Were in Louisiana!
We are settling in, learning the ropes, and how to get around.
The lakes, beaches, and humid air, make me feel a lot closer to home
Aly loves being outside and so do I. The last time we took her to the beach, she decided she really liked the taste of sand. The advice I had received from other moms was to let her taste and she can see it doesn't taste good, but not to my child, she licked every grain of sand of her tiny little fingers. So who knows how they digested or how "fiberous" they were for her, but she didn't not mind at all.
We have found a nice size townhouse, and the people in the church have really just blessed us and provided most of our "shabby chic" mismatch furniture :)
Oh this season of stretching, has been more than we have ever felt (financial, mentally, physically, relationally)
The greatest however has been financially. We had some savings that we were finding ourselves to be very dependent on, saying things like "well we have savings" instead of trusting in the Lord will make a way, and provide.
At the Louisiana district council last month, George Wood was the speaker and spoke on
Mark 4: 35 -41
Jesus says to the disciples let's cross to the other side of the lake. Jesus was sleeping, when a fierce storm came and was taking over the boat. The disciples woke him up shouting " teacher don't you care that we're going to drown?
Jesus woke up in verse 39 and rebuked the wind and the waves and everything stopped, there was a great calm.
In verse 40 he asks the disciples why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?
The disciples were terrified and asked themselves who is this man?, even the wind and waves obey him.
The first thing that the Lord spoke to my heart through this word was that He Said, We are going to cross to the other side of the lake.
He told them before he laid down, we're gonna cross over to the other side.
WHEN JESUS HAS TOLD YOU SOMETHING, REMEMBER IT, BELIEVE IN IT, AND TRUST IN HIM!
The Lord has called us to Sulphur, LA, for a direct assignment, to see a city and state changed by the Gospel. We don't see all the details, but we know the Lord said so clearly to come and our job is to remember what he said, and Trust in it!
We need to keep our focus on the word and not the circumstance in front of us.
Then the Lord revealed to me that his disciples were fisherman, a little rain storm wouldn't worry them, so this must have been a pretty serious storm that scared every little ounce of faith out of them that they ran running to Jesus, assuming he was wanting them all to drown (vs 38).
WHEN YOU FAITH IS VERY LITTLE DUE TO GETTING BEAT UP BY THE STORMS OF LIFE, REMEMBER WHAT JESUS SAID and THAT IS WHAT WILL GET YOU THROUGH!
My prayers haven't been fixed my circumstance, they have been enlarge my faith to see through the circumstance.
The circumstances can get you down if that's where your focus is, be careful even in your prayer life.
Your circumstances can be discouraging and hardly solid, so don't stand on your situation, stand on the promises, stand on the word that was given to you!
When Jesus woke up he took care of the winds and waves (the circumstance) right away, and then asked the disciples, why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?
Why are you afraid?, he's asking don't you remember what I said "we're gonna cross over the lake"
He doesn't tell us every detail we might face, but he assures us where we're going!
Do you still have no faith?
"Faith without works is dead, without faith in something, (a word, a dream, a promise from the Lord) you won't work for it, if you don't remember what it is!!
Keep it in the forefront of your mind so when situations arise, your got your word, you got your dream, you have your promise.
I don't feel Jesus was coming down on them, he was teaching them, preparing them for when he wouldn't be there in the flesh, that faith is trusting without seeing the whole picture.
In ministry and in life in general, SOMETIMES THE SEASONS YOU GO THROUGH AREN'T NECESSARILY JUST FOR YOU,
because the very next thing Jesus and the disciples faced as they crossed the lake was a demon possessed man who lived in the cemetery and couldn't even be restrained by shackles and chains. He was set free from all the demons that were inside him and it was a witness to the whole town.
You will face trials right before your breakthrough!!
The little discomfort Zac and I have experience through our budget shrinking and shrinking (emphasize the shrinking lol) and not having everything we want and being truly satisfied with what we need, is all worth it!
When a soul is saved, a soul is made right again, and the ones that are just learning about it all, its worth it.
Viewing ever opportunity as a chance for someone to get to know Jesus and having their lives be changes for eternity, is all worth our temporary discomfort.
The promise, the word, the dream you may have from the Lord is yours to go after, go after it with all the strength and faith you have and all that will increase as things come you way, but most importantly never forget what He has told you!
It takes faith to step out, but it takes trust to know God's got your back!
