a quiet, chocolatey place

I was texting with a friend down the road last night, and we were talking about how endlessly hard so many things are and how helpless we are to change most of them.  Sometimes all you can do, we agreed,  is go someplace quiet, find some dark chocolate, sit and pray and keep on.

It is quiet faithfulness at it's finest, and quiet faithfulness is rarely fun.  This is where I am, and then there is Who You Are. I am not going anywhere (where else could there possibly be to go?) and so here we are, God.  I am here. You are, too.

Thankfully, as fun as fun is, FUN is not what we're all going for, is it.

Christ. That's what we're going for. Christ.

And He can be found in those quite, chocolatey places.

Thankfully, He can also be found in non-quiet, non-chocolate places, because that's currently where I dwell :)

I had this idea a few weeks ago that for the month of November, I'd try to interview a few staff and students about what they are thankful for this year.  

Thanksgiving isn't a holiday in Haiti, but there is never a bad time to reflect on the simple things we are grateful for.  Also, when we hear the prayers of gratitude others have, we realize how similar we all are...we realize how much we have to be thankful for, too.

As always, my ideas for others usually end up touching me more,  and I've spent some blessed hours these past two days listening to what makes our Emmaus family grateful, from glasses to jobs to girlfriends to salvation.

Reality is, while in my heart, I'm in a season of quiet, chocolate-clinging faithfulness, praying for many things and striving to be faithful when I'd like to be discouraged more, God. Is. At. Work.

And all we have to do is get up and go ASK a few people what they're thankful for, what
THEY see God doing, to realize it.

The church down the road, Lucner's, had an amazing three days of fasting and praying this weekend, complete with the conversion of over 30 people, the physical healing of several, dreams and visions sending people to the church who have never come (or who said they never would), and the reconciliation of some major and long-standing hurts and enemies.  I asked what he was thankful for, and Lucner couldn't stop praising the Lord for all He has done that only God could do, just the last three days.

I've listened to student after student share things that anyone could be thankful for, any day...Jesus listens when they pray. God has offered them miraculous salvation. Jesus has promised to come back one day. They have the eternal hope of heaven on their hearts. Jesus has forgiven them, given them new life.

Am I thankful for these things, whatever season? whatever holiday? whatever discouragement? When I'm being quietly faithful, am I also being resoundingly grateful? Praising, even when I'm too tired to do it on my feet? Praising, even when I don't know how it's going to turn out?

I'm working there.  Praise the Lord...He is, too.

Matt's had a marvelous trip of friends and teaching and good food and cool weather, thanks very much to many and especially Uncle Terry and Aunt Lori, giving him a blissfully calm and peaceful place to stay.  Today is his day off of teaching at West Park, so he's sharing the devotional for the Sharptown UMC staff this morning, having lunch with I can't remember who, and then planning to spend the evening with my sister, her husband, and their precious three girlies.

Lisa is 25 weeks into a very high risk pregnancy, with a 4, 2 and almost 1 year old at home, and I'd love your precious prayers for her and little baby girl number 4...for their health and hearts and day-to-day...thank you!  I'll have pictures soon from Matt's time, hopefully :)

Head on over to the Emmaus FB page this month to hear #EmmausGivesThanks.

Wherever you are today, He is there. Be His...Be faithful, and pay attention to what He's doing...with thanks!