This week has been FULL of surprises and trials….The past two weeks we have had at least 3 days with appointments each…and I was hoping it might be a quiet week…there was nothing scheduled on the calendar! I guess for a reason, right? Lewis fell from the monkey bars and fractured his wrist…and has strep…Hannah has hand, foot, and mouth–which we found out at our 7 hour trip to the hospital yesterday…and thankfully, Emma’s hemangioma probably won’t grow too much more, and might even eventually go away. The trip to the hospital was for Emma to see a dermatologist…but Hannah looked like she was going to barf…and had a high fever (104…highest any of my kids have ever had!)…so off to the ER we went…from the derm. department… I was thankful to get Hannah seen and hopefully properly diagnosed…there are no blisters on her hands or feet or bottom…but it did make me feel at peace having her looked at. She did not favor her strep swab very well and threw up all over the both of us. At least we found out she does not have strep like her brother. Now, if I can keep my strep child away from my hand, foot, and mouth child, and keep both of them away from Emma…and keep Lewis SAFE…!
God provided in SO many ways…a wonderful team of nurses and doctors to help, a friend who came over two days in a row–actually my sweet mentor Julie! She has adopted us and we are happily receiving her as our very own (young) “grandma.” People prayed and God mercifully answered those prayers once again. Hannah even woke up with a smile on her face this morning–a tangible answer to prayer!
Julie is so amazing to me…she is the first person I talked to at PWOC the first week we arrived here….she told me firmly to not rest in my identity, but instead on Christ’s. And the other day she showed me so many Scripture verses that talk about Christ IN me. It is rich and deep Scripture and so hard for me to fully grasp…but I know it is important and exactly what God has for me to understand right now. Today, we talked about “permission to fail.” I spend so many of my moments in everything trying to be “perfectly obedient.” Not that I think I can…but I want to–“be perfect as my father is perfect.” I want to please God and have an obedient spirit. I am thankful for the reminder that I have permission to fail. 🙂 And to know that life is GOING to be chaotic sometimes.
I love that as I surrender all of me and fully know that God desires to work through me–not only to have that intimate relationship (this is the part I love the most)…but to do wonderful works through me for His kingdom…that HE shines brightly through me. It is Christ IN me…the hope of glory. Oh, how I love this. This is so beautiful and POWERFUL. I pray I can surrender every part of my heart that He might shine in us….that we might shine like stars in the universe…to a world of darkness. We were called out of darkness…into Him…to SHINE right back to the world in which we were saved from. He desires ALL to be saved…to be His very own Children to share in His inheritance. What a loving God we serve.
I love my mentor and I love how God has carried me through these weeks. He is giving us more endurance…more patience…is growing our limits.
How much more intimate a God can we serve than the one who resides IN US?
Walking in Faith 