Friday, October 6, 2006
Well, this week has certainly been a test. I feel like we are making so little progress on any front. We still don’t have a house or Pamela’s suitcase. Today, when I spoke with the baggage-handling department at the airport, they said that the suitcase that they thought was Pamela’s actually belonged to someone else. I have no idea whether or not to believe this report because we could not confirm the accuracy with British Airways. British Airways is closed on Tuesdays and Thursdays here and hopefully we can find out more tomorrow. It has been over 4 weeks without her bag. Their maximum payment for lost luggage is $670, and she has well over $1000 worth of stuff in it. Additionally, you can’t get much of anything here that she had in her bag. It was very depressing news, and we can only hope that it was inaccurate. However, when they supposedly found it almost 2 weeks ago and we still don’t have it, it is hard not to wonder. (we just returned from British Airways and they are telling us the bag is missing)
On the housing front, we can only wait on God. We do not believe that we are supposed to take any of the houses that we have seen because they are either too expensive, in poor condition, or too far away. God keeps speaking to both of us to “wait upon Him”. It has been God’s pattern in our lives to come through at the last possible moment in ways that can only be explained as being from Him. We are reminded of the children of Israel when they left Egypt. They had just observed the plagues, had the Egyptians lavish them with gifts as they left, and even seen Pharaoh finally agree to let them go after the Passover. As they are trapped between the Red Sea and Pharaoh’s army, they cry out that God has lead them in the wilderness to kill them. They forget all the miraculous things that God has accomplished in the days leading up to this moment, and lost their faith in Him. Yet, God remains faithful and commands the people to be still and silent and watch His work. We are at that same point. God has done amazing things to get us to this point, but we now feel desperate for deliverance. Our container will be released in the next few days and we have nowhere to put the contents. We really don’t have a good place to put the container, either, even if we decided to purchase it (which I don’t want to do because it is so expensive and would require two moves). Our time in the guesthouse is running out, and we are sooooooo ready for a home. Yet, we need to wait upon Him. Everything in our flesh wants to run out and take the best house available, or to spend every waking moment hunting and searching. God promises that if we leave mother and father or brother and sister to follow Him that He will take care of our needs (Matthew 19:29). We believe that He is going to provide for us in a way that glorifies Him and demonstrates his marvelous provision. Sometimes we wonder if we are being too picky, or missing Him. Yet, as we pray, we are in agreement that He is guiding us and giving us confidence to trust in Him. We need God to come through quickly if all of this is going to work out.
We are also praying that the agent that we have been working with will see God. His name is Richard and we have prayed while he was with us for God to lead and provide. We were able to talk with him some today about our faith, as well as his belief in God. I don’t think that he is a Christian, but he is certainly open to talking about God. He needs the money that he would receive from a sales commission since he is helping send his sisters to school because his father died. He has been with us a lot and knows all that we are facing and going through. We want Richard, our sons, and even the students to see God’s provision. When we left Florida, God did things that even non-Christians declared to be the work of God. We desire that He do the same thing here, so that we can “sing a new song” of His great works…all for His glory.
As I was reading scripture this morning, I returned to the passage in Exodus 14 when God parts the Red Sea. I was reminded that when they felt trapped by the sea, that God had instructed Moses to take them to that very spot so that Pharaoh would see them “trapped” and pursue them. We are exactly in the place where God has lead us and He will have to lead us out. We are not to worry about our material needs, for God has promised to provide. “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matt 6: 33-34).
Psalm 66: 10-12
For you have tried us O God; You have refined us as silver is refined. You have brought us into the net; You laid an oppressive burden upon our loins. You made men ride over our heads; We went through fire and through water, Yet you brought us into a place of abundance.
We are looking to God to deliver us from this time of refining into a place of abundance in Him.
