Monday, February 16, 2009

Encouragement, Connections, and Divine Timing

I had a wonderful time with CB last Wednesday! I’d wanted to help her with her Wednesday food delivery for a while, and God worked it out so I could join her. She picks up food from Food Lion that would otherwise be thrown away, then drives through poor neighborhoods and lets people take what they need from her trunk. I had such a great time meeting everyone she serves—I think I was more blessed than the people receiving the food! I plan to help her every other Wednesday as I can so I can bless her ministry and be blessed in the process.

Last Wednesday night, after I posted my journal entry, a thought crossed my mind: “I wonder if anyone is even reading this?” Then came another: “Why am I even doing this?” But I was tired and didn’t dwell on it. The next morning, I got an encouraging email from a fellow “Simple Church” sister that began with, “Linda, your blog is absolutely inspiring!...” Wow, Lord—you even care about those fleeting thoughts that cross my mind! She went on to share about her own walk with You and how faithful You’ve been to her. The timing was perfect. It was as if You were saying, “Yes, people are reading, and they’re encouraged and inspired—so keep writing.” Thank You, Lord, for Your quick and tender answers.

Then, Thursday morning, I got a call from another new woman who was referred to me! I love what You’re doing, Lord, and I pray for strength and energy to minister to each woman You bring my way. I’m meeting with her this week, and she’ll likely join our Thursday night group as we start a new study—Lies Women Believe: And the Truth that Sets Them Free by Nancy Leigh DeMoss. I went through it last year and loved it, so I’m excited to do it again with the group.

On Saturday, I felt a bit discombobulated. I wanted to work out, but the weather report said rain, and I wasn’t sure how much exercise was wise during my fast. I went back and forth all morning and ended up not working out at all, which left me feeling “off.” Thankfully, I had plans to meet a couple of friends at Panera, and by the time we’d finished talking about the Lord and His awesomeness, my spirit was lifted.

That evening, Tom and I went to C and A’s house for a Valentine’s Day “dinner and worship night.” One of the couples there was the same pair that CA referred us to last year about our “couples retreat” vision—they run a ministry called Job’s Retreat! I never called them last year because we weren’t sure what God was doing with us or the house, but how amazing that He brought them to us now!

As we were all sharing about what God is doing in our lives, I could barely stay in my seat when I realized who they were. When it was our turn to share, I told them about the vision God gave us for a couples retreat. They were so excited! They said God had provided them with the opportunity to build a new house specifically for their retreat center, and they offered to let us use it once it’s finished. Wow, Lord—you really do weave everything together perfectly. Help us not to run ahead of You, but to wait on Your perfect timing.

February 16
The Inspiration of Spiritual Initiative
Ephesians 5:14: “for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: "Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."
Not all initiative, the willingness to take the first step, is inspired by God. Someone may say to you, "Get up and get going! Take your reluctance by the throat and throw it overboard --- just do what needs to be done!" That is what we mean by ordinary human initiative. But when the Spirit of God comes to us and says, in effect, "Get up and get going," suddenly we find that the initiative is inspired.

We all have many dreams and aspirations when we are young, but sooner or later we realize we have no power to accomplish them. We cannot do the things we long to do, so our tendency is to think of our dreams and aspirations as dead. But God comes and says to us, "Arise from the dead . . . ." When God sends His inspiration, it comes to us with such miraculous power that we are able to "arise from the dead" and do the impossible. The remarkable thing about spiritual initiative is that the life and power comes after we "get up and get going." God does not give us overcoming life --- He gives us life as we overcome. When the inspiration of God comes, and He says, "Arise from the dead . . . ," we have to get ourselves up; God will not lift us up. Our Lord said to the man with the withered hand, "Stretch out your hand" (Mat_12:13). As soon as the man did so, his hand was healed. But he had to take the initiative. If we will take the initiative to overcome, we will find that we have the inspiration of God, because He immediately gives us the power of life.

Today is E’s birthday, though we celebrated yesterday as a family. She wanted to take the kids bowling, so we had such a fun time watching them bowl for the first time in a real alley instead of on the Wii! I think she enjoyed the day, though it was bittersweet with Rob gone and A not there. I was glad Tom and I could be with her, though I wish I could’ve done even more. She loved her birthday calendar, though—thank You, Lord, for that small joy.

Lord, I pray You’ll be her companion and her strength during this difficult time while her husband is away and her brother is finding his way.