My word for the day - is ANXIOUS.

My word for the day - is ANXIOUS.

You have to love the English language and how one word may have different meanings and/or feelings.

I am "anxious" to get started.

I am "anxious" to see what God has in store for us.

And yet -

I am "anxious" that things go well.

I am "anxious" the planes are on time .

I am "anxious" all of our luggage arrives intact and we make it through customs without incident.

I am "anxious" our families will be okay at home while we're gone.

I also know that Philippeans 4:6,7 says -
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,present your request to God. And, [if you do so] the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Jesus Christ."

The above is a promise with conditions...it resembles this mathematical equation: A + P + G = Peace...Absence of worry + Prayer + Gratitude = the peace of God. Worry suggests insufficient trust in God's ability to provide for you.]

(from theeeffectivetruth.info)

So I have trust and will Let Go and Let God. Even just saying the words calms me.

Kathie

Word of the Day: Blessing

What a special and humbling feeling to be blessed by our pastor and congregation in advance of our upcoming trip. I felt a peace and calm that were so welcome amidst all of the day-to-day preparations and chaos. It was great to feel the support and encouragement of our church, and to be reminded that we are setting out as representatives of all of our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Linda and Megan's children's books look SO amazing! I am hopeful that we will be able to read them to the children in San Andres (and possibly to inspire them to write and illustrate their own stories?). I am certain that these books will be a blessing in Guatemala, and I can't wait to see how God uses them!

Let's go forth into today and into these last few days of preparation mindful of our blessings and hopeful of being used by God to bless others!

One Word: Preparation

We are preparing our hearts and our minds for a trip out of our comfort zone. There are a lot of details to take care of in this preparation – we want to be prepared for anything! But we starting to feel like it is impossible to be prepared for anything.

The Bible tells us to be prepared, and it tells us how to prepare ourselves. I like the Message version, which puts it in terms that I can easily understand:

Ephesians 6:13-18
The Message (MSG)

Be prepared. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You'll need them throughout your life. God's Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.

So as we prepare ourselves, let’s take all the help we can get. Let’s use our weapons. Let’s find the truth and guidance in The Bible. Let’s pray. Let’s ask others to pray for us and with us. With God’s help, we can be prepared for anything!

When our hands become His hands we let others see the cross...

This brings new meaning to the expression "cross your fingers!"

One Word for Today...

Abundance. We are packing and preparing for our trip to Guatemala, and we have been blessed with an abundance of items to load into our luggage. Eyeglasses, toothpaste, toothbrushes, children's books, shoes, puppets, wrapping paper, Avon supplies, and much, much more. It is overwhelming. At some point we'll need to squeeze our clothing in, but I am loathe to leave anything behind.

I need to trust that God will send us with what we need. I searched for Abundance in the Bible, and this passage seems quite appropriate to share:

2 Corinthians 9:8-15
The Message (MSG)


God can pour on the blessings in astonishing ways so that you're ready for anything and everything, more than just ready to do what needs to be done. As one psalmist puts it,

He throws caution to the winds,
giving to the needy in reckless abandon.
His right-living, right-giving ways
never run out, never wear out.
This most generous God who gives seed to the farmer that becomes bread for your meals is more than extravagant with you. He gives you something you can then give away, which grows into full-formed lives, robust in God, wealthy in every way, so that you can be generous in every way, producing with us great praise to God.

Carrying out this social relief work involves far more than helping meet the bare needs of poor Christians. It also produces abundant and bountiful thanksgivings to God. This relief offering is a prod to live at your very best, showing your gratitude to God by being openly obedient to the plain meaning of the Message of Christ. You show your gratitude through your generous offerings to your needy brothers and sisters, and really toward everyone. Meanwhile, moved by the extravagance of God in your lives, they'll respond by praying for you in passionate intercession for whatever you need. Thank God for this gift, his gift. No language can praise it enough!

May we trust God to "pour on the blessings in astonishing ways so that [we are] ready for anything and everything" and may we give "abundant and bountiful thanksgivings to God!"