a truth to live up to.

It all just catches up to us sometimes, doesn't it!

As you probably know, being in leadership is rarely fun.  Being in the Caribbean is not always the tropical adventure you would think.  Having little ones is not always a hay day. Keeping up with everything is usually impossible.  Having everyone look to us for help all the time is not as flattering as you might think.

Working hard to disciple deliberately, bending backwards to communicate well in a different culture and language, striving greatly to raise up our children happy and healthy in Him, strongly desiring to be good family to our good family here and around the world, pouring hours into the classroom each week...add in a few meetings, month end finances (yikes), and "what are we having for dinner"s?

Yeah.

Thank you for all of your prayers, verses and encouragements from yesterday.  I hope it's ok to ask for encouragement sometimes.  It sure makes a difference to hear from Him through others!  You ask me next time you need it, too.

This thought from my man O. Chambers yesterday has me thinking today.

"Never allow God to show you a truth you do not instantly begin to live up to, applying it to your life.  Always work through it, staying in His light."

As I look at our present day--often feeling like our life is traveling faster than we are--I ponder the truths He has shown ME and am trying to trace what I have done with them.

The one He most strongly brings to the surface this morning comes from almost a year ago...the idea that our calling in life is simply to show others what God has shown and is showing us.

I just finished reading through Acts and am on to Romans in my mid-day life-line time, and I am marveling over Paul's ministry, much of which was being in trouble for and defending the Gospel.  He stood before Jews, before Greeks, before prisoners, before emperors, and every time anyone gave him a chance to speak, Paul simply started back at the beginning and shared with them what God had shown him.

Shared who he was before Christ, who he found Christ to be, and what Christ has shown Him.  Paul lived his life firmly in God's grip, and as such, shared freely and boldly his life in God's grip.

I get so overwhelmed sometimes by all the things I feel like I should be doing.  Should get involved in. Should be spending more time on.

Life is always showing me things.  Some, beautiful.  More, lost.  Others are always showing me things I could do or should do.  Some, frivolous.  More, needed.  My heart and mind and emotions are always showing me things I didn't do...should do...need to do.  All, good.  Most, motivated by guilt.

But when I stop all those voices and dwell before Him, asking Him what HE is asking...

It's so different.  Entirely different.

That's how I know it's God.  Totally different than the world.  Totally different than my head and heart.

Somehow, He's just giving me love.  And asking me to show others what He is showing me.

forgiveness.  peace.  His joy.  righteousness.

that same love.

Charles Lake headed out today after a wonderful trip, a new friend comes in this afternoon to check out EBS as a part of his research on theological education in Haiti, tomorrow is a work catch up day, and Sunday Matt and the girls will be headed to one church while I join Junior in leading several students up the mountain to Ezechiel's.

Today?  Today I'm trying to give all the things I'm seeing up to Him, and keep only what HE's showing.  Give only what He's showing.  Staying in His light.