ROLLER COASTER YEAR

Disappointment. That word sums up the year 2006 for my family so far. One let down after another has filled this year and culminated into the loss of my husband’s job. His company has decided to shut down his division, ending eighteen years of employment. I’m sure that many of you reading this can relate first-hand to the myriad of emotions that he and I have experienced over the past months. Thankfully, we have wonderful prayer warriors who have been working overtime. While their prayers calm our spiritual side, the emotional turmoil still exists and the mind still finds itself dwelling on the unknown. We can’t help but wonder what’s over the next horizon. Although 2006 so far hasn’t been as bad as 2005, it has been more life changing than I or my husband ever anticipated. In fact, back in January, I remember telling our closet confidants that God had revealed to me that the new year would be a year of change. At that time, I had no idea what He had in store, and frankly, I’m still not sure. I can honestly say that if I didn’t have God’s peace flowing through me, we wouldn’t have made it this far. With all the ups and downs we’ve had this year, I can’t help but feel as if I’m riding the most extreme roller coaster ever conceived.

This first hint of our roller coaster year came when Ray was told the division he works for was being sold. This took us completely by surprise and felt much like the first little drop the coaster makes just after shooting out of the gate. At that point everything was still good; we thought a little change and adjustment was all that was going to happen. Then, when he discovered that the division wasn’t being sold, but dismembered, was like the clicking sound you hear as you ascend that first big hill. Every second of the life that we had known was slowly ticking away, and we knew soon we’d be in a giant free fall.

Some of you who take pleasure in coasters enjoy this free fall sensation, but when you experienced a certain coaster only by reputation, your first time to ride it can not only be exhilarating, but also a little nerve racking. I, however, am a person who doesn’t enjoy roller coasters—at all, and all I can think is, “I stood in line how long for this?” This was all definitely not what Ray or I signed up for.

From there we have been on ups and downs and through loops and turns as he searches out new opportunities. A few times, I’ve felt like we were thrust backwards or frozen in mid-air, and then pushed forward again through the maze that we had already completed. When we get off this ride, only God knows.

When I ponder how my life seems to be on this roller coaster ride, I first consider the track and how it is a fixed course that will be followed—with or without my cooperation. This course consists of reinforced steel girders and cement that holds my roller coaster track in place. God is my girders and my track. My little coaster car represents the peace that God fills all of His children with and is firmly attached to the track with the wheels of faith. Prayer warriors and the word of God supply the seatbelts that keeps me firmly attached to the peace of God. Circumstances, events and personal agendas throw switches and turn knobs that control the direction and speed of the coaster; and I must believe that this amalgamation of steel is going to hold together because the Master himself designed this roller coaster.

I may not be able to control the direction or length of my ride; I can be assured that it was designed according to the Master’s plan and that He is ultimately in control of my ride. His plan called for safety measures that ensure I will endure the ride and arrive at the end unharmed. The only choice I have is to stay in my seat and wait for the ride to end.

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