Be Strong and of Good Courage

By Tawna Wilkinson

“Be strong and of good courage…do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:6-9 NKJV)

During my most recent visit in this passage of Scripture, the timing of the command jumped out at me. That prior to Joshua chapter one, the phrase had only been given twice: The first being, when the twelve were sent to spy out the Promised Land, Moses simply commanded them to, “Be of good courage." (Numbers 13:20)

And the second was in his last words prior to his death, as the children of Israel were preparing to enter the Land. There Moses repeated it three times, and added the words: “Be strong.”
(Deuteronomy 31)

Then, in Joshua chapter one, while on the verge of possessing the Land, the Lord reiterated it to Joshua – again, three times.

It got me thinking. Why would God save this specific command for the Promised Land? Why would the children of Israel need to present this kind of muster?

God promised He would give it to them, already rife with everything they would need, or want. And not only would it be given, but He promised after they were there, He would be with them, prepare their way, and give them instruction as to how to they were to proceed.

So why be so emphatic regarding strength and courage?

For one, there were giants. Real giants. And those giants, along with the other people groups, being heavily armed, weren’t going to simply hand their properties over without a fight. And two, the cities were seriously fortified, having thick impenetrable walls. Like Jericho, the city they would first encounter. Its walls were said to be 25 feet tall and 10 feet deep.

Those two reasons alone were enough for God to have to rally them with the command. 

However, I believe He saved this particular charge for a deeper purpose. Although He would keep His promise of giving them the Land, His modus operandi of giving was not theirs. They had an important part to play in the conquest.

After hearing His instruction, the children of Israel were to carry out every detail precisely as God said – such as silently marching around the 25 foot walled Jericho for a week, then yelling and blowing trumpets on the last day.

Then there was the time He gave the order to simply sing and praise Him, while standing by and watching, three allied forces annihilate themselves instead of attacking Israel as threatened.

Or another time, while being thoroughly outnumbered, again, He commanded them to merely break a bunch of clay pitchers and do some more hollering.

Or, and in my opinion, this being the crème-de-la-crème: on more than one occasion, God charged them to obtain favor from their enemies by “just” praying.

No wonder He saved, and repeated: “Be strong and of good courage.”

But what’s that got to do with us now?

The truth is God has given each of us a “Promised Land” – individually and collectively. And just because we don’t see the giants and fortified places with our physical eyes, does not mean they are any less real, dangerous, or formidable. Scripture speaks of us wrestling with evil and powerful forces. And it states clearly, the devil is like a roaring lion and thief desiring to devour, rob and destroy the abundant life God promised.

But again, I believe God gives us the charge today, for the same deeper purpose He did Israel. Although the Land’s been given, God’s method of giving is not ours. We have an important part to play in the conquest, as well.

We also are to listen to God’s instruction then carry out every detail precisely as He says. And it may well be things like: silently marching, or breaking a bunch of pitchers, or singing and praising, then standing still and watching; or dare I say, “just” pray?

With commands like these and engaging an enemy we cannot see, it's no wonder we will have to present the same kind of muster.

So, “Be strong and of good courage.”

Oh yeah, and “… do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Good words then. Good words now.

And Yet, I Ponder This

 © Nancy Turley  

'Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.”   II Corinthians 4:6

“I would have despaired unless I had believed I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living." Psalm 27:13
       


My heart is rent for those who grieve for a lost spouse, for lost health, for a lost dream.
It aches for those who grasp for healing and find no present cure,
Who hunger for relief in spirit or body while the earth still spins,
Who mourn what cannot be recovered.

And yet, I ponder this:
       Those that have lost know more clearly what really matters.
       Those who cry deeply for their loved ones still celebrate their joy in heaven.
       Those in pain yet hold on to the hope of their calling by the heavenly Artist.

I question why some awaken to deep pain in the night,
How shadows steal rest or joy until they see morning light,
How life is taken unfairly by tongs of the unknown or evil.

And yet, I ponder this: 
     Those who know the Artist know He uses dark and light colors to accentuate truth,
     That melded colors of shadow and light blend together for good,
     That there is still hope for the future and meaning in the present.

I consider how the body ages despite the care one might take.
I ruminate on the “what ifs” of having had more time for a more balanced life.
I contemplate how life is bound to the clock marching forward. 

