It's been a while... For me personally, I admit that when I am hurting I tend to retreat. We, as a family, have pulled back quite a bit lately to evaluate not only what's happening around us but to study what our own responses, reactions and responsibilities are or need to be.
Although our relationship with Christ is personal, for sure, we don't feel that we have a right to keep it private and when we launched this blog we agreed to go public with our current journey in particular.
Today's post is NOT an attempt to showcase our side verses another side but a simple, honest outpouring of our hearts, our struggles and a request for continued prayer.
This time of year is CRAZY stressful for everyone! I mean aside from the stresses of packing, living out of crates, planning appropriate good-byes along with some 'see-you-laters' and preparing emotionally, physically and mentally for moving to an unknown country while attending end of semester school functions, shopping for the perfect gifts and working to squeeze in needed time with family and friends ALL of us feel the stresses of December in some form or fashion as we get ready for the holidays. Whatever December looks like for you, I feel certain you are experiencing stress, too. If not, awesome...please share your insight in the comments area below! :)
In the midst of our stresses, we've been guilty of trying to carry some burdens that are out of our control. It's hard not to fight against the things that bring us pain. It's hard not to war against that which is uncomfortable. It's hard not to become bitter when we continue to be inconvenienced with issues that are left unattended to. It's hard not to get aggravated when ultimatums are made. While we know that we have to live each day as it comes, not dwelling on what has been done and not fearing what is to come... honestly, some days that just doesn't add up to all it's supposed to. When we face betrayal, we react with less than a welcome for more. When we are attacked, we shy away from sources delivering the blows. When we are deceived, we rarely embrace those involved as friends.
BUT...
We are learning that though some situations cut to the very core of our being, they are creating good whether in us or another and that, we can't argue with. "The Lord will do what is good in His sight.", 1 Chronicles 19:13. Though disappointed, we are experiencing a peace that is nothing like the "peace" this world advertises. Though we may cry out in frustration as Job did in chapter 3, "I have no peace, no quietness; I have no rest, but only turmoil", we are comforted with this from John 14:27, "I am leaving you with a gift-peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid." We believe that God can be trusted to carry not only the things that burden us but to carry us, as well. Matthew 11:28 says, "Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."
We have a choice... when we are dealing with people who are too tired to find the right words or too busy to be bothered with making some wrongs, right - we can let our pain, anger and frustrations become bitterness, spitefulness, and ill-attempts to return evil for evil or we can do the right thing and allow God to transform our very real yucky, icky feelings into compassion beyond what we are capable of distributing on our own. At this point, we are pleading with God that justice be issued regarding some issues we are dealing with but at the same time we are also pleading for His perfect dose of mercy and grace and forgiveness to permeate our lives so that it overflows, allowing us to issue the same.
We know we are not alone in this journey, regardless of what our enemy tries to portray. We are honored to know that several of you have partnered with us around the world to lift us up on this journey and we are never more grateful than now for your unselfish gift of intercessory prayer!
So, with 25 days remaining until we load that plane, we praise God for you! We praise Him for giving us the strength we need to persevere and we look forward to the blessings that await us. Every time we ask, we receive. It may not be the way we want, as quickly as we want or even WHAT we want but we will keep believing that we are receiving exactly what we need in full so that we can be who we were created to be.
"God can pour on the blessings in astonishing ways so that you're ready for anything and everything, more than just ready to do what needs to be done. As one psalmist puts it,
'He throws caution to the winds, giving to the needy in reckless abandon.
His right-living, right-giving ways never run out, never wear out.'
This most generous God who gives seed to the farmer that becomes bread for your meals is more than extravagant with you. He gives you something you can then give away, which grows into full-formed lives, robust in God, wealthy in every way, so that you can be generous in every way, producing with us great praise to God." 2 Corinthians 9:8-11 (MSG)