Well, this week has certainly been a test. I feel like we are making so little progress on any front. We still don’t have a house or Pamela’s suitcase. Today, when I spoke with the baggage-handling department at the airport, they said that the suitcase that they thought was Pamela’s actually belonged to someone else. I have no idea whether or not to believe this report because we could not confirm the accuracy with British Airways. British Airways is closed on Tuesdays and Thursdays here and hopefully we can find out more tomorrow. It has been over 4 weeks without her bag. Their maximum payment for lost luggage is $670, and she has well over $1000 worth of stuff in it. Additionally, you can’t get much of anything here that she had in her bag. It was very depressing news, and we can only hope that it was inaccurate. However, when they supposedly found it almost 2 weeks ago and we still don’t have it, it is hard not to wonder. (we just returned from British Airways and they are telling us the bag is missing)
On the housing front, we can only wait on God. We do not believe that we are supposed to take any of the houses that we have seen because they are either too expensive, in poor condition, or too far away. God keeps speaking to both of us to “wait upon Him”. It has been God’s pattern in our lives to come through at the last possible moment in ways that can only be explained as being from Him. We are reminded of the children of Israel when they left Egypt. They had just observed the plagues, had the Egyptians lavish them with gifts as they left, and even seen Pharaoh finally agree to let them go after the Passover. As they are trapped between the Red Sea and Pharaoh’s army, they cry out that God has lead them in the wilderness to kill them. They forget all the miraculous things that God has accomplished in the days leading up to this moment, and lost their faith in Him. Yet, God remains faithful and commands the people to be still and silent and watch His work. We are at that same point. God has done amazing things to get us to this point, but we now feel desperate for deliverance. Our container will be released in the next few days and we have nowhere to put the contents. We really don’t have a good place to put the container, either, even if we decided to purchase it (which I don’t want to do because it is so expensive and would require two moves). Our time in the guesthouse is running out, and we are sooooooo ready for a home. Yet, we need to wait upon Him. Everything in our flesh wants to run out and take the best house available, or to spend every waking moment hunting and searching. God promises that if we leave mother and father or brother and sister to follow Him that He will take care of our needs (Matthew 19:29). We believe that He is going to provide for us in a way that glorifies Him and demonstrates his marvelous provision. Sometimes we wonder if we are being too picky, or missing Him. Yet, as we pray, we are in agreement that He is guiding us and giving us confidence to trust in Him. We need God to come through quickly if all of this is going to work out.
We are also praying that the agent that we have been working with will see God. His name is Richard and we have prayed while he was with us for God to lead and provide. We were able to talk with him some today about our faith, as well as his belief in God. I don’t think that he is a Christian, but he is certainly open to talking about God. He needs the money that he would receive from a sales commission since he is helping send his sisters to school because his father died. He has been with us a lot and knows all that we are facing and going through. We want Richard, our sons, and even the students to see God’s provision. When we left Florida, God did things that even non-Christians declared to be the work of God. We desire that He do the same thing here, so that we can “sing a new song” of His great works…all for His glory.
As I was reading scripture this morning, I returned to the passage in Exodus 14 when God parts the Red Sea. I was reminded that when they felt trapped by the sea, that God had instructed Moses to take them to that very spot so that Pharaoh would see them “trapped” and pursue them. We are exactly in the place where God has lead us and He will have to lead us out. We are not to worry about our material needs, for God has promised to provide. “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matt 6: 33-34).
Psalm 66: 10-12
For you have tried us O God; You have refined us as silver is refined. You have brought us into the net; You laid an oppressive burden upon our loins. You made men ride over our heads; We went through fire and through water, Yet you brought us into a place of abundance.
We are looking to God to deliver us from this time of refining into a place of abundance in Him.
posted by Ironside Tribe at 5:22 AM
4 Comments:
Thanks for sharing the "gory" and the "glory" stories! May God bless you as you continue to obediently praise Him in all circumstances.
Good thing you had the training you did at SPLICE.
God is perfecting your faith.
At least you are on field. We'd love to be on field all ready.
We are praying for you.
Dear Ironsides,
It is so hard to hear of your troubles. As parents we want to "fix" it for you. Then we remember God is our refuge and strength; He alone is our rock and fortress. He will deliver you from
all these "troubles".
We are praying for you and praise
and thank Him in advance for all He is going to do in you and through you.
We love you and miss you, but are so thankful to have you where God desires you to be. Where He wants you is where we want you.
In Him Who is Love,
Mom and Dad
We have been working our way through Exodus in our chapel services out here at the Salvation Army seminary, and this past week we heard about Exodus 14 - the very passage you mentioned! It is a hard lesson to learn. One of the choruses we sang was:
"He is Able, more than able, to accomplish what concerns me today.
He is able, more than able, to handle anything that comes my way.
He is able, more than able, to do much more than I could ever dream!
He is able, more than able, to make me what he wants me to be."
God bless you!
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