And yet, I ponder this:     
    That the heart and spirit can be renewed while bones lose density and skin wrinkles.
    That time is both chronos and kairos,
    That we can be lost in moments of joy when time does not beat nor the body decay.

I reflect on unanswered questions, unfilled potential and hearts longing to soar, I contemplate how some still hope while others despair.
I ponder the mystery of faith, those who glimpse that which can’t be seen,
Of those who still seek melody in the midst of a dissonant world.

  And I rejoice as I ponder this:     
      That we can rise as eagles when we rest in the brush strokes of the Artist,
      That there is truth in paradox: we grow in the dark and in dying we live.
      And that those who sing to the celestial Artist harmonize to an eternal beat.

What Is The Church?

It is more than a building of bricks and mortar;
    Much more than a gathering of people with similar interests.
        It is not a stagnant pool of ideas;
            Nor is it a wasteland void of intelligence.

The Church is a living organism.  
          In constant change while remaining rooted on one solid foundation:
   

Jesus Christ 

  










Just as Christ was hated, so people hate the church.

It is seen as an organized group of hypocritical, weak-minded, non-thinkers who use religion as a crutch to mystically explain the galaxy and justify the outcome of their existence.


While sitting in service on a recent Sunday morning, I began to look at those around me --

I saw the Brave - 
    Who have recently lost a baby
          And still are serving children in the nursery.

I saw the Strong -
     Who have seen marriages crumble
          And take time to feed a young widow.

I saw Professionals - 
     Who gave up careers to share Jesus
          And love people more than comfort.

I saw the Aged - 
     With achy bodies and facing the twilight of life
          And greet others with a smile and hug and words to encourage.

I saw hurting women, doubting men, struggling teens, questioning husbands, tired moms, weary travelers and seeking students.

I was surrounded by the broken, the struggling and the lost.    
There was sin and illness and pain;  anger issues, workaholics and recovering addicts.

And it was the most beautiful thing I have ever witnessed.

The church is not a refuge for the perfect from a fallen world.

It is a sanctuary for the struggling, striving, growing, forgiven followers of Christ.

It is a way-station for the weary travelers on life's road.

It is an emergency ward for those who are wounded both physically, emotionally and spiritually.

It is a school for those yearning to walk closer with God.

It is a place where Truth is tempered with Grace and Mercy.

Where hands are held and tears are shed and joys are shared.

Yes, the church is  full of hypocrites and sinners.

     But so much more ------

It is HOPE !

The Church is not perfect because it is filled with people.

People battling the hurt of a fallen world.

Imperfect people who need the HOPE of Jesus Christ.

May we be brave to be perfectly imperfect and love those around us with Christ's perfect love.  May we serve those in our community - at work, our neighbors and in our church.

How can you show Christ's love to the Church?

How can you serve those in the Church?

I Need a Clean Sweep

By Jill Palmer

I was driving past a storage place one time and the sign out front read "Too much stuff? Store it here. First month's rent is free!" 

My first thought was that I would give stuff away before I had to pay someone to store it for me. If you're moving that's different but I personally don't want to own more stuff then I can keep at my own house. Paying someone to store my junk doesn't make sense to me. And I don't know if you've noticed this or not but these storage facilities are going up everywhere! We live in a culture with so much extra. 

We find ourselves with extra things that need storing. We see the sign "first month free" and we find our solution! 

BUT THEN comes the sneaky part. As soon as that first month is over they start charging your credit card to pay rent on the unit. You see the charge on your card and say to yourself "I've got to go through that storage unit and get rid of stuff and not pay any more rent." 

And you do that for months....

As I was musing over that The Lord spoke to me and said that is what we do with our emotional junk. We aren't willing to part with old wounds, aren't willing to forgive, aren't wanting to let things go that we were never meant to carry. And so we store it. And the enemy tempts us and says it's okay...the first month is free! 

And it seems like such a good deal so we do it. "I'm mad at so and so and they don't deserve my kindness." We decide to hold onto something. And at first it's fine. No big deal. It's "free". 

