If It Please the King
We live in an age where the main focus is pleasing oneself. Slogans abound, encouraging people everywhere to do what makes them feel good, follow their hearts, and live on their own terms. Most people live this life looking out for number one, and as a result, many are miserable.
What if, instead, we lived our lives to please the Lord? What if we followed His leading and searched out His desires? What if we sought His will in each situation? Nehemiah, one of my favorite Bible characters, could help answer these questions.
Do You Believe in the Power of Prayer?
Do you believe in the power of prayer? Join me as we look at Acts 12, where a group of people were praying for Peter’s release from prison and how they responded when the answer to their prayers literally came and knocked on their door.
God Knows What We Need
Typically, when facing some form of difficulty in life, my default setting is to escape. If I don’t keep my mind occupied with something positive and light, I spiral into the dark abyss of negativity, anxiety, and depression. My preferred method of escape is reading. Not only can I learn new things and uncover valuable truths, but I can also journey into mysterious lands and lose myself in someone else’s story for a while.
Usually, this is the perfect thing to keep my mind still while allowing it to be entertained. However, my reading material over the past few weeks has brought me face-to-face with my inner struggle.
Hope for the Heavy Heart
Some of you have probably wondered where I’ve been and why I haven’t been writing. It’s quite a long story, so let me sum it up the best I can. In the past three weeks, our entire ministry team has been sick with the flu. Tennille and I finished preparing for and hosted the annual ladies’ retreat with nearly 60 ladies in attendance for the week. Jason celebrated his birthday. And we’ve been finding and setting up a new sponsorship in Wales after finding out that the church hosting us was told they no longer qualified. Yes, due to some weird changes in the wording of the laws regarding sponsorship, our sponsorship was revoked, making our visas invalid.
Doggie Days and Unmet Expectations
With the spring weather finally emerging here in Wales, Jason purchased and set up a two-seater swing for me to enjoy. I love spending time outdoors and curling up in a comfy place to read or write. After he set it up, Tess and I spent much of the day snuggled together in the plush swing. To say she was as excited about it as I would be an understatement. She loved it so much that she went outside by herself after lunch. When several minutes had passed, and she hadn’t returned, I went to check on her. Guess where she was. That rotten little thing was stretched out on the swing, enjoying the fresh air and sunshine. In her mind, she had a new outside bed. After enjoying more time outside as a family that evening, Jason and I removed the cushions from the swing and brought them inside to keep them dry during the next few days of rain.