But God Meant it For Good

One of the girls had just washed the bus before this picture, hence the puddle and cleaner.

We should have known we were in for it right from the beginning.

When we tried to pull out of the pastor’s yard with our 38,000 pound bus, the huge rear tires dug huge pits into the mud, and the bus sank deeper and deeper into the holes.

We were stuck.

No problem, we thought.  We’ll get a tractor to pull us out.  It wasn’t until 5:30 that the tractor showed up, but thankfully the fella had no trouble at all getting us out, and soon we were on the road again. 

We drove for several uneventful hours through Nebraska , finally stopping at a Walmart.  My husband and I got out and instantly heard a piercing sssssssssss coming from the drive axles.  It was a huge air leak in our brakes and suspension system.  A quick glance at the bus told us that the vehicle was listing terribly to the right.

 

My husband decided that he could see the situation better by day, so we boondocked in the parking lot for the night, running our generator for power and relying on the 100 gallon water tank, which was probably only 50 gallons by now.

It’s times like these that I go to bed feeling so spoiled, since even a breakdown in the bus, unless it’s the generator, hardly makes a difference in my life processes.

So this morning, my husband declared that the bus could not be driven to our next destination, that we were going to need to have someone fix it.  Now, normally he does his own mechanic-ing, but the space he needed to get into was too small, and the bus needed to be put up on some sort of lift.  That’s not something we carry around with us.

Amazingly, the Lord directed my husband to call someone from his database that lives in this city to ask for a mechanic, and we were put in touch with the pastor of a church here.  I was doing my usual tasks when, before I knew it, My Beloved told me that the Lord had worked out a solution to our problem, and we were able to limp the bus over to a shop where it would be fixed.  Praise the Lord!

And if that wasn’t enough, the church very kindly put us up in a motel during the repair.  And if THAT wasn’t enough, the pastor asked us to sing, and gave my husband the opportunity to present our ministry and preach!! 

As we entered the church, My Beloved introduced us and told someone, “we’re really not supposed to be here.”

The lady replied, “Oh yes, you are!”  God knows why and how to direct His people. 

I’m just so glad to be in His service, so that then my troubles can be put to good use!

The devil meant it for evil, but God meant it for good.  Praise His Name!

Another Casualty...

We had some good meetings at a church near McConnel AFB. It is a blessing that these past three churches we’ve been in by military bases all want us to come back to help them establish ministries to reach the airmen. One of the main purposes for this trip through here has been to help establish a relationship with the churches, and present them with their options for reaching their local bases. Then, once they understand the possibilities and options, they can pray about it, and the Lord can touch the heart of someone in the church to work the base. It seems like a long, drawn out procedure, but it is necessary to establish a ministry that will last.

Meanwhile, there has been another casualty from the power surge we experienced the other week. Our back air conditioner bit the dust, which is very sad, because it for our bedroom. Our room is about eight feet wide, seven feet long, and the distance from floor to ceiling is about six feet, two inches, so it’s easy to feel claustrophobic. I don’t mind when the air is nice and cool, but when it gets stuffy and hot, it is virtually unbearable. This past Sunday, when it was time for the regularly scheduled Sunday afternoon nap, it had to have been at least one hundred degrees in there! I decided to move, and got into Lydia’s little cubbyhole, after setting up a myriad of fans to direct cool air back to the bedroom. Awhile later, after it had cooled down quite a bit, I checked to temperature, and it read, “90 degrees!”

Thankfully, on Monday, My Beloved took the front a/c, which we don’t use much but still works, and switched it with the back a/c. Whew! I was finally able to sleep Monday night!

Today, we are driving across Kansas. With the heat index somewhere around 105 degrees, I am praying that our generator and air conditioners keep up!

Verse for today: “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:8 We will always have hard times, setbacks, and trials, but our God is stronger than them all! It is not whether we can handle it, but can God handle it. I know He can!

Driving in the rain...

The Lord graciously provided, through the pastor of the church which had the errant wiring, a new printer and a CPAP machine for my hubby. Now the only thing that needs replaced is the battery charger, which we'll take care of in the next few days. We have determined that, praise God, the air conditioner and refrigerator are both OK! Thanks to those who prayed for us!

We arrived safely in OKC (Oklahoma City) last night, but not without blowing a tire on the trailer. The rain from Alex kinda dampened the tire rescue effort, so eventually it was determined that I would just drive the truck the rest of the way in to lighten the load on the trailer, since it still had three more good tires. Today, we will get a tire and a spare, too.

Strangely enough, when we arrived at the campground, we were unable to shut off the bus engine! We had heard of that happening, and it is not good - I guess these engines can take a fit of "running away" if the situation is just right. My Beloved pulled the battery cable, the fuel lines, and shut off every switch he could think of, and finally the engine starved of fuel and died. Whew! I have a saying, "If it's not one thing, it's another!" I guess that goes for our travels, for sure.

