Tuesday, May 15, 2012

A Dip

I read a great devotional last week.

One that really spoke to me, like it was written for me at just the right time. . .

Here goes.

There is usually a huge gap between the birth of a dream and the achievement of that dream. The question you have to ask yourself is whether it will be a fulfillment gap or a frustration gap. If it's a frustration gap you'll be miserable most of the days you're in it. And every day that you're frustrated instead of fulfilled, you lessen the odds that you'll be able to keep moving forward toward your dream. Author Seth Godin calls this gap between when you set out to do something and when you actually start to see significant results "the dip". The dip represent the adversity you must face, the learning curve you must go through, and the hard work you must be willing to invest between conception and realization. If the dip you are in seems to be a road without end, here are some Scriptures you need to stand on "Dont be impatient for the Lord to act! Kepp traveling steadily along his pathway and in due season he will honor you with every blessing." "Do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to perservere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised" (Heb 10:35-36) "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary but what is unseen is eternal (2 Cor 4:18). God has promised you more than just the fulfillment of your dream, He has promised joy in each step you take toward it.


Lord, Please forgive me of my frustration gap.
Please teach me how to be thankful, joyful, persistant, and patient during each "dip" of my journey.

Amen,
Amy



Thursday, May 3, 2012

May Day

May 1st

It started out as any other ordinary day.

Dave went to Fresno, California for one appointment, but had planned on taking making more stops.
We are trying to raise our budget for our assignment in Costa Rica, and because there are not enough Sundays in a calender year to visit with enough churches to be able to raise our support base, Dave makes alot of appointments to meet Pastors, Missions leaders, Sunday School teachers, ANYONE, who will sit still long enough for us to share our vision and the call God has given our family.

Dave does not get easily excited. He is pretty laid back, a go with the flow kinda of guy. He reacts the same if we have someone who pledges 5 a month or 500, just humbled, and blessed.

So when Dave said he was having a really good day, my intrest peaked. He had not made it to his appointment yet, but had stopped in a random church, and had an awesome meeting. Again, not the normal for Dave, so WOW, it must have been good. He and the person he met with had a very good connection, and then on his way out, he met the children's pastor, who had rememberd Maggi, after Dave had given him a prayer card. That guy was in charge of Maggi's missionary kid training this summer. (their family has become woven into our family from various different ways, but more on that later)

The random church ended up giving Dave a love offering, soemthing that they felt prompted to do.
What?


(OK so now Dave was excited, because God had prompted someone to give to our family just for stopping by). Other really good connections happened, and the missions pastor even ended up taking Dave for lunch.

Meanwhile, up here, the girls and I had a really good morning on the home school front. We have finished most of the core subjects that they needed, and so I can pretty much teach whatever I want. So we decided to get the map of Southeast Asia out, and link countries with the missionaries in that country. The girls and I loved that. We realized that we need to pray for countries that need a missionary to be called to that country.

Infact the girls loved it so much, we will be doing that for other areas and their missionaries.

Then the girls had voice and piano. This is new for us, this was our 3rd week in the lessons. We were connected with someone who leads praise and worship here in Roseville, and agreed to give us a very discoutned price to teach both girls. (we already felt blessed by that) but then we found out that someone wanted to Pay for the girls to take their lessons.

We are overwhelmed with His goodness, and how people respond to what the Lord is asking that person to do.

One of the girls had a small medical problem, so I asked our music teacher if he could recommend a physician, he said he would give me the name of a doctor that serves on the board of his church. So I called, but can't get in with him, but I could come and see their urgent care doctor. Not exactly what I was hoping, but we settled.

So we are at our appointment, and the girls tell them that we are going to be missionaries to Costa Rica. He asked me what denomination. I say, The Assemblies of God. He shook his head, and said, well then, I am going to give you the name of our mission's pastor here in Roseville, you call and see about coming by so we can start supporting you.

What?

Then we talk about what we will be doing, Community Health Evangilism, and that Dave and I both nurses, and he said, Well, three of the physicians here go to different Assemblies of God churches in the area, and lets stay in touch so that we can come down and help you when you get settled.

What?

We then finish our appointment, and he prays over my daughter. Prays that a miracle happens in her body, and that God will start writing beautiful things on the pages of her life, and that HE would use her life. . . for like 4 minutes he prayed over her.

WE WERE BLOWN AWAY.

So overwhelmed with blessings.

We talk with Dave and his day finished well, The appointment that was scheduled for that day, and the pastor he was supposed to meet, was the father of the children's pastor that recognized Maggi. So random right? That chilren's pastors' father and mother-in-law (did you follow that), support us, not only in prayer but financially, and did so becuase they wanted to support Rookie Missionaries. . . They are veteran missionaries in the Netherlands.j They have now for over a year. And someone else from that family gave us a gift basket when we were in their church in Las Vegas.

We finished our very good day, with thankful hearts.
And because Dave had left early that morning we read our devotion late. . .


"You are on the path of My choosing. There is no randomness about your life. Here and Now comprise the coordinates of your daily life. Most people let their moments slip through their fingers half-lived. They avoid the present by worrying about the future or longing for a better time and place. The forget that they are creatures who are subject to the limitations of time and space. They forget their Creator, who walks with them only in the present.
Every moment is alive with My glorious Presence, to those whose hearts are intimately connected with Mine. As you give yourself more and more to a life of constant communion with Me, you will find that you simply have no time for worry. Thus, you are freed to let my spirit direct your steps, enabling you to walk along the path of peace.



We don't have it all figuered out, every day is not like this day for our family, but God in His goodness, let our eyes see that on this day, our life was not random.