GOD IS REAL & HE CARES!

On Monday morning, while we were working at the main office for Operation Nehemiah (in the Levi's home ;) I heard a song called 'Grace and Peace' by Fernando Ortega  & this sadness & desire for others to know His grace and peace came over me and I was burdened to pray for those who are struggling. It is very clear to me, now, that I would have continued doing what I was doing in the kitchen had this sadness not come over me and I am now comforted to know that the God was bringing us into what He was doing in the lives of others.  After awhile, I asked Roger and Emma to join me, because I was just so burdened. "Where two or more are gathered, there I AM..."

Later, around 1:30 pm, we called William's brother's cell phone in South Sudan in order to reach William (8:30 pm there) and Jon answered Michael's cell phone!! He shared that they had had a most difficult day, as some events of the day were extremely discouraging and very concerning. As he explained his concerns and the trials that were faced by others earlier that day, I started to cry and shared with Him how the Lord had moved us to pray... and we got to pray with him before our SKYPE credit ran out. 

The next day, we hear from Josh after several days being out of the regular communication online that we normally have. He had been at an Out Post where the internet is nil. And he simply got on fb to send a long message about how he loved and missed everyone and how much he was looking forward to coming home. (This is the first time he has expressed that so fully)  I just happened to get online just then, so we were able to chat.  It turns out he had been in his first fire fight on Monday.  It's hard to accurately read emotion in a facebook message, but he sounded excited about it, but also a bit relieved and of course, his initial communication of love was an indication of the emotional impact it had on him.

So both our boys were struggling more than they ever had before on Monday and the Holy Spirit had us interceding for them and way beyond them for others. I don't believe that unless we pray, God's hands are tied, but I do believe that our Father wants His children to be a part of what He is about in this world and there we SEE His glorious love and mercy and power at work and we come to know Him more and more! Oh how I praise his name! What a comfort it is to my mother's heart, that our Father would draw me into what He is about in our children's lives and beyond! Oh how I rejoice in God our Saviour!!

He is real!! He cares and He knows what He is about and He is doing this glorious work of revealing Himself to His children and drawing them to Himself. 

Sharing one of many of Steven Curtis Chapman's recent songs that show the fruit of what they have suffered and the fruit of clinging to the Lord in trials!!

Lay your head down tonight
Take a rest from the fight
Don’t try to figure it out
Just listen to what I’m whispering to your heart
‘Cause I know this is not
Anything like you thought
The story of your life was gonna be
And it feels like the end has started closing in on you
But it’s just not true
There’s so much of the story that’s still yet to unfold

And this is going to be a glorious unfolding
Just you wait and see and you will be amazed

You’ve just got to believe the story is so far from over

So hold on to every promise God has made to us
And watch this glorious unfolding

God’s plan from the start
For this world and your heart
Has been to show His glory and His grace
Forever revealing the depth and the beauty of
His unfailing Love
And the story has only begun

And this is going to be a glorious unfolding
Just you wait and see and you will be amazed
We’ve just got to believe the story is so far from over
So hold on to every promise God has made to us
And watch this glorious unfolding

We were made to run through fields of forever
Singing songs to our Savior and King
So let us remember this life we’re living
Is just the beginning of the beginning

Of this glorious unfolding
We will watch and see and we will be amazed
If we just keep on believing the story is so far from over
And hold on to every promise God has made to us
We’ll see the glorious unfolding

Just watch and see (unfolding)
This is just the beginning of the beginning (unfolding)

Also highly recommend his other songs FINISH WHAT HE STARTED, TOGETHER, FAITHFUL, QUESTIONS, and many others form his last two albums BEAUTY WILL RISE & GLORIOUS UNFOLDING