trust in your lovingkindness, my heart will rejoice in your salvation because I was thinking I will sing to you because you dealt bountifully with me and he saying that I looked back on your track record of faithfulness in my life. And even though I don't understand what you're doing right now. I believe that you're a good guy and I would continue to praise, think about this. That's not just a song. David wrote a personal experience but it's in the hymnbook of Israel say everybody get out your hymnbook and let's all sing that which is through the invitation God gives us to is is part of God acknowledging your people and in the process of being honest about what you're going through your find strength and joy you been able to find joy in your circumstances even when Laura made as I watch you get to know you a bit. I don't know you as long as Bob, that's what I see, not just what you just described, which is great of faithfulness. Through the hard times you got like this cutie describe how uncontainable joy actually on the way on our drive-in out with is that I mean it is just remain faithful through because we've all seen that this is joy well and I mentioned that even though God's not fixing the thing that I think he should.

The way that I think he's two options I can just be frustrated about the rest of my life because he's not doing it my way because he's not doing it the way that I envision because he's not meeting my expectations. Really that's what a lot of our new resentment and our lack of contentment is based on, or I can look and see if she truly is at work we have 43 great family was walked with us through all of this and in a lot of ways, we've seen God's kindness and mercy to us in ways that we never would have had we not walked through this kind of trial and not dwelling up every morning like doing cartwheels over. I started out, but for the most part I do have a lot of joy because blessed our family so richly and also not not to sound cheesy, but our joy has to be based in on the person of Jesus. If our joy is contingent on our circumstances. Then our life is just connect the world to be like a wave.

We were happy when they were sad and I see people that way. As believers, I just want to remind them pointing back to the songs of the put our faith in God. That's what stable our circumstances will never be stable and it's actually a good thing because it's God stripping those things away so that he can show us the faulty foundations that we have in our lives your plan to map out was a plan that included wife not primary breadwinner for the I'm laughing now because I pulled up this morning to your studio with all of my kids and all you different than what I what I imagine something that's that's how I was raised in a wonderful childhood and upbringing. I just couldn't picture it any anything different than that man we travel with the kids and Martin's with us a lot of the time, but it's always the kids with me and it's such an adventure, and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

But if anything is getting the potty training thing overnight anything. So we are traveling from hotel to hotel detail and quite often. Like this morning I wake up in a nice warm bed not like I is all we do with the kids. He actually he is gotten so well at managing his medication. He for a while. He was with me 24 seven and we love you lots of time to be with each other and women's events so probably seven years into him, coming to more women than any man into one element buddies were like football on Saturday.the 13 years out. The first five years because of his health complications.

It really was him learning to because of his memory deficit. Learning to do all of his medications himself literally just to keep himself alive.

His rehab was just so much to so much longer than what we expected and then said the past, probably five years he has been getting back into working a job and that's that challenge and about six months ago he started a job that he loves. He's working at our church coffee shop and talk about without crying. I love my church that much and it's so neat to see that after 12 years of praying for Martin to be able as a man, he what he wants to work you want to contribute to the household income and all of that and seeing him set that aside for it you really surrender that, and then to see the Lord bless him with it in God's timing. Whether the years you thought Tuesday. Oh, absolutely. We didn't know whether he be able to try to explain what the memory deficit.

It's also a time conception deficit. There so many different different aspects. Basically, what has a brain injury and said there's a lot of things that learning disabilities and there some things that he can try with with therapy to development and some things just that out there like his short-term memory just isn't there to take some 10 to 20 times what you can see how even the most basic tasks require some sort of memory and time conception is an amazing this coffee shop at our church.

My oldest Josie. She was in kindergarten this past year and said she has to school there and she comes through their whether with her friends and me.

Yeah, you got married as IS what our married husband will treat expectations.

So for you.