Ya see, each of us has our own storage unit full of past hurts, unforgiveness and wounds. And every once in a while we are reminded that we are "paying" for them. Something happens that reminds us of what's in the "storage unit".  And we promise we'll deal with it soon so we don't have to keep on paying that rent. 

And we do that for months....or years...

See where this is going? This next picture might make you chuckle. 

Jesus wants to come in and help you clean out your storage unit. He wants to go through all that stuff that's been packed in there for years.  Sort through what is to keep and what is to dump. And He sticks with you throughout the whole process! It's like Clean Sweep! Remember that show on TLC several years ago?! 

He says in his word that His yoke is easy and His burden is light.  If you are feeling weighed down by the world then maybe it's time to let Jesus into your storage unit and help you clean it out. And stop paying the enemy to store your junk! 

Have you been paying the enemy to store your junk and saying to yourself "I'll get to it later"? How can you begin to take steps towards a "Clean Sweep"?

In All Circumstances

By Esther Belin

 Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.  ~ 1 Thess. 5:16-18 NIV

During a recent season of practicing this verse, I started reading The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom. This book was the perfect companion to this season because I was drawn to examine my circumstances. Corrie hid Jewish people in her home during World War II and later became a prisoner in a Nazi concentration camp. She lived in daily dread and constant pressure, yet she allowed her circumstances to reveal God’s power regardless of the times she had no idea how she was going to do what needed to be done. I have read several secular texts about the Jewish concentration camps that were grueling to read because they tended to focus on the evil of humanity (sin). Oddly, her memoir was a blessing to me because of her perspective to glorify God – which many times was prompted by her sister, Betsie. Rather than focusing on each set back, each moment of injustice, the sisters focused on God’s power for daily existence – truly living out 1 Thess. 5:16-18 – by being joyful always, praying continually and giving thanks in all circumstances.

This command is simple yet requires a consistent posture, an intentional effort to make fine-tune adjustments in order to hear from God so that you may do His will. I have the luxury of so many choices, so many ways to worship God/not worship God, to be focused/to be distracted. While I enjoy my freedom to choose, I also allow that freedom to become an agent for the enemy. I am ashamed to reveal how I reposition God to fit my choices. The result is an entanglement of exhaustive busyness – a “chasing after the wind” (Ecc. 1:14). The choice to follow Him requires a keen awareness to the tension needed for stretching my spiritual muscles. When I am “chasing after the wind” – my choice is to forego stretching and sag toward complacency, waywardness.

I am in wonderment of the delicate nature of being in God’s will. At one point in the book, Corrie and Betsie prayed a simple prayer giving thanks for their latest living quarters that included a swarm of fleas! At the time, Corrie’s heart was troubled to give thanks for a flea infestation, but she obeyed God’s command. Later, Corrie revealed how that horrible flea infestation created hours of opportunity to freely witness to others since their work station was so badly infested that even the guards dare not enter. While she and Betsie enjoyed a work detail free from the harsh watch of guards, they also were constantly flea-bitten! During this time of constant spiritual stretching, they were continually praying, giving thanks in all circumstances. The practice of continually exercising their spiritual muscles tapped them into Christ’s power to endure the emotional and physical torture.  

As Christ followers, I know we are not promised a life of ease; we are however able to stand on Christ’s promises – of new life, of provision, of perfect timing. I have been in the cycle of the whirl – chasing the wind – seeking a formula rather than seeking the One who can rescue me from this cycle. 

Corrie’s story is fantastical not because of the suffering but because of God’s presence in the midst of her suffering. Staying in the presence of God is doable yet when His presence involves long-suffering, meekness and temperance, I tend to seek more desirable fruits of the Spirit. I want the love, joy, peace. I want to pick my own basket of fruit! O, how I stumble – O, how I seek shelter under God’s veil of mercy. I tell God that I am His servant yet I balk and tug at the first sign of arduous tasks; I resist eating fruits of patience and self-control. I resist God’s sovereignty as the master gardener – the One who prunes, the One who holds the blueprints of my purpose.  

“He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit  he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful” (John 15:2).  

When doing a word study on this verse, I meditated on the difference between cutting off branches and pruning branches. The cutting off is generally done to branches that are withered and already dead perhaps never reaching their full potential. They are cut off from the vine to allow the remaining branches to bear fruit. Pruning is done to healthy fruit-bearing branches in order to continue the process of bearing more fruit. Both scenarios are part of the master gardener’s plan and both scenarios are painful.

