Done. (Really Done.)

I. Am. Done. As the old saying goes..."stick a fork in me..." Yep.

It's the last day of June, which means the last day of Blogathon. I've managed to post every day, but it's been hard, and I haven't been terribly happy with the quality of my posts.

I'm glad I participated, but I'm thankful it's over for the year. I'm also glad to say good-bye to June. It's been a rough month in a lot of ways. There have been some really good parts, but there have also been a lot of struggles, for me personally, for our family, and for lots of people we love.

Today has been, as Billy would say, "a stinker of a day". Again, there have been some bright spots, but the shadows have mostly won out today.

I am so thankful for the promise of these verses. No matter how I feel, no matter what is going on around me, His Love never ceases. His mercies never come to an end. His mercies are new every morning. His faithfulness is great.

On that note, I close out this day, this month, and 2015 Blogathon. 

***

If a post or posts on Ponderings of an Elect Exile has been a blessing to you, would you do me a huge favor?  Please share the link to Ponderings with your friends using the social media share buttons below or the "pin it" button above.  Thank you! 

***
  Welcome to Ponderings of an Elect Exile!   Whether you are new here or a faithful friend and regular reader, I'm glad you're here!   If you aren't already following, I'd love to have you join us for the 2015 Ponderings.  It's easy to do, in a variety of ways!   You can follow via  Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest, or  find me on Instagram as Jenbh68. You can also sign up in the sidebar to receive new posts by email.

Set My Soul Afire! {Or What's More Important Than Last Week's Supreme Court Decision}

The words of this hymn have gripped my heart this week as I've been preparing an arrangement for Sunday's offertory. Bro. Gary's sermon yesterday was on "Knowing the God of Glory", from Ephesians 1:16-17. He talked about the fact that when we truly see God's glory, it cannot help but change our lives completely, and that once we get a taste of His glory, we can never get enough, and we will pursue it more and more. 

There are so many things clamoring for our attention these days that seem quite important, and in some ways they are. But we risk, as Christians, getting so caught up in the "day of strife" and all the stuff  swirling around us that we lose sight of what is most important: His glory, the plight of the lost, living every moment for Him. 

Things like the recent Supreme Court decision on marriage are important, and we do need to take a stand, in a loving, gracious way. I still plan to blog on the decision. We've been talking to our kids about it. But we (I!) can get way too caught up in the whole thing and give it more space in our heads and hearts and lives than it deserves. 

The world is going to be the world. We are to expect that. We are to stand, lovingly and graciously, for truth. That's a given. But we can't let any of the world's issues take center stage in our hearts and souls. 

I want my children to know the truth and be able to defend it, but more than that, I want their souls to be on fire for God and His Word. I want them to be overwhelmed and amazed by His glory. I want them to be burdened for the needs of their brothers and sisters in Christ and passionate about the lost. And I want them to see those things in me.   I want to be those things for and through Him. 

Help me not to falter, never let me fail,

Fill me with Thy Spirit, let Thy will prevail.

Set my soul afire, Lord, in my daily life,

Far too long I've wandered in this day of strife;

Nothing else will matter but to live for Thee.

I will be Your witness as You live in me.

 

***

If a post or posts on Ponderings of an Elect Exile has been a blessing to you, would you do me a huge favor?  Please share the link to Ponderings with your friends using the social media share buttons below or the "pin it" button above.  Thank you! 

***
  Welcome to Ponderings of an Elect Exile!   Whether you are new here or a faithful friend and regular reader, I'm glad you're here!   If you aren't already following, I'd love to have you join us for the 2015 Ponderings.  It's easy to do, in a variety of ways!   You can follow via  Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest, or  find me on Instagram as Jenbh68. You can also sign up in the sidebar to receive new posts by email.

"There Goes a Man Who Loves Your Soul"

As has been the case most of this crazy Blogathon month, this is not the post I'd planned for today. I said yesterday that I wasn't sure if I was going to post on the Supreme Court decision or not, then decided overnight that I was and had a post planned for today.

Today, however, has been long and exhausting, with the pain from yesterday a bit less intense, for which I'm immensely thankful, but still a constant companion during the many demands of the day. So that post will wait until another day, and today I will share a few quotes from tonight's Bible study.

Despite the length and intensity, today has been a day full of blessing: a wonderful worship service this morning with a much-needed sermon I'll say more about another day, friends visiting our little congregation this morning which was a delight to all of us, good time with family and friends and great discussion in the van on the way home, and an excellent Bible study tonight.

