Pioneer or Settler

I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
~ Heb. 13:5

Good food for thought ...

In one of his books, A.W. Tozer (the great Canadian preacher and author) says, "God works as long as His people live daringly. He ceases when they no longer need His aid."

Are we walking by faith or by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7)? Through reading Tozer's book, I was reminded that whenever God's people were on the move, God moved with them. When they stopped, God also stopped. Remember the great exodus from Egypt into the wilderness? God led the Israelites by a pillar of fire at night and  by a cloud during the day. It's exciting to serve the Lord, but the Lord likes to move with His people as they are walking the walk of faith.  (© Angus Buchan - A Mustard Seed)

What about you? Are you moving forward or standing still? While moving forward in our own walk of faith can often be difficult and scary, God is beside us every step of the way, cheering us on!

✞

Coming Out of the Desert

For the past 10 months I have found myself living in a spiritual desert unlike anything I've ever experienced before. Truth be told, it has actually been more "crisis" than "desert" and I have cried thousands of tears along the way. (Thank God for sunglasses that hide puffy eyes!)

However, God in His sovereignty provided for my every need during this time (even when I couldn't/wouldn't see it) and I will always be extremely grateful to one of the ministers at my church who has graciously traveled alongside me throughout this trial, and who has answered question, after question, after question with kindness and compassion (and without judgment), as I have struggled to find my footing through all of this.

Two weeks ago, I finally discovered the core of my struggle, and I am now fully aware of the depth of the battle that lies ahead, and in all honesty, it is proving to be one of the most difficult roads I have ever traveled. However, I am so grateful to be able to finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. And while the foundation upon which I had built my life has been completely destroyed and all of my "security blankets" have been stripped away (be careful what you ask Him to do!), I am taking Him at His Word:

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come." (2 Corinthians 5:17)

So, as I begin to walk this dusty road of reconciliation with the One who has said "I will never leave you or forsake you," (Hebrews 13:5), I pray that you, too, will find hope and encouragement from these musings, for you are not alone in your pain.

No matter what you may think or how you may feel, you can trust that right now, Jesus is standing beside you with open arms, waiting to dry your tears. All you need to do is ask ...
✞