Elevation Changes

 

Raising support for our full time ministry in Nicaragua has seen a great deal of elevation change!  I love to hike, so this is my analogy.  :)  I know the trail was marked “strenuous” by many people that have blazed the path before us.  My optimistic personality was hoping we were “in shape” enough to make it a “moderate” hike though.  I should have known better.  God is working out our faith, so we can only boast in Him and not ourselves – and rightly so. 

We won’t and can’t complain about our distance in this hike!  We have around 50% of our monthly commitment pledged by many wonderful people and churches thus far.  We began this hike back in May, so we have travelled a good distance.    But my impatience can get the better of me at times!  (Let me clarify that Jeremy, thankfully, is calm and patient in this matter.  God knew I needed him to stabilize me!)  I can be like a 2 year old at times.  When we get to the difficult times of waiting on this hike I want to stamp my feet and beat my fists in the air and scream, “I’m ready to go NOW!  I want to go NOW!”  As you all might guess, after my fit I usually feel pretty silly about my display.  I’m so thankful that my Father is loving in His correction.  I’m sure He has wanted to “take a switch to me” many times. 

I wanted to share what God did for me on Saturday night.  This weekend was full of high and low elevations in my moods towards the support raising.  I’ve gotten pretty discouraged at times with the lack of response from others.  Hearing “no” from people is better than no response at all.  So…there I was happy one minute about our progress and down the next about not going farther.  Saturday night I was about to go to bed when I was checking my Facebook.  I got to a point and said, “God, should we not go?  Can we really make any difference in Nicaragua?”  I was at a low point in this hike.  Right before I turned off my computer to go to bed I checked our e-mail account.  We had one new message.  It was from the AWANA Director over Central America.  He was just emailing out of the blue to check up on us.  He wanted to tell us that he had spoken to a Pastor in Matagalpa that wants to start an AWANA club.  He said there was much to do in that area!  After reading the email I felt like doing a happy dance!  God was giving me encouragement right at the very moment I was questioning the hike.  God was reaffirming the call He has for us!     

Most that really know me know that I don’t sit still very easily, especially on a hike.  I like to keep moving towards my goal.  I want to see that beautiful waterfall at the top.  Sometimes that means I’ve been in too much of a hurry to miss the beauty of the journey there.  At the moment, I feel refreshed on this hike!  I know I will deal with more elevation changes throughout this entire hike, but I will choose to look around at the beauty that surrounds me as we walk…take in each step…each small victory.  I will feel God’s wonderful breeze blow over my face, spread my arms out wide, praise Him with every breath and with each step continue this climb.