Last time we did the Behold Your God study, I missed the week 6 video. I was blown away by it tonight! I may have more to say about it later, but in the meantime, I want to share a few quotes. I love God's perfect timing...we've been very on-again, off-again with this study due to various interruptions, and yet tonight's video was exactly what I needed this week in response to several things on which I've been pondering and about which I've been praying.

I've heard about Robert Murray M'Cheyne for years, but never really known much about him. M'Cheyne was a great Scottish pastor of the 1800s who died at the age of 29, but who left a great mark on Scottish evangelicalism and on the Church as a whole. Here are a few things that stuck out to me from tonight's study, in which M'Cheyne was used as an example of true Biblical holiness:

It was said of M'Cheyne that "His main anxiety was to know the mind of Christ." Wow.

"Despite M'Cheyne's reputation for holiness, he never allowed it to be the type of cleanliness that despised sinners." What a thought, particularly this week. M'Cheyne was known for hating sin and having no tolerance for it. He was known for preaching the truth of Scripture. And yet he was also known for not "despising sinners". It can be done. M'Cheyne did it. We can too. I think it all goes back to that last point. Is our main anxiety to know the mind of Christ, as revealed in His Word?

I think this point says the rest: "He spent his nights and days in ceaseless breathings after holiness and the salvation of sinners." He prayed, continually, for his own holiness, and for the salvation of the lost around him.

It was also said of M'Cheyne, "There goes a man who loves your soul." M'Cheyne didn't condone sin, and yet those around him knew that he loved their soul regardless.

What a testimony! I'm looking forward to learning more about this great man of God, and praying that God will give me that same passion for holiness and love for the souls of those around me. "

***

If a post or posts on Ponderings of an Elect Exile has been a blessing to you, would you do me a huge favor?  Please share the link to Ponderings with your friends using the social media share buttons below or the "pin it" button above.  Thank you! 

***
  Welcome to Ponderings of an Elect Exile!   Whether you are new here or a faithful friend and regular reader, I'm glad you're here!   If you aren't already following, I'd love to have you join us for the 2015 Ponderings.  It's easy to do, in a variety of ways!   You can follow via  Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest, or  find me on Instagram as Jenbh68. You can also sign up in the sidebar to receive new posts by email.

Of Crowns and Confederate Flags...

I'm sure it is little surprise to anyone who knows me or who has kept up with this blog at all that I'm behind this week. Not just a little behind, but seriously behind.  It's been VBS week, which would be enough on its own, but that has only been part of the busy-ness here this week. Because of that, I haven't kept up well with the news, and missed much of the initial uproar over the Confederate flag issue. 

However, earlier this week, my Facebook newsfeed began to EXPLODE with news that the local school board had decided that a local high school would have to change its mascot (Johnny Reb) and fight song ("Dixie"). Then I began to see other news about the increasingly heated debate over the Confederate flag.

I actually have lots of thoughts about the whole thing, the initial and strongest being that the whole thing is ridiculous. Had I gotten to write this article earlier in the day as I'd originally planned, you would have heard lots more of my thoughts on the whole gamut of the War Between the States, states' rights, revisionist history, and more. Fortunately (at least for most of you *grin*), my long empty day at home ended up being yet another "run like a banshee most of the day" day, all done while dealing with pain of about a 7 on the 1-10 pain scale. I'm far too exhausted and for too foggy to go into all my opinions of the craziness.

Suffice it to say that other than the aforementioned ridiculousness, the Stars and Stripes in the photo above stand for the right to own, display, and/or support the Rebel flag. I don't own one. I'm not even fond of it. I have no personal attachment to it. But I found myself getting a bit hot under the collar about the actions of our local school board about the whole thing. 

One of the things I love most about the fact that I've recently begun playing the piano for our little church is the fact that I get to meditate on Sunday's hymns all week (or most of it, anyway :)) as I practice for Sunday. And I'm always amazed at the ways God uses that to meet needs in my life, especially by encouraging my heart along the way. 

This week, though, He hit me right between the eyes (or more accurately, right in the heart) with conviction. I was playing the hauntingly beautiful "What Wondrous Love is This" and singing along, when I hit those words, "Christ laid aside His crown," and stopped dead in my tracks. 

Christ laid aside His crown for my soul!  He had a right to that crown. He willingly laid it down, for me, a sinner with no worth at all, other than what He gave me. 

