As our family prepares to embark on this super-exciting (and super-challenging!) journey, I'm so SO grateful for the lessons God has been teaching me and for how He's showing me in such a tangible way that NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH HIM. It doesn't say that nothing is impossible if He does it for me. It doesn't say nothing is impossible if I talk to Him without looking at Him like He's in the room over there somewhere busy doing something else while I'm busy over here. It says WITH HIM. With His strength working in me. With His peace guarding my heart. With His hand covering me. With my eyes fixed on Him instead of on the waves.
I am so grateful for how God has been drawing me closer to Him through this. I'm thankful for His patience with me. For His reassurance over and over again that He is going to supply EVERYTHING WE NEED and that much of that will come through an intimate relationship with Him. He keeps encouraging me when I get discouraged. In fact, that seems to be a big stronghold He is working on dislodging from my heart... my tendency to get discouraged when things get tough. He wants to teach me to PERSEVERE. And nothing will teach perseverance like...... having to persevere! : )
So, here I am. Persevering, but finding (as I search for it) JOY in the middle of it. I'm so thankful (again) that God doesn't just want my body to keep going without my heart. He doesn't just want me to move out of this house, exhausted, frustrated and worn out. He wants me to find JOY in it!
"2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." (James 1:2-4)
"6In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,9for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls." (1 Peter 1:6-9)
Do you see that??? Wow. Greatly rejoice... Pure, inexpressible and glorious joy. Reminds me of how Jesus persevered through being crucified... FOR THE JOY SET BEFORE HIM.
"1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." (Hebrews 12:1-3)
If you would like to join (officially) in praying for us as we enter into our training time, we would be so honored... We actually have to have at least 40 people signed, sealed and committed to praying for us daily by the time we get to Canada. If God puts it on your heart to be one of those people, please let me know either in the comments or by email and I'll send you the form.
Keep fixing your eyes on Him... and pray that we do the same.
~Melissa
Melissa!
ReplyDeleteI finally found a roundabout way to be able to publish a comment to you!!! weird. but it works :).
Just want you to know... how proud, and excited, and joyful I am for you... I guess proud most of all. That you´re taking this leap of faith, with your family, knowing God will be with you as you jump. I´m excited for what God is doing(and will be doing) in and through you.
Many other things to say I guess about moving and what you wrote, but was just thinking today about your memory necklace. the one about remembering how God has helped you through different things. I still need to make mine! :) I think God helped me remeber that today. But anyhow. Don´t know if it´s packed... but was wondering if it´d help you wear it these days. I know God is helping you trust Him, and that You are trusting Him and that He is showing you He´s WITH you. I´m sure this move and new adventure will definitively be another "charm" you can put in your necklace :).
Blessings to you... when you get to Canada, eat many ketchup chips for me :). Can I know what to pray for you bc/ I can´t officially sign in to pray for you??? Would love to accompany you in the journey somehow.
Love,
me
Hello nice poost
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