It has been one of those mornings that keeps me wanting to praise Him.
It was an early morning with Elliot and my parents while Raja and Adam bird slept in.
I had time for a run while Elliot fell asleep again.
Then, I was instructed to go on a mandatory outing with myself.
I was told to drink good coffee and write and be with Him.
My Abba Father.
And it has been good.
And now I am wrapping that up with a chance to make something of these thoughts.
How do I translate the chicken scratch in these coffee stained journal pages to you all?
Alas, I shall attempt despite the jumbled and stained nature of my words.
So, you remember my last entry?
About journeying up out of the valley, bitter?
(It has been called the Valley of Baca
Well I continue to walk out of it and look back and see His hand
His hand was in each desert ravine, running deep
And He was in step with me thru each chasm, thirsty
And He helped me put my roots back down deep.
We, together, by His Spirit, tapped into those Rivers of Water, Living
And I drank again
I drank deeply and I drank fully
And as I drank, streams sprung up all around
As that psalmist, David wrote
Dear ones, streams will come
When we put our strength in Him and set our hearts on pilgrimage
It is true
And I wrote to you that our anxieties can serve to drive us to His side
Clive Staples Lewis said it too
Did he not?
Remember, that quote?
“Some people feel guilty about their anxieties and regard them as a defect of faith but they are afflictions, not sins. Like all afflictions, they are, if we can so take them, our share in the passion of Christ.”
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That God man’s “passion” was the culmination of His life and the climax of His suffering
And we know, we too will walk thru suffering
Not as a way to earn our freedom
Not as a merit for salvation
But because He is our Savior and our Guide
And if it was hard for Him, it will be hard for us
And it will bring us to Him!
And when anxieties come, we must let Him drive us to His side
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For it is there where the blood and water pour forth.
Is it not?
He saw it.
He saw that when the spear punctured that flesh, Holy
“a sudden flow of blood and water” came forth
And what is it that cleanses us, dirty?
Blood, Holy.
And what is it that quenches our thirst, in the desert that is life?
Water, Living.
Dear ones, He had to be PIERCED for us to be FREED
And because of His being crushed, we can be restored like Eden
We can be beauty from ashes
And we can hide ourselves in Him
And trust that if He can bring us to life, from sure death
He can surely do ALL THINGS
So I wrote to you about that.
I wrote that He is in the conjunction (words like “but” that divide hopeless from hopeful)
I mentioned that second example
“Do not be anxious about anything BUT in prayer and petition give THANKS”
Dear ones, I wrote that on Monday.
And it was surely written for own strengthening, not knowing what I would soon learn
It was 11 days before Adam’s first appointments
The appointments that will determine surgeries needed for the summer ahead
A summer that is estimated to cost $150,000.
Remember how I told you a few months back about that?
And we have all been walking, hand in hand, trusting His goodness and provision
And many of you are on knees praying and trusting with us
And do you know what I received Tuesday?
I received an email that, instead of leading me to angst and fear (as it may have before Monday’s blog)
It led me closer to His side
It led me to be bathed in the blood Holy, trusting
It led me to drink deeply from Water, living
Because it told me that about $10,000 has been raised thus far
(And it doesn’t take many brain cells from my slowly decreasing storage…
To know that $10,000 is far away from $150,000)
I do not say “only $10,000” because that is significant and that is a huge amount!)
And it is not rocket science to calculate that only 9 days are left
And we need $140,000 more
But you know what, dear ones?
I did not fall over
I did not tremble
I remembered His side
His side that trickles out blood, Holy and water, Living
I remembered that He began a good work and He is faithful to complete it
I bathed in Him and His cleansing blood
I drank from Him
And me and husband, we smiled and trusted
We remember ALL that has been done.
We remember that Tuesday night women in my hometown were bringing together magazines and laughter
And they were weaving together crosses to pray for Adam
They are calling them prayer catchers
And they use old paper, that we think of as waste
And they make these beautiful things!
And they sell them for $10 to raise money for our Adam
And I remember that that same night, Raja and I were meeting in a gorgeous home overlooking the sea
And we met 12 new friends and shared Adam’s story.
And he was prayed over and 12 more people now joined our journey
And we remembered that EVERY SINGLE DAY since we arrived in the states, we have been given to GENEROUSLY
Fancy strollers, gift cards for gas, a well running car, meals, the list goes on
He is a Provider
His name is Jehovah Jireh
And He began a good work in Adam and will bring him to completion
That is where I can rest
Then I crack open His word, Living on this glorious morning
And I read of this one found in a desert land
In a howling waste of wilderness
If I have ever thought of an accurate description of what india can feel like at times it is surely this
Wilderness and yet, a desert land
The summer swelters and the rural lands throb with howling cries
Yet that is where Holiness met humanity
Where “he encircled him, cared for him, and kept him”
What is this protection and love likened to?
That beautiful simile speaks forth from these Holy Words
These Holy Words of old, that are yet living and active
That one found in desert land is encircled, cared for, and kept as “the apple of his eye”
Dear ones, those words leapt from the page this morning
I think of our Adam and our Elliot
They are surely like the apple of my eye
I do believe
BUT
Even moreso, God keeps us as the apple of His eye
And surely the place Adam was rescued from was like a desert land and a wilderness
His home shifted cosmically
When he went from a cardboard box in a overcrowded, humid delivery room
To a crib in the Head of the Hospital’s home
His value shifted in the community’s eyes
He was no longer looked at as a curse and pitied
He was approached with honor
Previously people lined up to try and sneak a peak at “that baby”
Now they had to stand at a door, ring a bell, and ask permission to the Administrative Officer
To come into his home on that hill, high
And meet his SON
No longer alone
No longer orphan
But SON
Dear ones, our son was rescued and has been provided for in EVERY WAY
Mountains have been moved
Hundreds of thousands of dollars has been sacrifically given
Doctors have operated
Courts have said yes
I could go on
But God is a Provider
And He began this work of goodness in Adam’s life, not I
And He WILL bring it to completion
So as I look at numbers and I come to you to share this need
I remind you that our Adam is being maintained as the apple of Abba’s eye
So do not be afraid
And I will join you
We will not be afraid but we will trust
That He who likens us as the apple of His Eye
Will not forget us
So, I have shared it
There is a great amount of money still needed
$140,000 to be exact
That is more than we came to you with in the fall 2011 when we first started this journey
But I believe He is faithful
Will you share about this need with us?
I know there are so many needs surrounding us day by day.
That is why we must not fret
Because there is a God who holds this whole universe in balance
And He knows the hair on our very heads
He tells us not to worry BUT to GIVE THANKS
So let’s trust in Him as we spread the word
And let’s remember THIS POST
I think it is still our most viewed post
Showing how many thousands came alongside us as we waited for that money to come in
Showing how many thousands rejoiced with us as we took bended knee on Holy Ground
Please share THIS LINK
You can give any amount possible thru this link
All giving is tax deductible
Let us wait and see Him part the Heavens and provide
As He always does
It was my honor to share your link. He is ABLE!