::God's Constant Provision::

I am ashamedly astounded by God's constant provision for my family through this past year. Our time in West Africa has taught me several lessons that would have been difficult to learn if we had not followed God in obedience and come here. Primarily that God is in control of all things and that He is faithful to the righteous who trust in Him.

"Yahweh is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in faithful love and truth, maintaining faithful love to a thousand generations, forgiving wrongdoing, rebellion, and sin."

- Exodus 34:6-7

"He guards the steps of His faithful ones, but the wicked perish in darkness, for a man does not prevail by his own strength."

-1 Samuel 2:9

There have been so many trials this year... Fisher has had a 103 degree fever 6 different occasions this year, most of which lasted 2-3 days. He has had 5 different skin infections; the last of which was eating his face away and has caused some scaring... night terrors and isolation. He went through 3 bouts of vomiting and diarrhea. My father passed. Corey and I were separated for a month, adjusting to a new baby and Fishers opposition. Readjusting into life in our country of service. Language and culture barriers...etc.
Yet through each trial God has strengthened our family through His loving kindness, and challenged me as a woman, wife and mother to hold firm to the gospel and trust the Lord with my family and the expansion of His kingdom. I admit, I am not there yet. My heart continuously doubts God. In the midst of Fishers last skin infection I found myself begging God to heal my son and when it only got worse I questioned Him. Yet God see's my weakness, loves me through it and proves Himself faithful time after time. How great is our God! I am constantly reminded that I cannot do this on my own strength. We live in a place where people are physically and spiritually oppressed. We are surrounded by darkness and reminded of Satan's hold on these people as we hear the call to prayer 5 times a day, every day echoed from the mosque. As we see children being beaten with sticks by their mothers and hear wives being beat by their husbands...the screams call out to me and tears fill my eyes as I pray for them and their households to be drawn to Christ and released from this bondage that affirms and encourages such behavior. I pray that they would fear the Lord and recognize His power and authority over the demons they pay homage to. (i.e. wearing strings around certain areas of their body given from the witch doctor to protect them from harm/evil and making sacrifices.) I am overwhelmed by the need for Christ here, but it is not just here. It is all over the world, especially in America where people think they have got it all figured out and they are as lost as a Yankee in the South. God has called us ALL to a task.

“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new languages; they will pick up snakes; if they should drink anything deadly, it will never harm them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will get well.”

-Mark 16:15–18

“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

-Matthew 28:18–20

What are we going to do with this? Obedience. Obedience. OBEDIENCE! This doesn't look the same for everyone. Right now God has us here in a foreign land... the ends of the earth. Literally. But the man or woman sitting behind a desk in America sharing the gospel with their co-workers and community is being just as obedient as we are if that is what God has called them to do. We need to ALL be actively praying, giving and going so that those who have never heard will have the opportunity to hear the gospel.

"How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO BRING GOOD NEWS OF GOOD THINGS!”

-Romans 10:14