What we are Learning

One of our goals for our year in the US was to re-charge our batteries and plug into resources to strengthen our marriage and family. The Lord has been very gracious to us, going above and beyond what we expected. We have had the privilege of really soaking up wonderful teaching from our church, plugging into Bible Studies and meetings with our pastoral staff, and reading great books. We also had the privilege of attending a 5 day spiritual retreat, sponsored by  Quiet Place Ministries, an organization that ministers to pastors and missionaries. We are still learning as we go what it means to truly rest in the Lord. Here are some things the Lord has been teaching us:

• Gratitude is so important. In the midst of hardship, we can choose to grumble and complain....or we can choose gratitude. Gratitude points us towards Christ - a much better choice than grumbling and focusing inwards at ourselves. Francis Schaeffer says, "When I lack proper contentment, either I have forgotten that God is God, or I have ceased to be submissive to Him. A quiet disposition and a heart giving thanks at any given moment is the real test of the extent to which we love God at the moment." 
• God's Math doesn't make sense. We don't know how or why - but at the end of every month we can look back and attest that God has not only provided for our needs, but has gone above and beyond in His graciousness to our family.
• Sometimes you just need to rest and let go. Coming from a pace of life that is intense and trying to pull away from a tendency to "do everything for everyone," we are trying to learn to find our security and significance in Christ and His love for us. It is hard sometimes, but good.
• There is truly power in prayer. Prayer is not just coming before the throne of God, making requests, but it begins to align our desires with what God has in mind for us.
• God is so much bigger and has so much more in store for us than we can ask or imagine. We are trying to pray with our hands wide open, knowing that God's plans for us are good, maybe even better than what we have in mind.

We are truly thankful this month.