Yes, I think those who choose to should have the "right" to their Confederate flag memorabilia. I think our local schools should have the "right" to keep their mascot if they choose. But this is NOT an issue with a command of God or something He has declared sin. (I want to be clear on that. I haven't written on the Supreme Court's ruling from yesterday yet, and I don't know if I will; however, there is a HUGE difference between things Scripture is clear on...marriage and homosexuality...and things that are "rights" and preferences.)

However, in this instance, God convicted me personally that I needed to lay down my "right" to get hot under the collar about the Confederate flag issue and the local school mascot/fight song issue. He laid aside His crown for my soul! I can lay aside my "righteous indignation" on this divisive issue that is a huge offense to some.

This week I choose to focus on two things: the lyrics of this song about His wondrous love, and the fact that our God {still} reigns. Because of that, to God and to the Lamb, I will sing!

***

If a post or posts on Ponderings of an Elect Exile has been a blessing to you, would you do me a huge favor?  Please share the link to Ponderings with your friends using the social media share buttons below or the "pin it" button above.  Thank you! 

***
  Welcome to Ponderings of an Elect Exile!   Whether you are new here or a faithful friend and regular reader, I'm glad you're here!   If you aren't already following, I'd love to have you join us for the 2015 Ponderings.  It's easy to do, in a variety of ways!   You can follow via  Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest, or  find me on Instagram as Jenbh68. You can also sign up in the sidebar to receive new posts by email.

2 Years!!

This was my Facebook status this morning:

So....we've been waiting and waiting for today to arrive, as we thought today would mark Bayley's 2 year ‪#‎seizurefree‬ mark. Then as we were talking this morning, we realized we're actually a couple of weeks late! However, VBS week is always a huge test, and the fact that she has made it through the demands of this week gives us double reason to celebrate. What a huge, huge blessing and reminder of God's abundant faithfulness. So thankful to have reached (and passed!) this milestone, and so thankful for so many who have prayed so hard ever since this crazy ‪#‎epilepsyjourney‬ began 3 1/2 years ago! And more thankful than I can ever say for Peter, Emlyn, and Ammah Grace and the troupers they've been through it all. They are definitely my heroes (not just for their constant awareness and care and concern for Bay, but for lots of other reasons as well!) Thankful too for wonderful friends who have made this journey so much easier. God is good, all the time.

(That's Chinese for "Epilepsy" on her right arm. :))

Tonight I want to leave you with a little graphic I made a few years ago about seizure first aid. I was thrilled to find out later that some of Bay's friends screenshot (screenshotted? can that even be a verb, and if so, what is the past tense? I'm way too tired tonight to worry about it!:)) it and saved it to their phones so that they could find it quickly if they ever needed it. Have I ever mentioned that our kids have the BEST friends EVER????

***

If a post or posts on Ponderings of an Elect Exile has been a blessing to you, would you do me a huge favor?  Please share the link to Ponderings with your friends using the social media share buttons below or the "pin it" button above.  Thank you! 

***
  Welcome to Ponderings of an Elect Exile!   Whether you are new here or a faithful friend and regular reader, I'm glad you're here!   If you aren't already following, I'd love to have you join us for the 2015 Ponderings.  It's easy to do, in a variety of ways!   You can follow via  Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest, or  find me on Instagram as Jenbh68. You can also sign up in the sidebar to receive new posts by email.

Where I Am (And Where He Is!) Right Now...

I am beyond exhausted, physically and mentally, tonight. I have pages of planned blog posts just waiting to be completed and published, and all day today as I was out and about, new ideas were swirling in my head. But as it's been for all of Blogathon this month, by the time I'm able to sit in front of the screen and begin composing, I just can't muster the brainpower for a post of any real substance.

I have to admit I whined just a bit to my oldest daughter about that, and about the fact that I was desperately ready to say good-night, but couldn't until I finished a post. I've managed to post *something* for 24 days straight this month, and it would really stink to drop out now.

Bayley said, "Mom, just post about that, and about how God is using it to remind you that He loves you."

Wise words from my girl. :)

So tonight, one of my favorite verses, as anyone who reads the blog regularly or follows on Facebook is aware.

He continues to remind me that His strength is made perfect in my weakness. What an amazing thought! And what a comfort, on nights when I feel like I need to go to bed for a week, and yet I know that the alarm will blare early tomorrow, and the day, and the weekend, will be long, and on Monday morning we'll have to jump right back in with both feet.

