Are You Ready?

We just finished a PCS move, which should explain the silence for the past couple of weeks. It has surely been an adventure.

Setting off from Maryland a couple of weeks ago in between polar vortexes, we headed west for Kansas. Two vehicles, two children, and a travel trailer…and lots of stuff. The interstate took us through the mountains of West Virginia so we could stop and visit family and then on to Kansas.

In our almost ten years of marriage, we now live in house number six. Each move is different with challenges of its own, but this one – well, it threw me for a loop.

We arrived safe and sound with our vehicles. Our stuff showed up with no issues at all and we got to see family along the way. What could be better, right?

It could have been better.

Not 45 minutes after leaving the post in Maryland, traveling west on I-70 and following my husband who was pulling the travel trailer, the trailer began to fishtail, that means it was going back and forth…on the interstate. Kyle had a difficult time keeping control and within minutes we found ourselves pulled off on the shoulder of the highway trying to figure out why it was doing that. It could be the new tires, or maybe the 10 degree weather, or traffic, or wind, or whatever. All I know is in that moment, fear gripped my heart. Once I allowed that to happen, I battled it the entire rest of our trip.

The trailer still swayed, the snow was still there and we had hundreds of miles to go. My brain kept saying, “I don’t want to raise two kids without him! We still have things to do!” Fear. That’s what it was – fear.

It was a long trip.

I battled that fear almost the whole way – till we got about 50 miles or so from our new home. My head hurt, my neck ached…you have been there too. I knew better. I know God is God, everywhere in all things. I know He loves me more than life itself. I know, really I do…and so do you. But for some reason, I let Satan have a foothold, and man, he would not let go.

I did some battle, like serious battle – with post-it notes. It was the only way I survived.

I took four Scriptures, wrote them on post-it notes, and put them on the dashboard of my car. I memorized them on our trip. Here is my favorite:

“I put no trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory; but you give us victory over our enemies, you put our adversaries to shame” (Psalm 44:6-7).

It was Scripture that helped me survive. So here we are in our new home, and God has not let me forget that time. He has taught me again that the sword of our armor is the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17). It is our offensive weapon to fight our enemy. The battle still rages whether I feel the effects today or not. Am I ready to do battle? Is the sword with me, is it IN me?

I am making a conscious effort these days to memorize Scripture. It was so much easier when I was younger, but I am determined to be ready for battle whenever it may come, because it will surely come again. Am I ready? Are you ready? Do you memorize Scripture? How do you do battle with the enemy?