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28 April 2019

encouraged

I'm wrong like 62 times a day.  Is that more than average? That seems like more than average.  Maybe I just have a lot of children to help point it out, or maybe living in a foreign culture makes you wrong more often than you would be in your own...I don't know.  

But one of the things I'm so grateful to be wrong about was my firm conviction just a few days ago that we were far too busy and overwhelmed to be encouraged by a visit from some good NorthRidge, Sabetha friends.  I was wrong!  Andrew and Brad were only here a full day, and I got ZERO good pictures, but we had a fantastic time catching up on our Kansas family, playing games, hanging out with the kids, meeting students, neighbors and friends, taking them to our DiFour church plant, enjoying the last day of school together, eating good food they brought and talking!  They really were such an encouraging breath of fresh air, and talking about life in Kansas and of all our families and pasts and futures and kids and Christ...they left us encouraged and thankful! 
Just being with Godly people is such an encouragement.  Matt and I are both so thankful they worked out a way in their own schedules to come be our friends for a few days...just what we needed, and for NorthRidge's commitment to being in relationship with their missionaries.
Nora became quite sick before they left, and finally was feeling better this morning, and Matt was committed to preach at Belo's. So early this morning we picked up a few weekend students and headed to Flavil.  After having such a busy week and Nora finally doing a bit better, driving and then walking to a special deacon's service at Flavil felt like the last thing we "needed."  But again, I was wrong, and so encouraged.


It’s simply always an honor and a privilege every time we freely gather together to worship with our brothers and sisters.

Coming alongside Belony in the Kingdom work he’s given his life to in Flavil this morning deeply encouraged me...not because it is easy or glamorous or rewarding or comfortable, but because it is FAITHFUL. I was so touched by his faithfulness in such a hard place.

He is faithful to live and give the life-changing Gospel in this community every single day, with its many persecutions and challenges. We had the opportunity to faithfully preach the Living Gospel alongside of him about Christ’s authority given to His disciples, to pray with Belo’s people, to worship with his family, to sweat profusely with God’s children, holding their hands.

That’s the great privilege of His church, His body. Not to always have fun, not to always be moved, not to always worship in our preferred style, not to always park near the front door (or anywhere near the church at all!), not to always be comfortable, not to always enjoy the experience...but to be encouraged by the faithfulness of others that imitates the faithfulness of our God, to encourage others with and by the faithfulness of the Gospel, of our Father.

Matt preached an awesome message on being full of the power of the Holy Spirit, on carrying ourselves in a fearful world full of the mighty power of Christ, with His authority.


It was a morning full of reminders I needed reminding of, from His faithfulness to His authority, going and making disciples in His name.  Belony's servant-leadership and boldness to speak the truth encouraged me.  God answering some very specific prayers I had for Matt encouraged me.  

By mid service, Ben went from feeling "a bit warm" to now burning up...dear child, not even a full week better, is fighting something again, feverish and miserable all day :(
We had Dr. Gail for dinner and head into a week of finalizing things from this school year, grading and finalizing classes, preparing for graduation, month end in the finance office, visitors for graduation all coming on Thursday, and I'm working with a fabulous student team on our two Emmaus mission trips of the summer, one kicking off next Monday!

I'm thankful that I'm so often wrong...about what I need, about what He can do, about what He can use...even me, with nothing but a mustard seed of faith and a whole heart for Him and flour on my shirt and a fussy baby on my hip.  

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