• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Blue House Blog

  • Home
  • About
    • About
    • Truth
    • Contact Me
  • Recipes
    • Trim Healthy Mama
    • Nourishing Traditions
  • My Home
    • Remodeling
    • Before and After
  • The Fine Print
    • Disclosure
    • Privacy
    • Media
  • Shop

Seen

February 2, 2021 By Melissa Beene Ford Leave a Comment

Miracles have always happened for me.

I won’t tell you ALL of them just yet, because you’d really think I was some kinda crazy religious nut… but there have been a bunch of them in my lifetime. I’ve always had this hunch that I’m one of God’s favorites for that reason.

And not ‘favorite’ in an arrogant, I’m special and better than everyone sort of way, more of an in awe because I don’t know why God would choose me way.

I have definitely screwed up more than enough for one lifetime.

But anyhoo all I know is that I pray, and God answers me, in spite of it.

Annie’s brain tumor, for instance.

And more. SO much more. So much during the years of torment and torture between 2011ish and 2016ish, or was it 2017… I lose count now. But there were answered prayers. Lots of them. All of them.

God is El Roi,

a friend told me on the phone once, during the worst of it.

Huh? I responded. I mean, I know Him pretty well, but … what’s that…

El Roi. God sees.

Interesting, I thought. All those semesters of Bible college and whatnot and I don’t recall that one.

I mean, of course, I goofed off COMPLETELY all though Bible college on account of how I was there for the dumb choices and the baseball players which might be why I don’t recall all the details and names of God and whatnot and yet God loves me and answers my prayers anyway.

Me. A Bible college goof-off.

One night I was working a vendor table at an event and sat down to read a book while the crowd was in the auditorium, a book about Spiritual Warfare, because events had transpired that had caused me to be quite certain that what was happening right then was, in fact, demonic — and it was beyond my level of Bible college competence to handle so I was reading about it in my down time —

And as I was reading this book, blinking back tears on account of the torture and torment I was living in and total overwhelm and sleep deprivation and desperation and panic and WHAT SHOULD I ACTUALLY DO BECAUSE I DO NOT KNOW, this elderly lady* made a beeline to me, at my vendor table, when EVERYONE ELSE WAS IN THE OTHER ROOM, and said the Lord had told her someone at this event needed her and when she saw me reading that book, she knew I was the one.

The Lord wanted me to tell you that He is El Roi and He sees,

she said.

And she prayed with me. And in her prayer she talked to God about everything going on with me, because somehow she knew.

Somehow.

Huh, I thought. I never heard of El Roi, and then twice in one week. How did she know?

Because miracles.

She invited me to her Wednesday night Bible study… about Spiritual Warfare.

Is this the most whackadoodle thing, or what?

Just wait. There’s more.

And then I got a necklace in the mail from some very precious friends.

In it was a card that read,

You are loved and seen. You are not forsaken. He is walking through the valley with you.

Love, your friends

And with it, a Giving Keys necklace.

A Giving Keys necklace that just so happened to be stamped with the letters, E L R O I.

Coincidence? Hardly.

I don’t believe in coincidence.

I believe in a God who goes OUT OF HIS WAY to orchestrate so many little details into a story so outlandish that there’s NO WAY these things could have happened any other way but that GOD Himself had to do it.

And that’s the story of my life.

Well, that’s part of one of the stories. There are lots more.

I bought a house in 2017, and that whole story was crazy and outlandish, as well.

Like, so crazy and outlandish that seven different miracles had to happen in order for me to get this little yellow house, but they did – one two three four five six seven – and here we are.

Me. A Bible college goof-off.

*And that lady lives exactly one block away, on the same street. Our house numbers are one digit off from each other. The week we moved in, I had my girls and pets in the yard to take a selfie of our fam in front of our new house… and she came walking down the street.

This week in Bible study,

I read in Genesis about Abraham and Hagar and Sarah and realized that the name El Roi came from this story — a story I wrote about here, back in 2013 — when God sought Hagar out and met her at the well at the point of her greatest need, and called her by name.

