Awakening (550)

I find myself in the unusual position of having only 2 kids at home. All 4 boys are off somewhere else. It is exceedingly quiet. My dear husband's plans for today were rained out, so he is taking a much needed rest on the living room floor watching a movie with the girls. One can almost hear oneself think, it's a little shocking to my synapses!

I wrapped myself up in a blanket (it's really quite chilly today) and lay on the couch to finish reading Off the Map by Sandy Rosen. This book is the story of their 5 year journey from sea to sea with a motley crew of believers taking the gospel of Jesus to the streets and towns of Canada. They would only go as the Lord opened the doors, they only had the finances that God provided as they went. These are the stories of how God showed up when His people took Him seriously. An inspiring adventure to see the least. Also a reminder of what God has done in our lives as we have stepped out in faith to meet Him. We have stories to tell like those in that book. We are in the middle of just such an adventure, living in a tiny town on a tiny farm with 6 kids and a big God. We are out here because He moved us here. We believe that He wants to do amazing things in this little part of the world to affect our province and our nation - we believe it and we will stick here until we see it happen or He moves us to another place.

This weekend the nation is coming to visit whether our little town knows it or not. We are having a gathering at a little lake between our town and the next to worship and announce that Jesus is Lord on the prairies. We are going to rattle the heavens a little and people are coming from across the country to join us, because they, too, believe that something is about to break loose here and want to see it happen. I wasn't much excited about the whole thing a few weeks ago quite honestly. We're involved in the planning, we're going to be in the midst of it, but I have been so wrapped up in my own exhaustion and spiritual inadequacy that I haven't been paying the thing any mind.

However, in the last few weeks God has been awakening my spirit again. Starting to blow off the apathy that so pervades this region, awakening me from spiritual slumber, taking the plugs out of my ears so I can once again hear Him whispering to my heart the things He wants to do. We will be swept up by Him once again, caught in His Spirit, listening to His heart and doing what He says...

548. The gifts he has planted in us to share with others, are a gift.
549. The gifts that God has given to his body to be shared, are a gift.
550. The freedom we still enjoy to worship in the middle of a field, is a gift.