Dear Readers, now when fruits of long-suffering, meekness and temperance are served to me, I fondly think of Corrie and Betsie – sweet sisters in Christ who I am looking forward to meeting one day in heaven – and quiet my soul to be joyful always, pray continually and give thanks in all circumstances.

What do you focus on during the process of pruning and cutting? Are you tempted to "pick your own fruit"?

You Are the One Jesus Loves

By Tiffany Bleger

I used to really dislike the Apostle John. 

There. I said it. 

I feel like lightning may come down at any moment. 

But I truly didn't. I struggled with his personality and character in the bible. I couldn't even stand to read the book of John more than the once a year prescribed by my reading plan. And, according to some Christians I know, that admission alone is cause to question my salvation. But I honestly didn't. 

However, like most lessons I've learned along this Christ-following journey, the reasons had far more to do with me than they did with poor John. 

When I became a Christian and began studying the Scriptures, I viewed the world through the lens of self-hatred. I saw absolutely nothing worthy of love in myself. And so, this "beloved disciple" and the "one Jesus loved" seemed arrogant and pretentious when viewed through my tainted lenses. What made him so special? Why did he get to be the one Jesus loved? Did that mean Jesus loved the other disciples less?

John's claims of love confirmed my performance-driven, self-loathing, flawed view of God. In my mind, there was a sliding scale of His love. People like John and King David (check out his deathbed confession in 2 Samuel 23:1) were at the top. Those were the people God truly loved. Those were the people God enjoyed. 

In the middle were most everybody else - the people who seemed to have it all together at church. The people who smiled and prayed and hugged and didn't seem to be faking it. 

Further down were the people who struggled with addictions and sins, but were truly repentant and trying to make an honest go of it. 

Even further were those who didn't love God, who hadn't accepted Him or who had flat-out rejected Him. 

Finally, at the very bottom, was me. I was loved only because the verse says, "For God so loved the world..." If He didn't love me, He would have been a liar. But, beyond that, I could see no reason why He would choose to love me.

But, ever so slowly, God began to change my lenses. He began to show me how He loves me, not because He had to, but because He wants to. He began to remove the self-loathing, the performance-driven fear. For the first time, I began to understand that love. And I began to see John through a new light. 

"The disciple Jesus loved" wasn't arrogant or pretentious, he was filled with a holy confidence. He had looked into the eyes of Jesus and received the love that was never forced. He intimately knew the sacrifice and love that had been poured out for him on Calvary. 

He knew what his identity, his "title" had cost him. 

John chose to describe himself as beloved because that title was precious. It was costly. It was worth honor. 

Do you see where I'm going with this, dear sister? Do you see that this is you? Perhaps you are like I was, drowning in the sea of self-hatred. Are you jealous of those who seem safe on the boat? Do you see the lifeline, the love, being offered to you? And are you willing to let go of those stones, those lies, so that you can hold on to love with everything you have?

You are the one Jesus loves. You are the beloved disciple. You can walk in the same holy confidence as John and David, secure in the knowledge that you are intimately loved and treasured by the Creator of the Universe. But that is not a title anyone else can give you. That is the title you choose for yourself.  

Can you believe this for yourself? What has kept you from knowing how much you are loved?

Stand

By Kim Beach

  “Stand on your feet.”  

                                                             Daniel 10:10

I am a soldier. I am part of an eternal army. The Commander says, "Go!" I go.  And when He says,"Stand," I also obey. 

Standing gets wearisome. My muscles ache for action. The sword gets heavy. My biceps long to stretch out and lash the air. My thighs struggle against the weight of my body, longing to spring into action and sprint into battle.   

The small of my back seeks to stretch, bend, push against the weight of the world. My arms quiver under the weight of the shield. The helmet of truth is hot and heavy and my tongue pushes against my teeth, longing to shout out in a righteous war cry. My feet are wrapped in readiness to run into battle.

But I stand. Fully dressed. As the Commander as decreed in the Battle Plan of Ephesians 6:13, I take my stand.  

Silent. Fighting against my will. My flesh. Battling the very nature that the Commander has placed in me; He requires self control.  

