Le Papillon

In the vast... deep blue ocean... miles, and miles from land, a rowboat. In the tiny rowboat, one man. The peaceful waters begin to brew. A tempest charges in over the waters. Rolling waves of water transform into walls and pound the boat like a cleaver on meat. The man, drenched to the bone, desperately fights to keep the rowboat afloat. Futility. He sits. He waits... resigned to his whatever is his fate. Only God can help him.

Have you ever felt like this ? Because this is how I feel in support discovery. Everything began peacefully, albeit in a much larger than me situation. Then things began to get rough and tough. I fought to keep going... fighting just to keep the boat afloat. To be honest I no longer even knew how to pray/what to pray for in it all. Silent, I depended on the groanings of the Spirit praying on my behalf (Romans 8:26). Finally, in weary frustration, I resigned myself to God. All of this : support discovery, Journey Corps, relationships, life, ministry... is beyond me. I can’t...

BUT... God CAN.

And He WILL. I Thessalonians 5:24 says, “He who has called you is faithful and he will do it” (italics mine). In Luke 18:27 Jesus says, “The things that are impossible with people are possible with God.”While the context is salvation, the fact is true all the same : God is in the business of the impossible. “...God is love” says I John 4:8. God is fully everything else as well (judge, mercy, grace etc.) but let us not forget that He is love. In the book “Heaven is for real” the little boy couldn’t stop telling his parentshow much Jesus loves His children to the point that the parents had to tell him they understood and to please stop saying that. I knew that He loved me before I heard this story and I know it should have hit me through Scripture. But for some reason that little boy’s testimony opened my eyes to see, to accept, to believe in a personal touch to the heart way, that God loves me. He loves me. He loves me. He loves me. He loves me. He loves me. He loves me. He loves me. He loves me. He. l-o-v-e-s. me. He loves YOU !!! He desires our best. So I should “count it all joy... whenever I face trials of many kinds, knowing that the testing of my faith develops perseverance. And perseverance must finish it’s work so that I may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2-4). Besides that, who am I ? A pile of dust. What made me ever think that I could anything ??? This is where God wants me... where He wants us : humility and complete dependance upon Him. So although I feel more like a leaf batted here and there by the wind than like I’m soaring on eagle’s wings, my heart nonetheless echos Charles Spurgeon who said, “I have learned to bless the waves that beat me against the Rock of Ages.” I am in God’s hands and there at peace.

I will post about my Northwest trip in several days.

Prayer : 1. For God’s guidance in prayer 2. Patience in trials 3. Open doors during June and August to share about France and the ministry 4. 50% supported by the end of June 5. For Rocky Mountain Bible Church’s financial support

Praises : 1. A great time in the Northwest reconnecting with family and friends and sharing the ministry at churches and with new acquaintances 2. The prayer and financial support that I received while here 3. New contacts and encouraging conversations (I have been so blessed hearing how God is working in other people’s lives) 4. A refreshing spiritual retreat in Tacoma at the end of my trip 5.God’s in control