We Need to Learn to Embrace the Trials

I was reading the account of God calling Abram to leave all that he had and all that he knew and go to a land unfamiliar to him. Abram, on the word of the Lord left family, friends, all that was familiar and comfortable and went to a foreign land that God promised to give him and his descendents forever. And when he got to this Promised Land he saw that there was a famine in the land (verse 10 of Genesis Chapter 12). Did you catch that? God called Abram into a famine! Wouldn’t most of be doubting we had really heard the word of the Lord about then. I mean when we step out in obedience don’t we expect to see positive fruit as a reward to our submission. How many of us when instead met with hardship or massive roadblocks, immediately begin to wonder if we really heard God? Otherwise we think the devil is attacking us, and would blame the struggles on him.

God gave Joseph a dream and the boy had to suffer the abuse of his family, being sold into slavery and 12 years in prison before that pledge became a reality. Moses knew he was destined to deliver the Israelites out of slavery, and yet he spent 40 years in the dessert after his first attempt, ended in murder. Recall the account of Isaac and Rebecca. God promised Abraham many descendents; God renews that promise to Abraham’s son Isaac. God even sends an angel to help Abraham’s servant find Isaac’s wife. The two are finally married and Isaac’s wife, Rebecca is barren. God gave Isaac a barren wife to bless him with children. Seriously?

We tend to think the hardships of life are proof that either we missed God and made a wrong turn, or that the enemy is out to hinder us. Perhaps it is merely the training ground that our Heavenly Dad is guiding us through, because He knows we will need the strength and endurance we learned on the journey to meet the mountains we will encounter just around the corner. Remember it was the Sprit of God that led Jesus into the dessert to be tempted.

I had a blonde moment!!!

So I am getting ready to go on this month long outreach…(still praying and hoping for the remaining 340-540 to come in)…anyhow two nights ago I arranged for me to leave my truck with this mechanic who lives nearly 20 miles out of town.  I plan to take my truck to him next week right before leaving.  He told me to write down anything wrong with the vehicle…that is easy enough I have not had windshield wipers for months and every new fuse I put in gets blown with in mili-seconds. 

Yesterday however I got in my truck to go get the mail, backed up turning tightly as I did and felt this dragging pulling feeling I had never felt before.  Immediately I stopped the truck , walked around it expecting to see a flat.  All my tires were round..so I get in and drive down the hill feeling the funny pulling feeling each time I had to make a 90* turn.  Twice more I got out and looked at my tires trying to see if they were rubbing in anyway…or were leaning funny…they looked fine.  I was worried what if the tires are falling off can they possibly make it up to the mechanic shop safely?  I enlisted the help of a friend who happened to be passing buy.  He watched the tires closely as I turned my truck in tight circles…”Do you see anything?  I can feel it pulling funny!” I would exclaim as my truck seemed to slur its ability to drive.  He saw nothing odd and told me it was probably safe to drive if I just took the corners slowly.

Getting in one last time I pulled it forward I had a quick run I needed to make to Safeway.  I had just pulled out of the parking lot when I looked down and noticed I was in 4 wheel drive.  I had used my four wheel drive function to get off the beach the night before.  Surely this could not have caused it I said to myself reaching down to slip the 4 wheel drive off…and to my relief my truck did not once act funny.  There is nothing at all wrong with my ability to turn corners tightly.   How embarrassing!!!

So I am a lousy Blogger!!!

I know this once a year updates will never do!  I thought this would be so easy…but I was wrong!  I will continue to try and do better!

so much is happening here in Homer! 

For me personally I got to teach in our last Mini DTS setting.  I was really nervous but also very thrilled about it!

Next week I am hoping to join the Circuit Riders ministry team from Kona Hawaii as they travel around the interior of Alaska ministering in churches, villages and what ever other doors God opens for them.  I am a bit nervous joining a team where I wont really know anyone nor have been apart of the amazing things God has done in and through them in the past 6 weeks.  However I have heard some incredible things about this team and I am so excited they are coming up here to share their passion and hunger for the things of God!!!  I cant wait to see what my Heavenly Dad is going to do in my home up here and I want to be apart of the adventure!

I found out this morning that the cost to join the team is going to be minimal and I already have part of it!  So all I need is 340 dollars more to cover the cost of the month long outreach as well as another 200 for personal expenses I may incur along the journey and 100 dollars to pay my Verizon and Allstate bills that will be due before my return.  That is a total of 640 dollars 540 of it needs to arrive by Monday  August 16th!  As we  (Aaron one of our staff members and I drive up to Fairbanks on the 17th to meet his teammates –he is one of the students from the circuit rider school.)

Sorry I had to throw this picture in!!! 

“….How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things.”   Romans 10:15