The enemy roars.

From his battle line he paces, spewing vile defamation. Accusations. Curses against my leader. Baiting me to battle.

I stand.

The enemy draws closer. I can feel his spit on my brow as in desperation he curses me.

I do not move.

The enemy begins to tremble. The tried-and-tested tactics of the Bully do not work. I am not baited.

I wait for the Battle Commander to blow his trumpet! With sweat in my eyes, the iron taste of blood on my tongue, muscles primed to strike, I wait for the enemy to draw near.

For the Commander is nearer still. And His whisper is greater than the shouts of the accuser.  

Nothing frightens the enemy more than an army he cannot predict, manipulate or conjole.

I stand. Ready. The enemy will be defeated in the timing, on the day the Commander decrees if I obey His battle plan.

The enemy I fight most resides in my helmet - my mind. That tells me I am alone. Everyone else has fled. No one stands with me. My vision is obscured from my helmet but I dare not look left or right. I steady my mind with this firm resolve - I will not run from battle nor will I run before I am called.

I am a soldier in the army of the my Lord. I do not stand alone.  

He stands with me.

Getting Burned

By Tiffany Bleger

Recently I spent the better part of the day burning a slash pile on our property. For those who are unfamiliar with country life, a slash pile is a big pile of dead branches, sticks, leaves, grass clippings, etc.  It looks something like this:

For my naturally introverted self, it was a great day. Almost 7 hours of virtually uninterrupted alone time. It gave me lots of time to sit and think. To ask Father questions and be able to wait for the answer. 

It is fascinating for me to sit in front of a fire. I love watching what starts as a tiny flame...

... quickly turning into a raging inferno. 

I can stare at a fire for hours. The beauty and simplicity of the flames. The ease with which fire consumes everything in its path. The tenacity and determination to push through obstacles. Eventually, everything a fire touches will be reduced to ash. 

Many times throughout that day, the fire was simply too hot for me to approach. The sheer heat of the inferno would cause my skin to redden and burn if I got too close. It gave me a new appreciation for the story of Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, and the blazing furnace from Daniel 3, that's for sure!

So what, you may ask, did Father have to say to me that day? Well, as it turns out, He taught me about gold. Did you know that the average temperature of a wood bonfire, like mine, is about 1,100 degrees Celsius? And that the melting point of gold is 1,064 degrees Celsius? This means that the fire I could not approach without getting burned would have melted gold had I thrown any in. 

Do you know why gold is melted?  When gold ore comes out of the mine, the gold is embedded in other rocks and minerals. It looks much like this:

(This picture is actually iron pyrite, also knows fool's gold. But it looks incredibly similar, almost indiscernible, to gold when it comes out of the earth in its ore form.) 

The only way to get the gold by itself is to melt it down. Melting the gold down into its liquid form allows all impurities and other minerals to separate from the gold. Once the gold has gone through the intense heat of the flame, it is left in its purest form. 

Do you see where I'm going with this yet?

You are that gold, dear sister. You are a treasure, a precious metal in the eyes of your Father. But you have come out of this world (the mine) with covered in junk. Covered in the impurities and scars that a broken and fallen world will leave. And you can choose to remain that way, if you want, but your Father wants so much more for you. He wants you to shine like gold was always created to shine. 

I did not leave that slash pile the entire day. I watched it, carefully. By my side were the tools I needed to keep the fire in check. I wanted it to burn, and burn hot, but I never let the flames get too high, nor did I let the fire escape the boundary I designed. There is a purpose to fire and it is healthy when kept in its place. 

Father will do that for you. You may be in the fire right now, you may have just come out of the fire, or you may not be anywhere close to the flame. But, I can guarantee that we will all be in it at some point. Are you willing to let Him turn up the heat?  Are you willing to trust that He is constantly watching the fire, tending the border and keeping the flames in their rightful place?  Are you willing to let Him burn away the impurities? 

Know, dear sister, that He will not leave you in that liquid state. He will not burn off the impurities and then forget about you. Once the gold has been melted and the impurities removed, the goldsmith pours the liquid gold into a mold of his own design. You see, gold cannot be molded unless it has been melted. If you allow Father to melt you, He will mold you, and you will come out of it looking more and more like Him. 

