psalm 18

It's early morning here and all is quiet.  My coffee mug is now empty and I'm already thinking about getting our food ready for the day.  Banana bread for breakfast, chicken salad for lunch (preheat oven for chicken and start bread), and eggs and pancakes sounds easy for an AWANA night.

But my heart is still processing my time with the Lord.  I read Psalm 18.  I opened my journal as I read and took some notes:

• strength
• rock
• fortress
• deliverer
• shield
• power that saves 
• place of safety

I prayed, thanking God for being all of those things.  I continued reading.  David's prayer begins to show the circumstances of his life at that time.  It's pretty dire- ropes of death, floods of destruction, the grave, snares of death, distress......

So he prays, cries out to God.  God's response was amazing:

• heard
• angry
• came down
• flew
• sped
• thundered
• sent out His arrows

I keep reading.

I anticipate God destroying David's enemy-Saul, showing  him Who's boss, leaving David to gloat.  Changing the circumstances so Saul is completely gone, the chase over.

But instead of going to Saul, David's enemy, the one causing the problem, God goes directly to David.

• took me
• drew me out of many waters
• delivered me
• brought me to a broad place
• rescued me
• rewarded me according to my righteousness

It was a plot twist.  But one that shows the heart of God.  He is personal and especially so to those who do what is right (In vs. 20-27 David shares how he has purposely kept God's laws, followed His ways, and stayed blameless.).

My takeaway? 

God might not always change my circumstances.  Bad things do happen; trouble comes. But when I pray, God hears.  He acts.  And He comes.  He will not leave me alone.  God rescued David, kept him from capture and death, showed him he wasn't alone and that he was greatly loved.  He didn't remove Saul.  It wasn't the last time David was on the run or overwhelmed by his circumstances.

God's presence.  His love for me.  It is enough.

delayed answers

God is so personal.  There is so much going on in the world that is big, tragic, urgent...  But God cares about the little things.

Leah began praying for a horse in September.  She started to read the Misty of Chincoteague books and that is when she first developed a love for horses.  One day, days after, she was outside on lunch break with Andrew and Micah when she saw a lady walking a horse on our road.  When Leah looked excited to see the horse, the lady (Becky) brought the horse into our driveway for the kids to meet.  She offered to have the kids go to her barn which was down the road a bit anytime they wanted!  Long story short, I took the little ones down and that was the start of something amazing.  Since then, I have taken Leah twice a week to the barn where she is learning everything Becky can teach about horses.  And almost every time Leah has been able to ride!

Becky told me she never walks the horses down our road because of the flies, but for some reason decided to do something different that day.

Last time we went to the barn, Leah and Becky were whispering and giggling.  Next thing I knew, I was handed the helmet and told to get on the horse!  As I was going around the ring, I felt like God said to me, Remember when you were a little girl praying for a horse?  Remember all of those library books you took out and read from cover to cover on horses?  Remember how you tried all you could to get a job at 11 years old so you could afford the "free" horse that was offered to you?  Well.....I do.  And this is my answer.  Did you think I forgot or said no?  Nope!  I though you'd enjoy it more with your daughter.  Hope you didn't mind the wait :)

I am reminded of Zacharias- Elizabeth's husband.  They had been both been praying for years for a child.  But when the angel came and told Zacharias his prayer had been answered,  I bet he didn't even remember what prayer he had been praying!  He had probably long ago given up on having a son.  Figured God had said no.  Moved on in life.  But God hadn't forgotten.  Hadn't said no.

When I was a little girl praying for a horse, God heard me.  He just wanted me to wait to enjoy the fun of cleaning a barn, grooming a horse, learning how to put a saddle and bridle on a horse, and more.  I know He was thinking of both Leah AND me when He brought Becky into our life.  And I love Him all the more for it!

ICT Training Camp 2017

With a houseful of teenagers and young adults, we ran a week chock full of training, practicing, working, and a little bit of playing!  The group learned how to run a complete Impact Club from beginning to end.  It was amazing.

 This melted my heart.  Leah took advantage of every study hall to study and practice the Bible lesson, missionary story, and Wordless Book!  She went to every single class (except the one following her accident- when she slammed her finger in a car door...), took notes, and participated.  Definitely a future ICTer!

This year we worked hard to develop out own curriculum.  It turned out really well!  Our theme was Fearless.  

Ready to blitz Springfield!

Alissa graduates

My little Alissa.  I blinked and you were done with school.  How does time pass so quickly?  I remember teaching you how to make your 5's, you worked diligently through your Explode the Code book, once a week at the island in the yellow house we did Mom and Me Having Tea, thankfully you were a good reader and loved to read.  That helped lots as you whizzed through history and science books with ease.  Memorizing history facts threw you for a little loop, but the concepts were easily remembered!  Being a natural writer helped you as you wrote papers on all sort of things.  Most recently you wrote papers on all the British Lit books you read- an analysis on Animal Farm, a persuasive essay on Pride and Prejudice on whether Mr. Darcy should have paid Wickham to marry Lydia, a character sketch in A Tale of Two Cities, a review of the satire in Gulliver's Travels, a comparison of two detectives in Brother Cadfael and Father Brown Mysteries- you even wrote your own allegory based on Pilgrim's Progress!  You never complained over the hours and hours you spent mastering Saxon Math and managed an A in Apologia's Physical Science and Biology!  Remember God Give us Men? :)  You were a model student.   I don't think you once complained.  

I couldn't be more proud of you and all your academic accomplishments.  You are one smart cookie!

Happy Graduation, my sweet Ali!