Someone would walk away thinking about her friendship relationship struggle that Joyce yes there's never been a point where Martin I have said that we don't want to be married to each other but there have been times we've said this is so hard. We don't know how to do it and had to go here so that is one of the things we realized is that we had been working so hard to keep him alive and we got to the place where we were functioning well.

Logistically, Mary just was terrible and know how to talk about it because once you have someone go through a life-threatening illness and then their own life. It's like, so that's a win so it felt like we should just be grateful that he's alive, but still there are so many things that were different about our relationship and we know how to talk to people about it and fortunately in our church. They were a couple of pastors that specifically pastor named Bill and then another woman.

He was the wife of another pastor named Sherry and Bill and Sherry.

They deep dive with us and told us we are with you for the long haul. Because when you when when your marriage issues in your life issues are so so chronic and Martin's disability its long-term finding people that say hey we will walk this journey with you. Long-term thing that's been the biggest revelation for us if you would ask mom and I what is the biggest problem in your marriage. We would write off the bat five years ago we would arrive the battles he is Martin's disability, but we realize that the biggest problem in our marriage is that we are sinners in the same talk to women now say biggest problem marriage is that my husband is make enough money for this child that were struggling with right now.

And the truth is is that you, with Martin's disability. It was going to either be a means of tension and frustration and that when I choose to respond in frustration and irritation because really what I'm saying is you're not meeting expectations. This is going the way I wanted or I can.

This disability as a means of grace. Where God is slow.

He has slowed us down so much because of this disability and that thing and we absolutely means for a showing kindness to each other in and patients to each other that I think we probably would not have had that opportunity. Had we not had the disability in our lives.

I remember before one walked out. So she changes what it think about that for the Lord say she's going to so are you, and I'm thinking well I'm about myself.

This person but what if I don't like the one she is 10 years from how we are just about you know that even deeper than I do because the market married to his will and ultimately it's not you. When you get married to someone. It's not the trust that person even though there is that level of trust really is you're trusting the Lord to change to how to do this you trust me, I'm with you as our understanding their wedding last week couple.

I don't think think he's going fulfillment. She's though we know he is so hard to not do this, but you're so right, or sinners. Remarriages wanted to. This is your spouse colleague. They will probably be the greatest agent of sanctification in your life. Yeah right. Here's says he how selfish you are more than you think you could talk in the midst of dealing with Martin's adversity. I know that songwriters often find the greatest inspiration. Their deepest pain you could realize there's a Grammy award in the midst of this well how God's timing that something that had to learn to release my timetable and and follow his one of the things that happened within 48 hours of Martin being diagnosed with a brain tumor.

I was offered a record deal is just going along just fine for however long and I submitted some songs and no one seemed to like this one label, called it, was subsisting and I've been praying for and really hoping for. And then all of a sudden Martin gets his diagnosis, so I immediately had to say to them thank you but I can't believe I'm saying this, but no I am not able to do this. I really need to focus on my husband's health right now.

So they came back.

Probably three months later and then six months later nine months later and finally, about a year later they came back saying to them, we are more broken than we've ever been and I know most of this worship leader at my church and were walking to such a hard time and it was really tough getting up there in singing the how great is our God songs when my life was falling apart, but I remember my wonderful record label saying Laura does of the songs we want you to write songs, not about how to worship God and praise when everything's going well. But how do you keep worshiping him and following him in place in your life to him when it's falling apart epiphany to me and I thought well I'll try, and it was amazing not just to be. It was part of my processing what we were walking through was writing songs that the more people that wish you the songs and that's where we are to realize that so many people are living in that he and in the midst of the trial rather than on that other side and maybe even faith where faith happens, is not this is where praise needs to happen, not on the other side when we see this wonderful ending. I think I grew up thinking of giving testimony to God as like Christian saved by the bell and we can sing some funds along for the finale 30 minute what I thought about worship is what I thought about praise and that's what I thought about giving testimony to God's goodness.