There is Power in Vulnerability

By Jen Kline

I am writing today about this word because I believe it is about to change my life. Let me explain.

Growing up it has always been very hard for me to be vulnerable. At some point in my childhood I made a decision that the world around me was not safe and that I needed to protect myself. Protecting myself meant I could not be vulnerable, especially around people. So for years I found ways to avoid being in a place of vulnerability.

I would ignore conflict. I would suppress feelings. I would avoid certain relationships. I would distract myself with being busy and producing and being very involved in anything I could get my hands on. I worked hard and often. I filled my social schedule with anything I could put in it. I did everything big. I even filled the air with my own voice, talking so much in the hopes I could drown out anything that would tell me it was OK to slow down enough to be in a vulnerable place. Sounds exhausting doesn’t it? Well, it was, but let me tell you that what I did as a child and the things I did to protect myself were healthy for me. It was a natural way for me to process all that was happening around me and I’m thankful for it. But 43 years later, it’s exhausting. I’m done. Cashed in. I can’t do it anymore.

This is a new season of facing the vulnerable parts of who I am and this life I have and it’s time to move forward in a way that is good for me. In a way that is real to the people around me and in a way that is honest about my journey with God.

With this journey I am on The Lord is revealing so much to me as I’ve slowed down. He’s spoken beautiful things, brought back precious memories and allowed me to feel a wide range of feelings I was avoiding for all of these years. Often when I am in this place I look to Jesus to see His response to the very human things we deal with, the very hard things on this earth. And I had this thought; When I watched my husband play Jesus in The River Church’s production of The Passion Play, the hardest part of that story for me was when Jesus the Creator of heaven and earth is standing before Pilate and every one is yelling at Him and there is this question as to whether or not they should pick Barabas or Jesus.

My heart aches at this moment every single time. I’m thinking to myself, JESUS! You are GOD! Stand UP! Fight! Do some kind of amazing miracle to save You from this awful fate. Stop them. Change their minds… yell at them! Hit them, run away, and tell them why they are wrong. Tell them who you ARE! Do whatever you have to do to defend Yourself! But He doesn’t. He actually never does. He’s vulnerable. One thing I know about Jesus is His absolute confidence and connectedness to the Father. And I realize the two ingredients Jesus had to always be in a place of vulnerability.

The first is that He was never ashamed of Who He was or what He was there to do. He was present in every moment on earth. He wasn’t distracted or confused. He knew exactly why He was healing, speaking against the Pharisees, challenging the law, and doing things on Sabbath days. He had no shame.

The second is that He knew He was not alone. Even when He begged God to take this cup from Him I believe He knew that God was with Him. He was fully aware of God's presence with Him each and every moment.

If there is power in vulnerability, imagine what that would look like in our families, in our friendships, in our relationships with friends. What if our language and our conversations with our kids were more compassionate and vulnerable? What if we could actually tell our kids that we were having a hard time feeling some emotions, or even cried in front of them? What if we told our husbands the parts of our hearts we’ve been hiding? What if we could tell our friends that we are having a hard time with our finances or that the thing they said to us the other day hurt us? How would we impact each other? How could we impact our community? We wouldn’t have to win all the time; we wouldn’t desire so much control over other people. We could “name” what we were struggling with and let people know what we are about to say to them is very hard and difficult to our hearts. We could listen and we could love people despite their inability to know how to love us well.

It would change our lives.

It wouldn’t make life easier, but I believe that as we really pay attention to the sadness and the difficulties, we would also experience a richer, more vibrant joy in powerful vulnerability.

Testimony Tuesday - Pressing on Towards the Goal

My husband and I are on staff with a non-profit ministry, which means we’re responsible for raising our own financial support team. We also can’t report to our ministry assignment until we’re fully funded. 

No big deal—I thought we would crush it in six months or less and get back to our lives.

Well, here we are over a year and a half later and we still haven’t “crushed it”.
Sometimes it feels like it’s crushed us.

As newlyweds, we’ve had to sacrifice having our own place and having the freedom in that to learn how to be a married couple. Continually traveling for our job, we found ourselves always being a guest in someone else’s home—for days, weeks, months at a time—sleeping wherever people would let us, from an air mattress or a couch in someone’s living room to a whole guest suite in someone’s basement. In either case, it’s hard to explore the ins and outs of marriage and intentionally pour into it when we’re trying to be respectful of someone else’s space. Our marriage struggled because of it.
 
