Rest, Renewal & a Bit of Home

**italicized phrases from Jesus Calling (Feb 15 - Feb 25)

Come to Me with all your weaknesses: Physical, emotional, and spiritual.  Rest in the comfort of My Presence, remembering that nothing is impossible with Me.  

Two weeks ago is a blur to me.  I spent the majority of the week in bed aching, coughing, and just overall feeling exhausted.  Truly, I had the desire to do nothing more than to sleep.  On the fourth day in bed, I realized that maybe, just maybe God was trying to tell me something, communicate with Me His desires, get me to listen to His small, still voice.  And so, I began to journal.  I read the Bible.  I prayed to the Lord.  And amidst my sickness and feelings of weakness, I realized that I have too much on my plate, that maybe in some of the things that I am doing here, I am not completely walking right in the middle of His will but instead maybe even though I am doing good, I am not doing exactly what God would have me do here.  

Rest in my presence, allowing Me to take charge of this day.  Do not bolt into the day like a race horse suddenly released. Instead, walk purposefully with Me, letting Me direct your course one step at a time.

Maybe, just maybe, God was telling me to slow down and to rest some.  Let Him direct me each day.

Thank Me for each blessing along the way; this brings Joy to both you and Me.

Who would've thought that in the midst of being so sick, God would bring me some clarity and some peace.  Who would've thought that in the midst of being so sick, I would be able to come out of it thanking the Lord for slowing me down and for allowing me to evaluate not only what I am doing here, but also how I am spending my time and how I can serve Him in a way that better aligns with what He wants me to do.  It's okay to say "no." Oh but it is so hard sometimes.  

I am so thankful for the realization that it's important for me to take care of myself emotionally, spiritually and physically.  Without doing that, my ability to impact those around me is diminished.  Organizing my time, saying no, allowing the Lord to fill me up -- those are necessities in my life... In all of our lives.  Not only physical rest, but also emotional and spiritual rest, taking time to enjoy God's beautiful creation that He has given us, enjoying the people that He has put in my life without always just "doing".  Those are essentials. Being sick was undoubtedly a blessing and a reminder to be depending on Him and not my own strength and to just stop sometimes.

A grateful heart protects you from negative thinking.  Thankfulness enables you to see the abundance I shower upon you daily.  In everything give thanks for this is My will for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

Reading my journal over the last 2 months, I realized just how hard it's been.  And as we all know there are chunks of time that are hard.  We cannot always control our circumstances. Our thoughts, however I believe, are something that we have complete control over.  Being thankful -- even when it's hard-- helps us to truly worship the Lord and show Him that we understand that He is Emmanuel, God with us.  In the last week, I was reminded of Psalm 102 which tells of someone who feels utterly desperate, but remembers truth.  But you [oh Lord] are always the same, you will live forever  (v. 27).

Then, in our thankfulness, in our realization that God is with us, even in our pain -- that is when we can see the abundance of the Lord.  The result of me being sick has made me recognize or better yet remember just how good the Lord is.  He's given me a great place to live and in just 7 short months, both american and dominican people have come to love me so much so to pray beside my bed during sickness, to make sure that I called home, to insure that I was fed, and to make sure that I got the medical attention needed.  (I think I had a good case of the flu or as the doctor told me -- "the cruds".)

And when I thought that His goodness couldn't be greater in healing my body and giving me insight, I had the opportunity to spend time in Haiti with my American church family.  After traveling 6 hours there, I saw God's over-abundance in many special ways.  The experience gave me the ability to worship with my church family, to be prayed over, to talk with people from my home community, to make new friends, to be encouraged, to speak a little bit of French, and ultimately to have one of the pastors return to Quisqueya and encourage me in God's work here.  Additionally, I am now connected to a Haitian ministry and people who are doing God's work with some of the poorest people that I have ever come across in my life. 

I praise Him in the midst of hurting people who even though they have horrible circumstances, are seeing Jesus through locals and foreigners who want to help.  I praise the Lord for Carmel and her husband Pere Val, who feed 800 kids a month, educate parents on how to keep their kids nutritious, plant churches, and build schools.  Thank the Lord for those who are helping their own people.  I praise the Lord for His encouragement and love for me.  I praise Him for regained strength and renewal.  I am abundantly grateful for Brad's visit, encouragement and counsel, along with the support of my home church.

Rely on Me, your Strength; I make your feet like the feet of a deer, enabling you to go on the heights. (Habakkuk 3:19)

ANSWERED PRAYER AND CONTINUED REQUESTS:

-Thursday's softball game where we played and shared the gospel in Boca Chica 

(It went well, the Gospel was shared, but I wasn't there.  Sick in bed!)

-A structured schedule in my week (getting insight in this -- thanks be to God!)

-Mission trip to Haiti (2/19-2/22) with my home church

(God was Great. Thankful for a safe trip and renewed spirit!)

-Discernment in God's long-term ministry call here in Quisqueya

(getting insight in this -- thanks be to God!)

- continued strength in and dependence on God's Word and belief in His power

- the five little girls who are still living with their dying mother

- the two Wesleyan School teams that will be here in a little over a month to minister to the Dominicans  

- discipline in Bible memorization

-wisdom in running the library and supporting the library workers