Victory Today

These last few weeks have been pretty tough for me and my family with everything that has gone on with our daughter Alyssa. Emotions going in every direction while the faith robber "fear" tried to settle into our hearts. This past weekend I felt real tired, weak and just sick. So I camped out on the couch and watched the movie Flywheel. Over and over again. This is a movie made by the same brothers who wrote and directed Facing the Giants and is coming out with Fireproof in September. (Lysa TerKeurst had a great post of this new movie on Wednesday.)

If you've never seen Flywheel (or Facing the Giants), I highly recommend both of them. I couldn't believe how relevant this movie was to what I've endured with my daughter recently. Without giving away anything, I loved this conversation in the movie...

"What do you call it when you feel like your life's turning upside down but you still think God's in control?"
"It's like serene chaos."


Let me describe what my God approved serene chaos felt like just 2 short weeks ago:

It was as if I had front row tickets to a boxing match over my daughter's soul. I found myself sitting on the edge of my seat as the announcer described the fighters...



"In this corner weighing in under much deceit, lies and destruction wearing black shorts tonight...SATAN the Prince of Darkness!"



The crowd booed as Satan threw off the hood of his red cape and thrust his hands in the air with much conceit as if already announcing his victory.

The announcer then turned his attention to the corner where a man humbly stood covered in a white robe.

"In this corner undefeated, with too many knock outs to count, we have the King of all Kings, the Son of God, wearing gold shorts tonight...JESUS CHRIST the Prince of Peace!"



The crowd went crazy as they shouted praises to the One they loved.



Then the announcer showed what the winner would get. Surprisingly, it wasn't a World Championship belt to wear around their waste. It wasn't a trophy to put on their shelf.

It was my teenage daughter. The mom of my beautiful 3 month old granddaughter. I was suddenly filled with an intense panic as I saw my daughter's face on the big screen hanging from the ceiling.

The next words out of the announcers mouth took me to my knees: "Whoever wins this fight will get to use Alyssa's life for their purpose."

Then the bell rang...



Still on my knees I felt paralyzed as I watched as Jesus just stood in His corner. Satan was out and swinging, but he never went to where Jesus was and Jesus never went for him. I watched in horror as the enemy went directly after my daughter.

I stood up and went toward the ring but was quickly pulled back to my seat as I was reminded that the battle was God's not mine. I felt desperate for help and I turned around to see that the room was filled with my family and friends and also my friends I've met in the blogging community. Everyone was already face down interceding on behalf of my daughter for Jesus to step in and win this battle. Tears ran down my face as I saw so much love pour out for my girl from those who know her well to those who won't meet her until eternity.



I closed my eyes and began to whisper prayers to Jesus that I believed in Him and I begged Him to step out of His corner and rescue my girl. As I glanced back to the ring it took the wind out of me as I watched the enemy throw punches of lies and lust at her. His fist slammed into her face and left her intoxicated. He threw her to the ground and he stomped her with depression. She was hit with blows that left her unable to care for what she loved most...her baby girl.

I was watching helplessly as my daughter distanced herself from her family including her daughter and was so willing to give up everything for nothing.




My husband and I couldn't bare to watch anymore and so we released her completely to God and the moment we did is when the unexpected happened. The crowd stood up and began to sing praises because just when the enemy tried to finish the fight with a Knock Out of any self worth she had left, Jesus Christ stepped in and started to take the blows for her.



Suddenly my daughter began to talk with family. She showed up on my sister's door step. She wanted to see her baby. She cried. We praised. We cried. We prayed and we continued to let her go because we knew her Creator had His eye on her. She went to church Sunday. The hardness of her heart is slowly softening.

We praised and we shouted praises to our King as the announcer of the fight held up Jesus' scarred hands as the Victor of this battle!



As Satan laid on the mat knocked out by the Almighty One, the demons were desperately trying to woo their master of evil awake with smelling salts of sin. Finally awakened, the bloodied and broken enemy looked pathetic as he still tried to win her over even as he was being carried out of the ring.


With much hatred dripping from his brow, the enemy made it clear that he is not finished with my daughter. This he wants me to know.

But I also know that Who I choose to serve is so much bigger than the threats of the enemy. So I will keep my eyes locked on Him and I will pray. I believe in Him. I believe Him and I will take Him at His Word. I believe that what has happened to my daughter is only going to bring Him nothing but glory. It already has.

I believe that when she surrenders her life to Christ like she did at the innocent age of nine, that the party the angels throw in heaven is going to be an all nighter.

I believe that Jesus is not finished with my daughter. This I know because He tells me so.

Philippians 1:6 (The Message)

There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears.

My girl will have a flourishing finish. Wow!

Thank You Lord for what looked like a devastation at first to me, was a time of really trusting You and proof that You are in control. I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to have faith and a time that has only left me longing for more of You. Although this may not be the end of battles within this sweet child, I look at one day at a time and give you all the praise. Keep working in her Lord, she's so worth the fight.



Today I spent the whole day watching Alyssa love on Amiyah. I even had dinner with her.

It was a good day.

~Many Blessings~