After we get these things squared away, we are heading out for Coffeyville, Kansas, where My Beloved is teaching Sunday School tomorrow morning, and preaching in the evening. Thanks for praying!

It's always interesting and encouraging to see how God will work out every situation we come across as we seek to serve Him. One thing's for sure: (Here's today's verse, folks) "...He is, and He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him!" (Hebrews 11:6) Praise Him in the sunshine, and in the rain as well!

With Opportunity Comes...

The Lord has so kindly blessed us with several open doors at some military bases already. There are folks burdened to reach the military, ready and trained at Dyess AFB in Abilene, as well as some near Shepherd AFB. (Shepherd is a training base, where approximately 1/2 of the Air Force comes through at some point in their career, so it's a very strategic location.) I am very thankful for these open doors!

But, with opportunity always comes adversity. Though our engine and generator did ok during the leg of the journey to Wichita Falls (a special thanks to those who prayed for us - it's not "healed" yet that we know of), we had some trouble when we plugged in to our destination. Apparently the church was wired incorrectly, and we ended up frying some of our appliances! :0 Our printer blew fire (didn't catch, though), and my husband's CPAP machine blew out. Our central air conditioner is not cooling very well, and our refrigerator may not be cooling well, either. Please continue to pray for us as we deal with this new "dilemma!"

Today's verse: "In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength..." (Isaiah 30:15) May the Lord give us the strength to do His Will, not our own, and to do it with confidence, knowing we are perfectly in the center of His Will!

The Wind is Not a River

“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” Romans
8:18

“This too shall pass…”

During the time of the second World War, there was an unusual mix of progress and antiquity in the Aleutian Islands. The native people had been learning the new ways, while still trying to retain some of the old ways of living off the land. It was a difficult time for many, and a precious old saying bore new meaning. For Sasan and her brother Sidak, newly orphaned and having just weathered a terrible storm, the meaning of the saying went even deeper.

…when Sidak mentioned he was hungry, Sasan put out on the table the smoked fish she had brought along. As they sat silently in the gathering darkness eating the fish, Sasan saw a look of sadness come over her brother’s face. She asked, ‘Do you remember what Grandmother always used to say when we were unhappy or in pain?’

“Yes,” Sidak answered, “she used to say, ‘The wind is not a river.’”

Sasan said, “Yes, it is true. The sadness we feel today, like the wind in the storm we just passed through, must also pass away.” As she said these words, she tried hard not to show the pain and sadness in her own heart.

---The Wind is not a River, by Arnold A. Griese

Sasan and Sidak were learning a truth we often need reminded of ourselves. The wind is not a river. Our difficulty and trials we go through here in this life will pass away, and be quickly forgotten in the joy and rapture of the wonders of Heaven. Our trials will one day pass.

In this life, also, we find that the trials of life are temporary. Not only in Heaven will the children of God realize the difficulties will not last forever, but we find that there is always light at the end of the tunnel, sunshine after the rain, and morning after midnight.

Recently, we had a number of problems with our motorhome. Actually, it was an unreal amount of problems! It seemed like everything that could go wrong, did go wrong. Everything that could break, broke! And then the motorhome got stuck in the sand, and sickness swept through the family. It seemed like just too much. But, almost as quickly as the troubles came, they passed. The ill ones recovered, a kind man (with a very big truck) pulled our motorhome out of the sand, and we were able to get almost all of the things fixed. Our problems passed.

Just as Sasan and Sidak remembered the words of their loving grandmother, let’s try to remember that our troubles, though they seem to be so vast and so difficult, will one day pass.

“The Wind is not a River.”

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

There is a time in each of our lives where we feel that we are completely overwhelmed with our responsibilities. You may feel swamped by life, but by turning your eyes on Jesus, things come into a better focus. Follow Anna as she makes some important decisions.

Anna slid out the door of her travel trailer, closing the door softly behind her. She walked across the church’s grass, away from the incessant sound of the trailer’s air conditioners, away from the noise of all the children, and away from the constant stream of work. The misty darkness perfectly fit her despondency.

She needed to be alone.

Walking over the church’s yard, she came to a tree and fingered its leaves. Anna was painfully aware that everywhere she looked was new and unfamiliar, and nothing she touched was hers. She thought of her husband’s ministry as an evangelist and remembered that only the day before they came to this church, and in two days they would leave for another one. Another week, another yard, she thought ruefully. Or maybe next week it will be a parking lot. She knew that many times, churches allowed them to hook up their travel trailer in the church parking lot. She was always thankful for the Lord’s provision, but sometimes the constant moving was hard.

The days were so very packed with travelling, school, meals, cleanup, and the ever-present laundry. It seemed to Anna that she was running as soon as her feet hit the floor every morning to the time she pulled them up into her bed late at night. Added to her family responsibilities were the perpetual pressures of ministry: the need to be a blessing everywhere they went. Anna so desired to be an encouragement to others, but sometimes, like tonight, she felt there was simply no more of her left to bless with.

