Celebrations and Exaltations

Don’t you love when spring ushers in warmer sunshine and longer daylight hours?  Although, for some people even spring days seem like long, dark winter nights. The occasional glimpse of sunshine is barely enough to keep them going.

But even on those lonely days, there is something to celebrate.  A party may not be in order, but joy is possible if there is a diligent search for it. Every day gives us reasons for exaltations.

Last week’s blog post was about when the powerless pray. A youth pastor was struggling to survive in the hospital after open-heart surgery. He and his family have been walking through some exceedingly tough days. They discovered that this young man’s aorta was torn fifteen years ago after a car accident. The doctors were baffled how he has been walking around and living a full life all this time. When they went in to make the repair, the damaged portion literally crumbled in their hands.  The past fifteen years has been a miracle for this man. Want to hear another miracle? He is now at home recuperating and exalting his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Months ago, the pianist, Ms. Evelyn, in our church fell and broke her shoulder and arm. She is in her seventies and has been unable to care for herself.  Her passions in life are her music, cooking, and caring for others. Many days were filled with pain and discouragement. Some said they didn’t think she’d ever be strong enough to come back to church. Another person mentioned the impossibility of her ever being able to play the piano again. Last week, Ms. Evelyn came to church. This week, she played the piano.  Shedding joyful tears and sharing her testimony, Ms. Evelyn exalted her God.  

For years, a woman has been praying for the salvation of her brothers. Last week, while she and her husband were out of town, her youngest brother suddenly passed away after suffering a heart attack. Grief-stricken, she and her husband traveled a long, heart-broken road home. They clung tightly to their Shepherd even when it seemed all hope was lost. There is great sadness due to the loss of the loved brother. But tears of grief merge with tears of joy.

A pastor, who had been visiting the brother, shared how this lost sheep had found the Shepherd and had found peace before leaving this world. Even though hearts ache, there are exaltations lifted up to the Savior.

Hopefully, your day is sunny and bright. However, if circumstances find you in a dismal place—keep searching for the joy.  Look past the cobwebs of pain and discouragement. Peek inside every annoying crook and aggravating cranny. It’s there, but you will need to look to the Son to help you find it.

 

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes, the oil of joy
instead of mourning, and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. 

Isaiah 61:1-3

Miracle After Miracle After Miracle!

Miracle after miracle after miracle…that was what I witnessed last week. My daughter and I came in yesterday from a ten day mission trip to Vermont.

     God did so many amazing things. I cannot begin to name them all, but I  joyfully share a few of these with you!

     Months before the trip our team was given a scripture:

  “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.”  2 Timothy 1:7

     We were asked to give our fears about the trip over to the Lord. My fear was not in sharing the gospel nor was it venturing into an unknown area. My fear was that I would not travel well with the chronic neck pain I had dealt with for over fifteen years. I knew God wanted me to go so I gathered many prayer warriors to pray for our mission team’s work and specifically for my neck. I asked God to give me endurance and that He would make the pain bearable.

     My faith was the size of a mustard seed. I visited two doctors to prepare for the trip. I packed three ice packs, a heating pad, prescription and over-the-counter pain medicines, etc. Normally, after a three or four hour trip, I am in a great deal of pain. Quite often, migraines result. Our mission team would be on the road for ten hours the first day. I was taking a tiny step of faith that God would use all the items I had packed to help me endure the pain.

      Long story—short: God did more than I imagined! I only needed to take something for the pain the first day of the trip. And even then, the pain was not as bad as it normally is. I took one Tylenol the second morning. The remaining time, I never used the heating pad, never had to use the ice packs, and I never had to take any more of the pain medicine…not even on the whole trip home! 99% of the time, I was totally pain-free. It was nothing short of a miracle. Without a doubt, God heard the prayers and blessed me abundantly so I could better serve Him.

     Greater blessings came throughout the week. The mission team that went last year planted many “seeds.”Between 7 – 23 kids attended VBS last year. This year we had 29 on the first night. Sixty-five different children and teens came throughout the week. They had a deep hunger to hear about Jesus Christ. Satan tried to thwart our plans but he did not succeed.

     Nineteen children sincerely asked Jesus Christ into their hearts.

     Praise God, praise God! I am eternally thankful for the prayers lifted up for our mission team and for the people of Vermont. Thankful that God took my tiny mustard seed of faith and worked wonders so I could witness Him working in the lives of so many precious people. What an amazing week of God's miracles.