Faithful

This blog was written October 16, 2010

I cannot think of a non-redundant way to start this entry. God is so faithful! His power to restore is beyond description. As my previous entries attest to, life has not been easy as of late. Discouragement levels have been high and energy has been low. We’ve seen God at work in powerful ways, though. After an intense, emotional week, God blessed me with a beautiful, refreshing Sabbath. A good talk with Mom and Dad yesterday afternoon began rejuvenating process. Next, I wrote my previous blog entry, which was very therapeutic for me. Kim called that evening, which made my day and only served to boost my spirits even more. By the time Saganta (vespers) came around, I was feeling a joy and love for the kids and life here that I hadn’t felt in a long time. This morning was equally wonderful. During Sabbath school, Sarah and I began studying the book of Hosea. We were blown away by the reality that God’s call is not always easy and at times does not make sense, but that God is constant and will walk by our side through everything He calls us to do. We realized anew that we can only see a fragment of the massive plan God has for the world. Church was a blessing, as well. Although we couldn’t of course understand the service, Dejene (one of the boys) told us the passages that were being read so we could look them up. Through this translation, God gave me another gem. 1 Peter 4:12-13, 19. Look it up. Powerful! It never ceases to amaze me how God gives us what we need to get through our current struggles. A new week is rapidly approaching and the thought of teaching and working with the kids can still get overwhelming, but God has reminded me in major ways this weekend that I am in His hand and He will carry me through if I’ll cling to Him. As the sun sets this evening, my heart is full--full of joy, full of hope. Thank you all for your love, letters, and prayers! May God’s faithfulness be your strength and comfort through this new week…