I will gladly boast in my weakness.

When I am weary and worn, He is not.

When I've hit the wall and wondering if my foot will take the next step, His glory shines.

His grace is sufficient. Always.

I'm thankful for that tonight. What are you thankful for? I'd love to hear in the comments!

***

If a post or posts on Ponderings of an Elect Exile has been a blessing to you, would you do me a huge favor?  Please share the link to Ponderings with your friends using the social media share buttons below or the "pin it" button above.  Thank you! 

***
  Welcome to Ponderings of an Elect Exile!   Whether you are new here or a faithful friend and regular reader, I'm glad you're here!   If you aren't already following, I'd love to have you join us for the 2015 Ponderings.  It's easy to do, in a variety of ways!   You can follow via  Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest, or  find me on Instagram as Jenbh68. You can also sign up in the sidebar to receive new posts by email.

For His Name's Sake!

As I've mentioned before, Bro. Gary is preaching through Ephesians on Sunday mornings right now.  Every verse is just packed full of truth. In preaching on the Ephesians "faith in the Lord and love for the saints" from Ephesians 1:15 Sunday morning, He referred to Revelation 2, the letter to the church at Ephesus.

In Rev. 2:3, God praises the church at Ephesus for their labor "for [His] Name's sake". Bro. Gary reminded us that our labor is for HIS name's sake ~ that it is ALL about Him, and about HIS glory, not about us. 

What a great reminder that has been this week particularly as we are in the midst of VBS at our former church. {Disclaimer: I'm not teaching this year. Two of my children are teaching, and I'm driving what we are affectionately calling the "VBS Taxi". :)} All the work, the crazy schedule, the many miles driven, the exhaustion...it's not about us, it's not even about the children, but it's about HIM. It's for His glory. And what a blessing to watch Him work in that!

That doesn't just apply to VBS. It applies to all of life! All that we do as spouses, as parents, as friends, as church members, as employees, as students...whatever roles we fill...it's not about us, or even those we serve and minister to, but about HIM.

What a challenge to keep my focus there! But what a difference it makes when I do! I've tried to keep that reminder in front of me (and in front of my children) this week: It's all for His Name's Sake!

What are you doing right now "for His Name's sake"? What is He teaching you right now? I'd love to hear in the comments!

(Another super-simple journaling Bible entry tonight...just my Pilot G-2 1.0 and washi tape. I really wanted this one to be super-wonderful, because it's such a fantastic truth! But exhaustion and time caught up with me, and even my quick writing isn't really up to par. I also forgot to use the "Remember This!" stamp I originally planned the layout around! *banging head* But you know what? It's all okay. His truth has been in front of my mind and in my heart tonight. Super-simple and not what I'd planned is enough. I'm thankful for that!)

***

If a post or posts on Ponderings of an Elect Exile has been a blessing to you, would you do me a huge favor?  Please share the link to Ponderings with your friends using the social media share buttons below or the "pin it" button above.  Thank you! 

***
  Welcome to Ponderings of an Elect Exile!   Whether you are new here or a faithful friend and regular reader, I'm glad you're here!   If you aren't already following, I'd love to have you join us for the 2015 Ponderings.  It's easy to do, in a variety of ways!   You can follow via  Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest, or  find me on Instagram as Jenbh68. You can also sign up in the sidebar to receive new posts by email.

The Mere Edges of His Ways!

Bible journaling doesn't have to mean fancy artwork. Sometimes the words are enough. I had actually planned to "decorate" this page when I started, but once I got the words down, not only was there really not room, but I decided I liked it just as it was.

These words pack a huge punch on their own!  We are going through the Behold Your God Bible study at church for the second time, and both times, this verse has just blown me completely away. To think that what we are able to see and know of God...which is far beyond amazing, awesome, and magnificent...is just the mere edges of His ways, the smallest whisper of Who He truly is...WOW!

What are you studying in the Bible right now? Or maybe you aren't a Bible study-er, but you have questions. I'd love to hear! Leave a comment or send me a message through the sidebar widget.

***

If a post or posts on Ponderings of an Elect Exile has been a blessing to you, would you do me a huge favor?  Please share the link to Ponderings with your friends using the social media share buttons below or the "pin it" button above.  Thank you! 

