the Lord takes care

What a week. 

Our church Matt pastors split off from the United Methodist Church a few months before he began in February, and with such heaviness coming out of conference this week, we are both thankful and burdened! Our faithful family both won the vote and lost the building without enough majority, and it was a gift this afternoon to walk and pray over the new building God seems to have laid at our feet with these brothers and sisters, many of whom spent their whole lives in the UMC and left/lost so much. 

The Lord takes care of things we lose following Him. 

This morning was also graduation at Wesley Biblical Seminary, and it continues to be such an exciting ministry to support and come alongside. Watching them send out many...some from Matt's own hometown in Jersey, some from Emmaus University in Haiti...is so exciting.  Trusted leaders for faithful churches is the motto Matt helped WBS develop, and while I know it was disappointing to many when Matt stepped down from leadership there, heading straight from graduation to our church prayer walk reminded me this: Matt is a trusted leader for a faithful church. I am by his side. The work continues. His work, His kingdom, is all the same. 

The Lord takes care of and paves way for the transitions of life, following Him.

Several young people and families now have started coming to our new church, each noting that they were strangely drawn, and there is nothing strange about it. Three of them came to dinner last night, and over turkey and mashed potatoes and rolls and macaroons, they shared with us their hearts, their visions...and what I hoped would be sufficient was instead rich and deep. His grace is sufficient, and most often, more than we ever hoped for.

The Lord sends people alongside when we are following Him. 

Unless you have never disappointed nor let down a single soul, be kind. I know you know. I know you are. It is still a good reminder. There is a whole lot going on in people's lives we all know nothing about, and if we DID, we'd be kind. Be kind. Give grace. Grace upon Grace. The LORD knows fully, and holding and reconciling our disappointments in one another is HIS work, not ours to make people pay for, and He wants our fruit to be LOVE every time.

The Lord richly cares for life's disappointments, redeemed in following Him. 

Add in an extra girlie home from a week-long field trip she couldn't attend, baseball games, homeschool, staff meetings, Bible studies, horseback riding, Henry's funeral to prepare for and all the many little things, the Lord reminded me again this week how utterly VITAL my time with Him is. It is my life breath. It is the fortification of my trust. It is the dwelling in His steadfast love. It is the reminder of His control and strength and power. It is credited for ALL my resilience, my stability, my hope. 

The Lord is close to those who draw close to Him, continually following Him.

Hang in there, beloved. Be faithful and kind and search for His grace. The world desperately needs faithful and kind and His grace, and so do we each.