October 5, 2026 CFM for Homeschoolers “Put on Your Strength!”
I love the message from this week:
Isaiah taught the Israelites that God would send a deliverer, or Savior. The Israelites imagined a powerful hero who would break down walls and defeat armies. But Isaiah explained that the real Messiah—Jesus Christ—would come in a very different way.
Instead of being a fierce warrior, Jesus would be rejected, sad, and familiar with pain. People wouldn’t understand Him or treat Him kindly. Isaiah said He would be like a lamb, gentle and willing to suffer, instead of a roaring lion.
God was teaching an important lesson: True deliverance doesn’t always look powerful on the outside. Jesus saves us not by fighting battles, but by taking our pain, sins, and struggles onto Himself. He frees us by stepping into our suffering and carrying it with love.
Too often, we imagine exactly how God will show up for us—and when He doesn’t fit that picture, we think He’s absent. This experience taught me something powerful: God always shows up, but sometimes in ways we don’t expect.
This past summer, our family was trying to figure out how to afford college for our daughter. I thought I had found the perfect solution—run a fireworks stand. It seemed like the answer to my prayers.
But just days before opening, wildfires swept across Utah. Fireworks were banned in most areas, and I felt trapped. I had signed a contract, so I had to keep going even though the community was frustrated. I paid my tithing, knelt in prayer, and asked God to make a way for things to work out.
Honestly, I thought it was a total failure. We made only a third of what I expected. I felt discouraged and wondered if my prayers had even been heard. Then, weeks later, my manager sent a text and said,
“Did you know you were one of only two stands that weren’t a total loss this year? I don’t know how that happened, but congrats.”
I stopped in my tracks. I did know how it happened. God had shown up for a daughter who had begged for help. It wasn’t a huge profit, but it was enough. Enough to help send our daughter to college. Enough to remind me that God’s mercy is real—even when His help looks different than we imagined.
Isaiah 54 and 57 remind us that the Lord’s kindness never leaves us. He heals, restores, and brings peace to those who feel broken or discouraged. Sometimes we miss His hand because we expect fireworks—but He’s working quietly behind the scenes.
Every once in a while, He lets us see a little glimpse of His grace. And when we do, it changes everything.
