Head To My New Site!

Hey All! Thanks so much for stopping by! I'm moving shop around here. It's time to say good-bye to this blog and hello to my new one.

My Tech-rockSTAR Man has built me a beautiful, new, in-this-century-blog! Come on over! http://abigailjoydubbe.com/

Out with the old, and in with the new!

SOLD

It seems as if the unexpected, most shocking events that happen in life come during the mundane moments. 6 weeks ago our little family was sitting around the dinner table. It was no different than any other typical dinner with 2 preschoolers. Chips, salsa, taco sauce, and beef were flying around the table, drinks were spilling, and siblings were screaming at each other. Nothing unusual. Chuck and I began catching up on our days. He’s usually very easy to read, but this particular night, I had not sensed anything out of the ordinary. Halfway through dinner, he looked me straight in the face and said, “I lost my job.”

The chaos around me faded into the background, a buzz began sounding in my ears, and my body began tingling from head to toe. I stared into Chuck’s face as the room around him became blurry. At first the shock was my comfort. Numbness took over my ability to feel. The shock wore off at 2:37 that morning. I was jolted out of a sound sleep, the pain so immense it seemed to strangle every bone, every joint, every muscle. I curled up into a ball under my covers, wide awake until dawn. 

The grief and the pain have been a constant friend for the better part of the last 6 weeks. A darkness rested on me and there have been days I haven’t been able to peel myself off of my sheets. The tears have been relentless, the pain prominent.

Yet, HE ALONE IS OUR HOPE. 

A week or so after losing the job, Chuck and I sensed God leading us to put our house up for sale. We had no idea if it would sell, or not. We didn’t know if we’d be staying in PA or moving on. But in faith, we listed our house less than 2 years after purchasing it. All home owners know this is never a wise idea. We held our breath and hoped we would at least break even. 

Our house was put on the market late in the day on a Tuesday, and it sold that Thursday. God has used family to provide us with a house to live in. And not just a house, a house on a farm surrounded by mountains as far as the eye can see. The view is so remarkable it almost seems fake.

So, as we get ready to say good-bye to Pennsylvania and head south, my hope is fixed on God alone. I trust His character. I never doubt His plans to continue to prosper us. He has lifted the darkness. He will continue to wipe my tears. He will be my courage. Thank you Jesus for covering us in your grace.

Our new drive way!

The view from our new front yard!

One Name

Jase was seven months old. The number was so high on the thermometer the nurse advised me to swiftly get him out of his car seat and strip his clothes off.

We then moved to a back room where I waited for the doctor. The room was warm. Stuffy. The air felt thick with heat. I wished there was a window to be opened. The stale room needed fresh air. Pricks of sweat started to itch my back.

(Minutes before his first seizure.)

When the doctor finally appeared, I gave the rundown of Jase’s symptoms. She carefully examined him as he laid atop the white, crackly paper on the table. Everything seemed to check out.

As she walked back to her desk, something frightened me about the way Jase looked. He was still lying on his back. His eyes were open, but the life inside him seemed gone. His eyes didn’t move, they just stared off into the distance. His chest moved up and down with short breaths. His arms and legs were limp.

 Everything seemed to slow down to an other worldly pace. In a panicked tone I gasped, “What’s wrong with him? Something’s wrong!” The doctor hurried back over to the exam table and stuck the stethoscope to his chest. She called, “Jase? Buddy?”

“God. God!” flew out of my mouth. I had nothing else to offer in my desperation. The doctor patted Jase’s enflamed, glowing cheeks and continued to say his name. I continued to speak the Name of God. It was probably just a few minutes that went by when Jase began to look more alert. Though his body remained weak, his eyes slowly showed life again. Eventually the doctor told me to pick Jase up and get him dressed. She was going to get another doctor. I scooped him up into my arms and wept. I continued to cry out, “Oh God. Oh God!” Clinging to His great name gave me hope. The more I said it, the more peace came over me.

When the two doctors returned, they both appeared calm. The words “febrile seizure” were mentioned- the first time I had ever heard those words. They assured me Jase would be alright, and the spike in his temperature caused the seizure. He would probably take a long nap. We were out the door as if we had just experienced any regular appointment.

(The day we found out he had pneumonia.)

In the short amount of time spent at that office I felt I had aged. Maybe it was a spiritual aging. I had turned to my God, and His presence was palpable in that exam room. His presence left me thankful. He allowed Jase’s first seizure to happen with our own pediatrician in the room. He gave us answers through an X-ray that Jase had pneumonia. We were able to treat his sickness with antibiotics. A friend drove my Mom down to help me- a five hour round trip for her. Other friends brought us dinner. Such expressions of God’s great love for us! Such ways He filled us with peace.

All it took was one name.

What Everyone Should Know About God

"What is IMPOSSIBLE with men is POSSIBLE with God!" Not only do we read this in the Bible (Luke chapter 18, and about 7 other passages), but I have seen this play out with my own two eyes.

I found out about the Write Brilliant Academy about two months ago. Since then I have taken 4 different (FREE!) webinars and mini-courses. God used the course instructors Jonathan and Margaret to powerfully influence me. They wooed me to attend their Write Brilliant Academy like a 16 year old boy looking for a Prom date! My heart has been racing with excitement and anticipation over this opportunity.

The only hitch- the Academy costs a big chunk of change. A chunk of change we absolutely do not have. So about 7 days ago Chuck and I began to ask God to do the impossible and provide the money. We even pinned up a dollar bill in our kitchen and wrote, "1,000" on it to remind us God would do the impossible. We had 8 days to enroll before it closed, but I told Chuck I wanted God to provide today, Monday.

This morning the money had not come in, but I still had several hours until enrollment closed. I got down on my knees and brought my desire before the Spirit once again. Much later in the day as Chuck and I were watching the kids peel and eat (EW!) their dyed hard-boiled Easter eggs, GOD MADE THE IMPOSSIBLE POSSIBLE! 

With 7 hours and 38 minutes to spare, He suddenly parted the waters and paved a way for me to enroll in the WRITE BRILLIANT ACADEMY! I have been asked by a third party not to share the details- though I am bursting to gush about it- but know we have been blown away by our amazing Father God!

What seems impossible to you? Bring it to Jesus and watch him knock your socks off.

That's all for now, I have some classes to attend!