Moving here has been one of the greatest challenges of my life. I know that we are where God has called us to be, so I know we will make it through this transition. There are days, however, that I wonder how we will make it through.
There are days here when…
-It is so hot that we sweat even when siting with a fan blowing directly on us.
-I walk to the store to get meat, only to have it spoil overnight in the fridge.
-I tire of picking bugs our of my flour, beans, sugar and rice.
-The power outages just add one more challenge to the day.
-Our water filter can’t keep up with how much water we drink.
-No matter how often we sweep the floors won’t stay clean.
-We go to cook dinner, only to find out we are out of propane
-We grieve because our family and friends are miles away.
Our life might be different from many, but I know that everyone has challenges that they face day to day. This week Becca (Joel’s sister) sent me this song and I feel like I own the words in it. It is what I cling to here day to day.
Gentle shepherd, Come and lead us,
For we need you to help us find our way,
Gentle shepherd, come and feed us,
For we need your strength from day to day
There’s no other, We can turn to, Who can help us face another day
Our friend Ryan Donovan recently preached about tasting and knowing that God is Good. It is amazing how in times of great trial, when all you have to cling to is the Lord how the Goodness of God becomes more real.
Sounds like you guys need a big hug. I’ll send the best I can via this note. Thank you for your posts. It is hard to imagine being so hot while we are beginning to burn our woodstove here in the Pacific Northwest. We pray for you often, and plain old perseverance in this initial phase is our main prayer. Keep up the good walk, for your labor in the Lord is not in vain. I think picking bugs out of the staples counts as labor in the Lord! Love, Toby and family