trust God

Every once in a while, life just comes in and washes over me, overwhelming.  You know the saying, when it rains it pours. Maybe I could blame it on being a woman, hormones and emotions ganging up, taking advantage of stressful situations.  But there are times when those we thought were going to help us don’t, those we thought were on are side, show they aren’t.  So often it’s in the hard moments where we realize who our friends are, who can we count on. I don’t mean that to sound vindictive or anything, but merely that there are moments when motives come to light, my own included. 

It’s too easy to focus on where people let us down.

God is so faithful though, He meets us exactly where we are, whether we should be there or not. I mean, lets just be honest, at least speaking for myself, I ought to be more mature then I am, I should trust Him more than I do.  But He meets me there anyway.

And suddenly I see how faithful He has been. 

I see unearned favour shown to my son.  I see friends who I have not spoken to in ages, offering to help me.  I see people who faithfully give to us even though we are so bad at keeping in touch.  I see that God has kept us safe and more often than not, healthy.  We have truly been given so much.

I don’t know what you are going through, but God is for you, He is not against you.   As I’ve felt the Holy Spirit minister peace to my heart in the midst of turmoil, I know He wants to do the same for you.  Even when everything seems against us, God is there.

This morning I was reading in 2 Chronicles 32 where an army is coming against Judah, things look grim, and then there are these verses: “Be strong and courageous! Don’t be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria or his mighty army, for there is a power far greater on our side! He may have a great army, but they are merely men. We have the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles for us!” Hezekiah’s words greatly encouraged the people. (verse 7-8)

Advertisements

what if

Why Jesus came…

Did He come so that we can have a comfortable home, all our needs provided for, so we could be happy and live productive lives?

God blesses us with so much, in so many ways, but those things are not why Jesus came. In fact, most of the time He gives us not just our needs, but our wants as well. Those things only show us a tiny taste of His goodness, that He is listening to our prayers and requests.

• 

We want to think that we are called to some greatness, to do big things, to make a difference. But what if… that is not why we are here? …if there’s only one great thing that we are called to?

What if God is not calling us to do great things?

What if the only reason that we are here is to know and love Him?

Our eyes are so focused on what’s on this Earth, our hearts are stuck on what’s around us. What if those things aren’t so important to God?

What if He’s not as concerned about our comfort as He is about us knowing Him more? What if everything in this earth it’s only meant to draw us close to Him, to know Him? What if every circumstance that we face is only meant to teach us to lean on Him, to trust in Him, to know Him better? What if God isn’t so concerned about our grades, work, what we own, our savings account, but how much we trust him?

And even so,

He still provides those things we want and think we need,

He helps us to show us who he is because he wants us to know he’s faithful.

What if meaning in life has nothing to do with us feeling good or doing good but to know Him and everything else would just stem from that? Because knowing Him will transform everything else!

What if the only greatness that we are called to is the greatness of knowing Him?

Merry Christmas

During this month I’ve been reflecting a lot on what it meant for God, owner and creator of all, to send Jesus to this earth to be born in poverty. He did not come to live a life of ease or do easy things. I’m awed by love so focused and by a plan to save so extreme for a people so lost and weak. Knowing myself, I can’t help but be overwhelmed that He counts me (and you) worth the humiliation of being God but coming to die a sinners death.

Know you are valuable.

Know you are loved that much.

Don’t let this huge gift go un-received!

Merry Christmas from our home to yours!

newsletter!

If you do not receive our newsletters you can take a look here and see what we’ve been up to!

 

 

burdens

Every burden that we have,

every sorrow,

every sadness,

everything that we find overwhelming or impossible,

is meant to be taken to the feet of Jesus.

We were not meant to carry these loads alone, God wants us to call on Him,

He wants us to give Him our worries.

He wants us to depend on Him for strength.

He did not create us in order for us to live our lives for ourselves or by ourselves.

As each new day begins I urge you to lift your eyes to Him. Of course He already knows each trouble of your heart, but tell them to Him anyway with faith, knowing that He wants to carry your burdens, and to even carry you!

Matthew 11:28-30 New Living Translation (NLT)
28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

Chamche rebuild

#riodevida #church The third level of the chamche rebuild is going up right beside the church area! The service was a bit breezy without the old sheet metal wall but so exciting to see at the same time!

Walter’s guys are super busy working 16 to 17 hour days getting this project done for the new school year! Every week it’s amazing to see how much construction has been done. This will be a huge blessing to the school children and staff of Chamche next year!

certain

We live in an uncertain world.  Life is uncertain and everything around us, except, I am certain of one, God.

God is good.  He is Faithful.  His love never fails, and His mercies are new every morning. He is our provider, He sees the future and the past because He lives in eternity. Nothing is hidden from His eyes and He will bring justice one day but also mercy. He sees the vastness of the universe, He sees the flowers of the field, knows the number of hairs on my head, sees each little bird that flies in the sky. He knows and is the Creator and Owner of it all.

How can I the clay, say to the Potter, why are you making me like this? Why do these things happen in my life? You are doing something wrong?

So, I thank Him for the uncertain circumstances, the things that I find difficult, the sadness, struggle and frustrations.  It’s easy to trust Him when things are going well, when we have enough, when life is easy.  But when we don’t understand, things don’t make sense, it feels like we are harvesting something we didn’t plant, we need to believe and trust in Him He is good, and He loves us. There is no uncertainty in Him, He knows and sees  it all.