***
  Welcome to Ponderings of an Elect Exile!   Whether you are new here or a faithful friend and regular reader, I'm glad you're here!   If you aren't already following, I'd love to have you join us for the 2015 Ponderings.  It's easy to do, in a variety of ways!   You can follow via  Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest, or  find me on Instagram as Jenbh68. You can also sign up in the sidebar to receive new posts by email.

They Had Just Ruined EVERYTHING...

Loving Bro. Gary's sermon series on Ephesians right now, and the magnificent theme of God's amazing, abundant GRACE in Paul's letter to the Ephesians.

This stuck out to me in one of his first sermons from the book: In Genesis 3:21, Adam and Eve had just ruined everything, disobeyed the one command He had given them...and He is still meeting their needs, making them garments of skin to clothe their newly discovered nakedness. What fabulous evidence of a gracious, merciful God!

What verse has stuck out to you recently? Do you have some Bible journaling to share? I'd love to hear in the comments!

***

If a post or posts on Ponderings of an Elect Exile has been a blessing to you, would you do me a huge favor?  Please share the link to Ponderings with your friends using the social media share buttons below or the "pin it" button above.  Thank you! 

***
  Welcome to Ponderings of an Elect Exile!   Whether you are new here or a faithful friend and regular reader, I'm glad you're here!   If you aren't already following, I'd love to have you join us for the 2015 Ponderings.  It's easy to do, in a variety of ways!   You can follow via  Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest, or  find me on Instagram as Jenbh68. You can also sign up in the sidebar to receive new posts by email.

Happy Father's Day!

It's been a long, busy, and blessed day, and tomorrow begins the craziness of VBS week for us. In the interest of my head hitting the pillow sooner rather than later, this post is a simple recognition of the wonderful fathers in my life...my husband and the father of our children, my Daddy, and my grandfathers. So thankful for the blessings of these men in my life and in our family!

Press forward!

Press forward.

Do not stop, do not linger in your journey,

but strive for the mark set before you. 

Fight the good fight of faith,

and God will give you

spiritual mercies.

~George Whitefield

Bro. Gary posted this quote a few days ago, and it's been on my mind ever since. Such a good reminder, especially on the rough ways. I decided to do a super-quick tip-in attached to the page for Philippians 3. 

Supplies: manilla cardstock, craft acrylics in sunshine yellow and island blue, Pilot G-2 1.0 pen, washi.

Is there a verse or quote that has really stuck out to you this week? I'd love for you to share in the comments!

***

If a post or posts on Ponderings of an Elect Exile has been a blessing to you, would you do me a huge favor?  Please share the link to Ponderings with your friends using the social media share buttons below or the "pin it" button above.  Thank you! 

***
  Welcome to Ponderings of an Elect Exile!   Whether you are new here or a faithful friend and regular reader, I'm glad you're here!   If you aren't already following, I'd love to have you join us for the 2015 Ponderings.  It's easy to do, in a variety of ways!   You can follow via  Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest, or  find me on Instagram as Jenbh68. You can also sign up in the sidebar to receive new posts by email.

A Different Kind of VBS Prep

I'm not teaching VBS this year, but two of my children are, as are many of my friends. All the VBS flurry always reminds me of this post, so I'm reposting it today just in case anyone out there frantically preparing for VBS in the near future might need it. :)

 
VBS Memories

Several weeks ago, during a VBS training session, Lyndel asked us to share VBS memories, either from our own childhoods, or from our experiences as adults as teachers and workers.  I didn’t share, because I couldn’t….I literally had an explosion of VBS memories invade my mind, and had to really focus on just staying “composed”.

My VBS experiences as a child were incredible.  Our church didn’t use a canned “curriculum”…or if they did, it was completely unrecognizable as one by the time they finished with it. :)  My friend Susan’s mom was *the* most creative mom and amazing teacher anywhere…so we always had the *best* VBS classes. :)

The year I remember most vividly was the year we studied the tabernacle.  My dad worked for a corrugated box company at the time, and we had individual corrugated tabernacles, mounted on cardboard bases, for each child.  During the week, as we learned about each part of the tabernacle, we “decorated” our tabernacle…making various pieces out of small boxes, clay, or other materials and carefully positioning them in just the right spots.  We also had a huge “to scale” tabernacle model (also made of corrugated cardboard) in one of the hallways, which we could actually walk through.  I still remember being so awed…that VBS made such an impact on my view of the holiness and glory of God.   I cannot imagine the hours Jenny Oliver, Pam Miller, my parents, and several others put into making that week happen. 