Add that to financial problems, and believe me we’ve had many. Where were we supposed to find the privacy and space to talk through and figure out how to manage our finances as a married couple? There were many times our bills (forget about normal expenses like groceries and gas) far exceeded our income. [Spoiler alert: God provided!] It was stressful to say the least. I could be working a “normal” job and maybe not be in this situation.

We also found that some of the community around us who we hoped would encourage us were actually the ones who discouraged us the most. Instead of pushing us forward towards our goal, they suggested that full-time ministry was pre-mature for us. Ouch! 

But still we press forward. Why? Because this is what God has called us to. These struggles won’t last forever. They’re temporary, but necessary steps as we’re obedient to the Lord. It’s so helpful to have that perspective—it’s a game changer.

Sometimes, it is only our confidence in this calling that keeps us pressing forward. If we weren’t confident, several people would have talked us out of it by now. But God is good and He’s brought people into our lives who have encouraged us and poured life into us when we needed it most.

The value of friends that stick with us and lift us up in times of need far exceeds any earthly treasure. They’ve rejoiced with us in our blessings, and they’ve cried out for us in our hurts. They encourage us daily and remind us of God’s amazing plan and provision. How could we not press on with such an amazing community cheering us on?

Resting in who God is and His character also helps in times of struggle and enduring.

There’s this amazing story in Ezra about the Israelites rebuilding the temple for the Lord. This is no small thing. It’s extravagant with gold and silver and lots of detail. Where did they get all these resources to build it? In Ezra 6 the King of Persia issued a decree that the costs were to be paid by the royal treasury!
 
Let the temple be rebuilt as a place to present sacrifices, and let is foundations be laid…The costs are to be paid by the royal treasury. Also, the gold and silver articles of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, are to be returned to their places in the temple in Jerusalem; they are to be deposited in the house of God. Ezra 6:3-5 

Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” That means the same God who provided for the Israelites to rebuild His temple is the same God who not only provides our financial support, but for all my needs. And He has! And He is still providing! That’s amazing! That’s worth enduring for.

Even though we’re not finished yet, encouraging community, God’s unchanging character, and His Word has kept us going and continues to do so.

Testimony Tuesday - The Tiny Details

Some days it’s in the tiny details!

How do you pick just one thing to give testimony from when there are MONTHS filled with so much. Today I was reminded of the tiny details of our lives and how much Our Father loves us and wants us to Love and Trust Him.

The past few weeks have been truly unique. Learning to listen and respond to God’s voice. Some things are big and important. Others are small and simple like what and when to eat, what way to go home, and the reason for this story - what to wear. In most instances the reason is clear by the end of the day.

It’s February in Durango and warm layers are my norm, Long John's, jeans, layers, boots, etc. I am ALWAYS cold and can curl up in a blanket on a 90* day. This morning, like many of my mornings, the day started with quiet prayers about friends, family and of course wondering what His plan was as well. I get on about the morning and it’s time to pick out what the rest of the world sees me in. A sleeveless tank top with a cardigan is the direction I was sent… really, this is what we are going with?!?! Ok. Fine. Did you [God] remember that it’s winter out there?











Well out the door I went, grabbing a warmer jacket to keep in the car just in case. Can you believe that as the day progressed not only did the jacket never leave my car, but on a walk on the river trail off came my scarf and cardigan? It turned out to be warm, sunny and I was grateful to be in that sleeveless tank top.

Now to the revelation of this simple thing. I was reminded for the umpteenth time; “why are you having trouble trusting me? You know in your head and even deep down in your heart that I will take care of you.” 

Now there was need for a scripture search and this is the one that kept coming to mind along the river trail this warm sunny February day.

Matthew 6:25-34 (NIV)
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[e]?

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

All that to be said, I’m learning to trust in the small things. Daily growing and learning to hear Our Fathers voice and how He chooses to reveal Himself in the tiny details of my life. Simple things like “wear a tank top in February” and actually choosing to listen.

Are you willing to learn how He speaks to you and follow even in the tiny details?