I have realized a few things these past few weeks. There are a lot of battles to be fought and being fought.
-God has
not called me out of where I am presently employed. I have struggled and battled and ended up turning down a good opportunity. God forgive me for thinking even momentarily, that a job is about money. For a wee speck of time, I forgot....
Until I helped a child that missed her Oma and her Opa and was worried for their travelling safety back to Holland. I prayed for her and for them and she stopped crying and took a step in trusting God.
Until I whistled at the back of my teeth and a little boy watched, amazed and asked "what other tricks can you do?"
Until I, with no explanation, cried in staff meeting because my heart felt broken for a friend's pain and the journey she is now on and I had several coworkers come and tell me "We are here for you."
Until a little boy looks at my finger that was sporting a band-aid and he quietly asks, "what happened to your finger?"
Until that same little boy puts his head on his desk and declares, "this is too hard" and I show him how to do the problem and he gets it.
Until. Until. Until.
I imagine there will be many more moments that will carry me through the months (any maybe years) ahead - because when we look for them, those moments just "happen" to appear.
It would be such a tragedy to get so caught up in what we do, that we miss the "being" and the bits of joy in the process.
- You never know what a phone call will bring. No one has control over their tomorrows. It is enough that we can personally know the One who controls tomorrow. Worry, fret, a reminder that God is in control, ah, peace. The battle of the heart. Give it over. Take it back. Give it over. Leave it there.
Oh - and no, a doctor
does not have the final say. We need to be thankful for good doctors,
but they do not know everything. Every person's days are numbered and written down before he/she was born. You and I will leave this earth and enter eternity when God says. Not a moment before. We do this battle on our knees. We need to intercede for those around us who are in difficult situations - especially for those in the thick of the battle regarding health and broken relationships.
-Relationships are key to good, no
great living. The richest people in town (or anywhere for that matter) are those who have people close that they can call upon any time of day or night when we are in the midst of the battle. We cannot get sucked into the notion that power and possessions and wealth is where the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow lies. At the end of the day, not one of us has a choice but to leave it all behind - only to have someone who has not worked for it, enjoy it. (According to the wisdom of the wisest man who ever lived, Soloman, as stated in the Book of Ecclesiastes.)
You will be incredibily rich if your biggest investment is in relationships.
-God's people
are rising up, coming together and getting very determined. God will equip those He calls and He
will have victory. We have read the end of the Book and (story spoiler) we
know how it ends. God wins!
In the meantime, we need to realize that we are not on a cruise ship - we are on a battle ship. Church, wake up! It is time to take a good look around and see that unless we get serious and man the stations, many will be lost.
6 Reasons to put your armour*on:
1. God will supply all my needs. Phil 4:19 And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
2. God will do exceedingly abundantly more than I ask. Eph 3:20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us
3. God is able to supernaturally protect me. Psalm 27:2 When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall.
4. I have to obey. Acts 5:29 Peter and the other apostles replied: "We must obey God rather than men!
5. God goes with me and He fights the battle. Deut 20:1-4 When you go to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than yours, do not be afraid of them, because the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt, will be with you. When you are about to go into battle, the priest shall come forward and address the army. He shall say: "Hear, O Israel, today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not be terrified or give way to panic before them.For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory."
6. God is faithful to do what He says He is going to do. Psalm 100:5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.
-Part of the battle strategy needs to be as it was in old. The armies would send out the praisers and singers FIRST. They were the ones (along with those that discerned the times) that led the way.
Be determined to sing and praise and stand on the Word whatever, wherever, however. Somehow, I think it is key to victory. When you don't have the strength to fight the battle on your own - call on the troops. We need to put aside pride and ask for help and in turn, be ready to move out and move into place when called upon.
*And no, our backsides are not unarmed and unprotected as I have heard people say (in relation to a warrior's battle gear) the
Glory of the Lord is our rear guard. (Isaiah 58:8)
When we started this blog on the day of Barry's surgery we never imagined it would grow into what it has become. We also couldn't stand the thought that one day it might come to an end. Barry's Blog will always be here, but this will be the last post from us. Before we sign off, there is a little more that we'd like to say.
A pair of rabbits is causing quite a stir at the Ing house in Charlottetown.
http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/index.cfm?sid=39823&sc=117
Although his Autistic Celebration Run has long since ended,
after keeping us up last night, and waking us up at 5 am! Nate takes a nap on the couch.
Kelli on her 1st birthday (boy oh boy does Nate ever look like his Mommy)
The colour is called earthy brown, it's not the exact yarn the pattern calls for, but I guess patons doesn't make Shetland Chunky ragg K.W.anymore ? But according to this site it's the same weight so it should work out. (I did a swatch, and I got gauge!!! :)
