Friday, April 19, 2013

GOD IS GOOD....ALL THE TIME:)







So don’t be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.
James 1: 16-18

This week we heard about the Boston marathon... three people were killed many injured....we heard about the explosion at the fertilizer plant in Texas killing some 35 people injuring 160...lots of devastation, chaos, and sadness. My friend just got word that her mother is in a coma and her nephew in a full body cast after a truck hit the back of her mother’s car pushing it into ongoing traffic. My daughter just got her stitches taken out (all 21), and tears well up when I see her collar bone or her slouched shoulder. 
Nonetheless, God is good all the time.... Joseph in Genesis 39 was thrown in a pit by his brothers, wrongly accused, thrown in prison, seduced, and then lied upon. God turned Joseph’s horrible situation into something GOOD. People from all over went to Egypt to buy grain because the world was in need of food during the seven bad years of famine. At this time Joseph’s brothers who sold him and betrayed him went to buy some food in Egypt. Joseph favored by God had been promoted and been put in charge of all the land of Egypt. When the brothers finally realized that Joseph was the brother they had betrayed, Joseph said to them not to worry or be angry at themselves for selling him because God had put him there to save people from starving. God had a purpose for Joseph, but nobody would have been able to tell him what it was when he was thrown in jail for something he never did. Joseph had to wait upon the Lord. 

Things to Think About:
Do you wait upon the Lord or give thanks to God in difficult situations?
Give thanks in all situations. For this is the will of Jesus Christ concerning you.
I Thessalonians 5:18

May I pray? Lord Jesus, forgive us for complaining or doubting you when things look bleak. Increase our faith and strengthen our weak minds and hearts and give us confidence in you always! In Jesus name, Amen.

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Get Back Up!




Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
James 1:4

So my daughter just had surgery on her collar bone after breaking it  from a skiing accident. She has a plate and six pins in her...She has her arm in a sling, walking like a granny...and the words that come out of her mouth is, “This won’t stop me from skiing. I am not scared to ski again.” My eyes rest on her bandaged collar bone and trepidation runs through me as I picture her skiing again....fast....
The verse above talks about perseverance finishing its work so that we as believers become mature lacking nothing. Perseverance is all about not giving up...getting back up...in Sophie’s case...on the skis...I know of a 8 year old girl whose spleen was punctured open when a horse accidentally kicked her after she was thrown off. She was in emergency surgery and survived the kick...only to get back on the horse as soon as she recovered. She was in the process of persevering. 
In our walk with the Lord, we all come to bumpy patches and mess ups...saying things we wished we hadn’t, doing things that we said we would never again...in our mission work and working for the Lord...illnesses occur and real life threatening things happen. People die...My one friend has breast cancer but her chemo is almost over...praise God! Don't let these bumps stop the work the Lord has for you! He will give you the strength to persevere! 

Things to Think About:
I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.
John 15:1-2

May I Pray: Lord, Jesus, thank you that you are pruning me to be more like you! Please give me your grace during this process and do a mighty work in my heart! Continue to strengthen us so we can continue the work you have for us to do...Help us to accomplish the work you planned even before we were even born.  In Jesus name, Amen.

SURGERY






Many are the Plans in a Person’s Heart, but it is the LORD’S PURPOSE that PREVAILS!
Proverbs 19:21

What can I say? God truly has our lives in the palm of His hands. We can plan and plan some more, but the verse above really does ring true...especially for me lately. I say this because my daughter of 15 years went back to school today after having her clavicle operated on two days ago. She broke her collar bone with the two pieces looking like a broken wish bone. A varsity skier on her high school ski team, she sped down this particular mountain on a vacation countless times. Why this time, she fell with her skies flying off, smashing her body into the snowy hill....I will never know. I held my breath when I saw the bump sticking out of her right shoulder. A few lonely tears slid down her cheek and with her sweet voice said, “I can’t move my arm.” There goes her track season and volleyball league this spring...pause...
           The orthopedic put a plate on the two pieces of bone to lock it back together. The operation took two hours. The operation was textbook and went well. She was very sore the first day and could barely move but managed to walk around gingerly and baby her right arm in a sling. The next day she laid on the sofa most of the day with me right next to her. I just wanted Sophie to feel better...a mother’s wish. She insisted going back to school today....did I mention she just had surgery on Monday?  Although I was very hesitant, this is what she wanted so that she could get back into the swing of things. She didn’t want to get too behind in her school work and sit around another day. 
We got up super early because it took her extra time to get ready...her arm in a sling and moving carefully, did I mention we got up at 4 am? Yawwwnnnn. I helped her get dressed, Dad changed the dressing on her wound, she ate breakfast, and off she stepped into our neighbor’s SUV...we have a nice carpool set up. She doesn’t want to be treated like a baby...she waved goodbye and gave me that look that she was going to be just fine....
So I sit here and wanted to “check in” because I haven’t written in a month. And all I can think of at this moment in amazement is that anything can happen. ANYTHING at any time. God is in control. Sometimes as we prepare for mission trips, things get delayed, team members get sick, bumps appear...but ultimately God is in control, and he is pruning us to be more like Him. So embrace the bumps and remember God is sovereign. So I leave you with this thought to ponder....

Pause....
What does SOVEREIGN mean to you?

MAY I PRAY? Lord Jesus...thank you for protecting my daughter on the mountain, in surgery, out of surgery, at school. You are the Alpha and the Omega....reign in our hearts and give us your grace in all the areas of our lives....because you are in control of the heavens and the earth, in the depth of the sea, the hills and valleys, mountain peaks, out in the galaxy...guide our paths and make us more like you each day....with grace, confidence, strength, and in your unconditional love. And when our plans don't quite come out like we planned, give us the grace to see your plans at work. In Jesus name, Amen.