Tears mingled with her prayers as she cried out to God for help and strength. For a long time, she stood by the fence in the church yard, looking out into the mist sending her burdens to the Lord. She winced as she remembered the words that a kind lady spoke to her earlier that day. “It seems to me that it must take someone special to do what you do,” she remarked, referring to Anna’s unusual lifestyle. Anna prayed, But God, I don’t know that I want to be special! All I wanted was to raise a family for You, with my house and a few animals on a ten-acre homestead! Glancing back at her silhouetted trailer, she thought of how very different life had become. She didn’t hate her life, she just wasn’t sure she had the strength to do it all.

She was reminded of her family, who were so precious to her. Soon her thoughts and prayers turned to thanksgiving, as she remembered her beloved husband and her many children. Thank You, God, for my family. Thank You for the many miles of safety. Thank you for saving me! Thank You for being so good to me! Before long, tears of thankfulness slid down her cheeks, mingling with her tears of frustration.

Like a gentle prod in her heart, an old saying crossed her mind: “If Jesus Christ is God and died for me, than no sacrifice could be too great for me to make for Him.” Anna remembered that Jesus had paid the ultimate price for her, and now she was His. God, she prayed, I’m not worthy to serve You. I’m not worthy to have these children, this family, this ministry. No, it is no sacrifice that I make for You. It is merely a yielding service. Please help me to yield to You. I am Yours.

The gentle nudge of the Holy Spirit led her on.

(3) Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.
(4) And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.
(5) Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
(6) O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.

Jer 18:3-6

Yes, Lord, her heart responded, You can do with me as this potter. You have every right to do with me what You Will.

Soon, another verse flooded her mind:

“Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?”

Quickly, Anna’s tender heart yielded to the promptings of the sweet Holy Spirit. Lord, if it is Your Will that I live this unusual lifestyle, then I am content to do that. I don’t really want to be ‘special,’ but if that’s Your Will for me, give me the strength to be what You want me to be. You have bought me with a price, and You can do what you will with Your own.

Peace filled her heart, and a joy she hadn’t had in a long time swept over her soul. Anna knew that the Lord would strengthen her to meet the daily demands of life on the road with a large family. With her trust in God, She understood that His loving-kindness would give her rest when she really needed it, for He takes care of His own.

“Oh, soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s light for a look at the Saviour,
And life more abundant and free.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His Wonderful Face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.”

What “Giving My Life to Christ” Means to Me

When I gave my life to the Lord, I took Him as my Master, and I became a servant. As a servant of the Master, I relinquished all my rights to have things my way, and committed myself to doing things His Way.

That means several things. First, it means that I will always have something meaningful to do. I will always have a work for the Lord to do that will have eternal results. My life here on this earth is not meaningless; it is full of purpose, for I am a servant to the King! He gives me something to do that will benefit myself and others around me, perhaps even an entire generation. Truly, working for God is a big thing.

Second, being His servant means that He will provide my needs. Just like an earthly master would give his servants jobs to do and meet their needs, my heavenly Master will meet my needs as well. The benefits of being a servant are things like good co-workers, good work environment, a “retirement plan” that’s out of this world, and health benefits. As I serve Him, I don’t have time, nor can I afford to have bitterness and its corresponding health problems.

There are some things I need to understand, however. Being a servant means that I have relinquished all rights to have things my way. I live in the home of God’s choosing, which right now happens to be a motor home. I live in the place of God’s choosing. My needs are provided as He wills, not necessarily as I will. My meals may not be steak and potatoes, but if He provides beans and rice, that is good for me, for I am His servant.

I realize that I relinquish the right to be treated the way I think I deserve. That means that, as a servant, I don’t have special privileges.

I also further realize that anything the Master sends my way is for my benefit and edification, even the trials and testing. Health problems, setbacks, financial straights, and breakdowns are all part of His plan. I am His servant, He can do with me what He Will and mold me into a better servant for Him as He sees fit.

Many times God uses offenders as agents of His Will, who, like sandpaper, rub off my rough edges. These people are those who I don’t understand, who I can’t seem to get along with, and who rub me the wrong way. God sends them to me for that express purpose, not that I would get mad at them and bitter, but that I would see them as His messenger to teach me some very valuable lessons of life.

I don’t have to worry when I get treated poorly, for I am a servant, and who treats servants like kings? My Master, however, blesses me abundantly. The richness of His love are poured out to me through His treasures of mercy. I am blessed beyond all measure! I have the best of His Plan for me, and I know I can enjoy His smile, which is brighter than the sunshine in my heart. Many times I feel like He loves me like I way His only child!

Why? Because I am His servant. I am His, and He is mine.