This is what happens in the next it's in the midst of that trial. And if my faith requires tidy bow requires that that ending not quite sure if that's faith. Faith is praising them when we don't we don't understand what is obviously her song referred to reminds all of us since we are so blessed to see she gave each one a week now use the name on this. How often do you find yourself yourself again. God knew what I needed to sing over and over again in their nights that I sing that song in an grace from God is still doing in my life. I remember the first time I heard that's driving on and 59 remember turning up as I started really listening to the words just meeting the whole time just thinking every single person relates to this song to the father in music that's something that heals our soul releases are so it helps put our eyes on him.

So thank you for all of us when you are in the midst of the pain and not on the other side. Well, and I think is art as it was to share a song that was so intimate. It was like my diary on the radio part of it was put it out there in spirit.

Part of healing has been seeing other people's response to because I still get so many emails so many messages and people come up to me at events telling me about how God used that song and every time it reminds me of God's goodness. I think people always think about it that way. I think they think about that. I wrote the song that really ministered to them and their hard time, but when they respond to me there constantly reminding me of God's goodness and it challenges me to continue to remember that in my own life. What we been listening to apportionment conversation we had with singer-songwriter Laura story with our staff listing MMF conversation and there is something about biblical truth expressed in music I think takes us to a different place and helps us think differently about God's word. I think you're exactly right.

Bobby goes down to the very soul and it brings out in motion. Healing it really goes to the very center of our being. It's almost like there's a string almost like a guitar string between her brain and heart surgeon, but it's like music connects those you know I've often thought of as a pastor and a preacher that you can preach a message and there's the power of the word which is powerful with them. When you add music. It seems to go deeper and man being with Laura was such a you know it's name of her song. I was just get over it was because she was so real and authentic. But then when she saying it's like you get a view into her soul and it connected in our soul will work with your part two of our conversation with Laura tomorrow, but I want to encourage your listers get a copy of the book that she's written called I give up the secret joy of a surrendered life and Laura talks very candidly in this book. Just as she did in the interview about the challenges that she and her husband, Martin faced his brain tumor, infertility, child born with special needs and recognizing the control is an illusion. We got to surrender to God who has a plan for what's going on in our lives.

Again, the title the book as I give up the secret joy of a surrendered life can go online and family life to the.com to order a copy of the book, you can call one 800 FL today.

Again, our website family life to the.com or call 1-800-358-6329 2000 F as in family L as in life, and the word today know what we will say a quick thank you to those of you who have sent us Christmas cards this year was nice to get Christmas cards from family life today listers. Some of you have included an encouraging note about how God has used this program in your life. So thank you for your Christmas cards and thanks to those of you who have heard about our year-end need and have responded already this month standing behind us financially as you make a year-end gift. Your donation has been matched dollar for dollar because of the money that's available in the matching gift fund that we talked about this month that gift fund, by the way was increased last week. It's up now to $2.7 million and were hoping we can take full advantage of that matching gift between now and the end of December. If you have not yet made a year-end donation may be been thinking about it, just haven't done it yet, make today the day. Call us or go online@familylifeto.com. Not only will your donation be matched dollar for dollar, but will send you a couple of thank you gifts will send you a copy of my book. Love, like you mean it and will send you a flash drive that includes more than 100 of the best family life to the programs from last 20 years. Programs on marriage and parenting programs featuring Dennis and Barbara Rainey, David and Wilson guess we've had on through the years, timeless content from family life today and it's our thank you gift to you.

When you make a year-end donation again donate online@familylifetothe.com or call one 800 FL today to make a year-end donation and we hope you can join us again tomorrow when working talk more with Laura story about some of the challenges she and her husband have faced over the years and how the trust God's goodness is kindness, sovereignty in the midst of dark dates.

You can tune in for that think our engineer today. Keith Lynch along with our entire broadcast production team on behalf of the host statement and Wilson pain. See you back tomorrow for another edition of family life, family life to the production of family life of Little Rock, Arkansas. A crew ministry help for today hope for tomorrow