Exactly like that time (those times?) He met me, at the point of my most desperate need.

Hagar, God said. His first word to her was her own name.

He knew her and saw her, and knew her name, and she called him El Roi.

He knows me and sees me.

What a gift that is, to be seen.

Even me.

Recent Posts

  • Pretty
  • Hiding
  • Seen
  • Some Humans are Crap
  • Let Mercy Lead

Reader Interactions


Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

BEST EMAILS EVER

Don't worry, your email is safe with me.

About Me

Hi, I'm Melissa! Texas Girl. Single Mom. Old house fanatic. Welcome to my corner of the internet! I hope to bring you all my deep thoughts about life, Jesus, health and happiness, and decorating my little home without breaking the bank. I will try my best to make you laugh. Or cry... but only for a minute or two. We'll see how it goes. Anyhoo, thanks for being here!! Follow me on Instagram (link below) to keep up with my daily stories. And be sure to subscribe so you don't miss a post.

Follow Me On:

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Snapchat
  • StumbleUpon
  • Twitter

Follow Me on Instagram!

I love Saturday. 💕 Saturday’s my favorite. 😁 Projects going down today, starting with three gallons of white paint from @sherwinwilliams. What in the world should I paint first? 🤔 What’s happening at YOUR house today?
Snow in East Texas. It’s a big deal. ❄️ Snow in East Texas. It’s a big deal. ❄️
It’s a beautiful day if you’re solar powered ☀️ like me. It’s also a beautiful day for napping in the sun ☀️ if you’re like @sophiejunethedoodle. 🤷🏼‍♀️ I feel SO fortunate to get to work from home where I can sit by a window and even open it when the weather is right 👌🏻 even tho I can hear #goldendoodle snores from my home office... 🤔 Working from home has been on my #visionboard for years and it finally happened. 👏🏻What’s on YOUR vision board for 2021? 👉🏻Answer my poll in my stories! 👈🏻 #theresnoplacelikehome #workfromhomelife #iloveworkingfromhome
The whole Christmas 🎄 story, in these lyrics ri The whole Christmas 🎄 story, in these lyrics right here. I believe every word is true. After church this morning I decided these words needed to be added to my chalk wall. 👉🏻 In the darkness we were waiting
Without hope without light
Till from heaven You came running
There was mercy in Your eyes
To fulfil the law and prophets

To a virgin came the Word
From a throne of endless glory
To a cradle in the dirt

Praise the Father
Praise the Son
Praise the Spirit three in one
God of glory
Majesty
Praise forever to the King of Kings

To reveal the kingdom coming
And to reconcile the lost
To redeem the whole creation
You did not despise the cross

For even in Your suffering
You saw to the other side
Knowing this was our salvation
Jesus for our sake You died

And the morning that You rose
All of heaven held its breath
Till that stone was moved for good
For the Lamb had conquered death

And the dead rose from their tombs
And the angels stood in awe
For the souls of all who’d come
To the Father are restored

And the Church of Christ was born
Then the Spirit lit the flame
Now this gospel truth of old
Shall not kneel shall not faint

By His blood and in His Name
In His freedom I am free
For the love of Jesus Christ
Who has resurrected me
HaPPy NeW YeaR! 🎉 Is today the day we throw out HaPPy NeW YeaR! 🎉 Is today the day we throw out the cat houses made of all the Christmas boxes and blue tape, or do we have to wait for epiphany? 🤔 Wishing you ALL the blessings of a brand new year! 👏🏻 May the Lord crown the year with bounty so that even the wagon tracks overflow with abundance. Psalm 65:11 🌱
Instagram post 17875671470084040 Instagram post 17875671470084040
My top nine pics of 2020. 🤷🏼‍♀️ These My top nine pics of 2020. 🤷🏼‍♀️ These all make me happy to look at ~ I do love this little home we have ~ but none of these represent my top moments of 2020, which would be memories I made with the people I love the most. 💕 It’s been a year of the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, but still, the person I am at the end of 2020 is better than who I was back in January in so many ways. Lots of lessons learned. Lots of figuring out what I want and what I don’t and who I wanna be and who I need around me. Can’t wait to see what 2021 holds but I know for sure there will be love and grace and mercy and peace. #topnine #topnine2020 #theyearinreview
Follow on Instagram

Search

Join Me On Pinterest

PAST DEEP THOUGHTS

Find the Blue House on Instagram!