A Privilege and a Blessing
 
My thoughts then jumped to VBS memories as an adult.  *Lots* of memories of things I learned (as a teacher :)) from the character curriculum we used to use.  And then the memory that always pushes its way in when I begin to get stressed about VBS…

When I was growing up, my mom almost always taught in VBS, but my dad, while he was often very involved in the preparation for VBS (i.e. the building of the tabernacle), was always working during the actual week.  When they moved to Fort Smith and joined Oak Cliff, however, he was retired, and one of the things he enjoyed the most was being able to work in VBS each summer, and he worked until he literally could no longer get out of his chair and go.

The year before he died, I was at Mother and Daddy’s house one day, and was at that point when my VBS “to do” list was completely overwhelming.  I was fussing and fuming about all I had to do for VBS, when my dad very quietly said, “I wish I could work in VBS this year.”    I felt like I had been hit between the eyes with a 2x4.   I realized that what I had been looking at as a drudgery…just another thing to eat up my already limited time and energy…was actually a privilege and blessing, and that there are many…those with health issues, like my dad, and working parents…who would love to be able to work in VBS but can’t.  It changed my attitude about VBS that year really quickly.

Worst Year Ever

I was then almost assaulted by another VBS memory…this one a few years later.  It was an odd memory, in that I actually remember almost nothing about that year’s VBS.  A few random things stick out in my mind, but for the most part, that year is a blur.  The week before VBS that year was literally the worst week of my entire life.   An extended family situation had blown up and the fallout had become intensely horrific and personal.  I remember telling a friend “There is no way I can do VBS this year.  How in the world can I go teach Bible School when I can barely function well enough to get out of bed in the morning and make sure everyone has food three times a day?”

But…at that late date, I really had no choice, and I knew that the best thing for the kids was to keep things as normal as possible.  That was the week I literally lived Romans 8:26-27.  I couldn’t pray…I couldn’t form coherent thoughts.  I knew that a couple of close friends were praying for me, but all I could manage was “I can’t do this God…I can’t do it.”  And while I remember very little from that week, I do know this…I got through it.  God carried me through every moment of that week.  My children had a wonderful week of Bible School, and I didn’t once have a meltdown in front of my class (one of my big worries). 

2009

As I sat in that meeting a few weeks ago, I thought of all the things that were worrying me about this year’s VBS…the fact that neither of the two people I usually depend on most are going to be there this year, the rather weak crafts curriculum and my own current creative slump, etc….and suddenly realized God was saying, “I carried you through VBS 2006, don’t you think I can get you through this year as well??”

I started this post days ago, was interrupted, and never got back to it.  Again…I think that was Divine Interruption.  Unfinished posts tend to nag at me, meaning that this post has been on my mind all week.  And again…I needed to be pondering these things.  Over the weekend a health issue I thought was resolved reappeared, knocking me off my feet physically and emotionally.  How in the world would I manage prep day on Saturday…much less a week of VBS??  Monday we were faced with the prospect of no AC in our classroom (and others).  ACK…with 110 heat index predicted??!!

God has shown me throughout this week, again, the truth of 2 Cor. 12:9-10:

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Despite much that has not been smooth “behind the scenes”, my experience in VBS this year has been one of the smoothest ever so far.  I am thankful (most of the time :)) for the opportunity to work in VBS.  I am very thankful for all those who have worked and are working so hard this week to make this an exciting, meaningful experience for my children.   I am extremely thankful for my husband (who volunteered to take over the cooking all week!) and for all the ways he picks  up the slack during weeks like this.  And I am most thankful that God *always* shows Himself faithful to provide *all* that we need for what He has called us to do.  

All That We Need!

I love that last sentence, and I love that God just "happened" to bring two of my favorite verses on that subject to my mind in the last two days:

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

2 Corinthians 9:8 

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence...2 Peter 1:3

Is there something God has called you to do right now about which you need a change in perspective?  He will give all that you need if you are His, and if you trust and obey.  Do you have VBS memories from childhood?  Or as an adult?  I'd love to hear about them in the comments! 


Don't want to miss any posts?  Sign up in the box in the sidebar to receive posts by email, or take a minute to follow Ponderings of an Elect Exile on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest. 

If this post has encouraged you, I'd love for you to share it!  Use the Pinterest button above or the share buttons below to share with your friends!