Endurance through the Trials

If you would have told me a year ago, make that 4 WEEKS ago, that I would be sitting in Pottersville, NY at Word of Life Bible Institute typing this I would have told you that you were crazy. I never imagined that I would end up here. Especially AFTER I had already graduated from college. This was not the way I had my life planned out at all. I was supposed to be happily married by now. Funny how my plans aren’t the same as God’s. This past week that I have been up here has been amazing. I have learned so much and it’s only been a week. We have just studied the book of James and it is just neat to see how God gives us trials to make us stronger. He promises that none of those trials will be too much for us to handle. That is just amazing to me. At the time of the trial, it may seem like it is the end of the world or that you just want to quit everything right then, but God gave us those trials to increase our faith in Him. We have to learn to trust Him and listen to Him and He will help us endure them.

On another note…it is sooo pretty up here. The leaves are changing, the air is crisp (and super cold), and fall is just great. All 5 of my roommates are great. Even though it is a small room, we are all getting a long..so far. So for my PE class, I signed up to do snowshoeing…you know, when you walk in the snow with tennis rackets on your feet. Yeah, that should be fun. It is an all day hike which will be super tiring, but fun (and sooooooooo cold) We are going sometime at the end of January. Another thing we do is Open Air Evangelism which will be done in New York City. My ministry team has been selected to go on October 31 – November 1. Halloween. Needless to say, this should be interesting.

Resting Place

"I know you often grow weary. I hear your heartfelt cry for more energy to make it through each day. You, My tired princess, must trust Me with all your many worries and responsibilities. Rest when I tell you to. I am your heavenly Father, and I know what My girl needs. So listen to the One who loves you the most and knows all about you. I want you to take a step of faith by setting aside a day each week to rest from all your work. If you obey Me in this, I will multiply your time and supernatually energize your efforts to get everything done in the following days. Welcome this opportunity to give your mind, body, and spirit a rest. Consider it My love gift to you, and relax in Me!

Love, Your King and your Resting Place"

( I got this from a book that I have been reading along with my devos called His Princess, Love Letters from Your King. It is filled with topic after topic of things that God is saying to us as Christian women that are encouraging and stuff. Each "letter" has a verse that it is based from. I like it. I think there is another book out there that is Love Letters from Your Prince which would be stuff from Jesus. I would like to have that one some day but for now, this is good.)

Isn't that comforting? To know that we can find a resting place in Him, the One with big, open arms ready to scoop us up and hold us tight. There are times when I just want to lay down and just give up on whatever it is that I was doing. Matthew 11:28 says, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” We don't have to quit. God doesn't want us to quit. He wants us to take all our problems and things weighing us down to Him so that He can help us through them and help us conquer them. So just remember, the next time you feel as if you can't go on or you just don't know where to turn, look to God and look in His Word. Seek Him for strength and fly like an eagle :)