I love Saturday. 💕 Saturday’s my favorite. 😁 Projects going down today, starting with three gallons of white paint from @sherwinwilliams. What in the world should I paint first? 🤔 What’s happening at YOUR house today?
Snow in East Texas. It’s a big deal. ❄️ Snow in East Texas. It’s a big deal. ❄️
It’s a beautiful day if you’re solar powered ☀️ like me. It’s also a beautiful day for napping in the sun ☀️ if you’re like @sophiejunethedoodle. 🤷🏼‍♀️ I feel SO fortunate to get to work from home where I can sit by a window and even open it when the weather is right 👌🏻 even tho I can hear #goldendoodle snores from my home office... 🤔 Working from home has been on my #visionboard for years and it finally happened. 👏🏻What’s on YOUR vision board for 2021? 👉🏻Answer my poll in my stories! 👈🏻 #theresnoplacelikehome #workfromhomelife #iloveworkingfromhome
The whole Christmas 🎄 story, in these lyrics ri The whole Christmas 🎄 story, in these lyrics right here. I believe every word is true. After church this morning I decided these words needed to be added to my chalk wall. 👉🏻 In the darkness we were waiting
Without hope without light
Till from heaven You came running
There was mercy in Your eyes
To fulfil the law and prophets

To a virgin came the Word
From a throne of endless glory
To a cradle in the dirt

Praise the Father
Praise the Son
Praise the Spirit three in one
God of glory
Majesty
Praise forever to the King of Kings

To reveal the kingdom coming
And to reconcile the lost
To redeem the whole creation
You did not despise the cross

For even in Your suffering
You saw to the other side
Knowing this was our salvation
Jesus for our sake You died

And the morning that You rose
All of heaven held its breath
Till that stone was moved for good
For the Lamb had conquered death

And the dead rose from their tombs
And the angels stood in awe
For the souls of all who’d come
To the Father are restored

And the Church of Christ was born
Then the Spirit lit the flame
Now this gospel truth of old
Shall not kneel shall not faint

By His blood and in His Name
In His freedom I am free
For the love of Jesus Christ
Who has resurrected me
HaPPy NeW YeaR! 🎉 Is today the day we throw out HaPPy NeW YeaR! 🎉 Is today the day we throw out the cat houses made of all the Christmas boxes and blue tape, or do we have to wait for epiphany? 🤔 Wishing you ALL the blessings of a brand new year! 👏🏻 May the Lord crown the year with bounty so that even the wagon tracks overflow with abundance. Psalm 65:11 🌱
Instagram post 17875671470084040 Instagram post 17875671470084040
My top nine pics of 2020. 🤷🏼‍♀️ These My top nine pics of 2020. 🤷🏼‍♀️ These all make me happy to look at ~ I do love this little home we have ~ but none of these represent my top moments of 2020, which would be memories I made with the people I love the most. 💕 It’s been a year of the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, but still, the person I am at the end of 2020 is better than who I was back in January in so many ways. Lots of lessons learned. Lots of figuring out what I want and what I don’t and who I wanna be and who I need around me. Can’t wait to see what 2021 holds but I know for sure there will be love and grace and mercy and peace. #topnine #topnine2020 #theyearinreview
Follow on Instagram

Footer

Social

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

BEST EMAILS EVER

Want to be the first to get all of my new posts? Then don't waste another second! Sign up already! All of your dreams may or may not come true!

Don't worry, nobody is sharing your email address.

Search

BEST EMAILS EVER

Want to be the first to get all of my new posts? Then don't waste another second! Sign up already! All of your dreams may or may not come true!

Copyright © 2021 · The Blue House Blog - Designed by That Pretty Face