A Heart Filled With Gratitude

I sit here today and I am amazed by my wonderful God. I know that He is here with me, and I am watching how great and sovereign He truly is. Reflecting over the past six months, and all the changes going on around me, has caused me to fall several times to my knees. Sometimes I am falling because I am completely in need of God’s grace and mercy. And at other times, I am falling to my knees in praise and admiration of the goodness of my heavenly father.

Through the need to sell my home, Skip’s transition to a new job, and my family’s distress over not being settled into our new life, God has caused me to realize more than ever that He is ultimately the only one in control of my life. I know after walking with God for many years that I should clearly have this understanding, but sadly I still need reminders.

My struggle with my home sell has led me to believe without a shadow of a doubt that God is up to something big. He has His best for me, and will allow my house to sell at the best possible time for the right price. I trust him to lead, and to show us exactly what we need to do. I am no longer praying for my specific desires, most likely because I don’t know what He knows, and what will be best. He knows my secret desires, and He will allow it to happen if it is going to bring Him honor and glory. I don’t want to settle for anything less.

Skip is doing absolutely great things at our new church. His creativity is in full gear, and that is a blessing that I prayed for him. He is establishing some great relationships, and growing in the friendships that he has already begun. I love to go by the church and visit with him and see how excited he gets when he shows me a new logo or video segment he has been working on with the guys. Vocally he is improving with each weekend. At our other church, he was rarely singing and playing, but now he is singing and leading every weekend. He has had some problems with damage on his vocal chords, and is taking Nexium to improve that situation. I am so honored each weekend as he leads the congregation in worshiping our Lord. There are some fabulous singers and musicians that give their time and gifts each week.

On a personal note, I just met with some ladies this week about leading a bible study in the fall. I didn’t even know if that was a possibility with me being new to the church. They have welcomed me with open arms, and have given me the privilege to select the study I want to lead. I started praying about it last week, and I feel like God is leading me to do two seven week studies(Angela Thomas’s A Beautiful Offering and Shaunti Feldhahn’s For Women Only). When I showed up to discuss my study ideas at the meeting, I found out the session time for the bible studies was already determined to be 14 weeks, and I had no clue, but God obviously did. I am doing fun studies, and topics I am familiar with since I’m not sure how busy I will be with moving, etc. I am so excited about meeting new ladies, and getting involved with the ministry at this church.

I would love for you in your prayer time to pray for one of our pastor’s. His name is Kim and he recently had surgery for colon cancer, and is now having complications with staph and an abscess in his stomach. I spoke with his wife Kay today, and this godly woman showed no fear or uneasiness for the future. She fully trusts the Lord with her husband’s life, and I stood in awe of her faith. She is one of those women that I am going to try to learn as much as I can from because this is a woman of excellence if I’ve ever met one.

I am coming to a close of my two week stay, and I feel like this house-sitting experience has been one of the biggest blessings I could have ever imagined. My kids are absolutely smitten by the puppies we’ve watched, and have made the best of friends with the neighbors. I have had time to read, entertain, and spend quality time with the hubby. Sounds like a vacation to me! In all these things, I Praise God!