God's Power

God is very faithful and wonderful whether we recognize it or not. The truth is that most of the time we don't. We see His faithfulness in the obvious blessings through the things we see as "good". The things we desire and then receive because they line up with His will... it's easy to see those things as blessings. But God is continually working behind the scenes of all things...both things that we see as good and bad, things unknown to us. Its' like the way a person can give praise because of sunshine, but the reality is that there's a terrible drought...or complain because of the rain even though it's really giving back life to our land, and renewing our water supply.  I see God's goodness many times in hindsight. I don't always know what's going on, but looking back I can sometimes realize why he's done this or that and how it's working for His plan...and that plan is different for every single person, each one beautiful and unique. Sometimes I feel like God gave us fingerprints to remind us that no one is the same and no one's path and purpose is exactly the same. Even identical twins have differing fingerprints. So many times we look at our path and then another's and begin to compare, and I'm happily realizing there is absolutely no sense to it. Each person comes from a one of a kind background, family, heritage, culture, beliefs and all of those things are so special and to be valued. I am looking around me and seeing my friends and loved ones deciding to continue on with school, getting married (tis the season!), having babies or getting engaged...and I am getting on a boat thousand of miles away from home. To me this is feels normal because I've wanted to serve with Mercy Ships for so long. It has been this crazy desire for such a long time that it seems normal, but then it hits me that I am really doing this so I can go and serve and be a part of a greater purpose that loves people in tangible ways, the way Jesus loved us so well. I was thinking about all of this and how its fantastic but crazy to be on a SHIP on a different continent for months, and then look at my hands and it's grooves and prints and realize this is all a part of a plan that God wonderfully made for me to be a part of. Sometimes I look at my hands and  feel small and that the world is so huge and wonder how I could ever make even a small dent. But it's God who made them. And it's God who works through them. and that fact alone holds endless and immeasurable power.

God's power has shown up just through raising support for this. Before I applied to go on Mercy Ships, I was worried about fundraising and if I would be able to get enough money to go or not. All it was was fear and distrust that had no right to be there. The lord showed me verse after verse to trust. I was reading and seeing all of this and felt something I couldn't really explain. It was as if the Lord was saying "Hannah, not only will I provide for you, but you won't have to sent out a single fundraising letter..." This struck me as a little strange because my funding mark was a whopping $0.00 at that point. But I stuck with it, didn't mail any letters out and decided to have a fundraiser sale and relied on others spreading the word about this trip. The generosity poured in from loved ones and unexpected places, and I feel so blessed that the Lord has provided more than I ever expected. What was so wonderful about this is how deeply meaningful he made every small thing. It wasn't just a garage sale, but a coming together of loved ones. My mom, aunt, and grandmother came in town to help. My neighbors brought over their extra things, made baked goods, and were my cheerleaders for the day. I was surrounded by furniture, food, clothes, etc, but to me i was surrounded my so much love. We had so much stuff and only had to have our sale for two days because everything sold. I am so thankful to everyone who came to help, donated their stuff, their time and cheered me on. I am forever grateful. God is a big big God.

All my lovely Helpers! 

From streams in the desert - Oct 23

"Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave. (1 Kings 8:56)

Someday we will understand that God has a reason behind every no He gives us through the course of our lives. Yet even in this life, He always makes it up to us. When God's people are worried and concerned that their prayers are not being answered, how often we have seen Him working to answer them in a far greater way! Occasionally we catch a glimpse of this, but the complete revelation of it will not be seen until later.

If God says yes to our prayer, dear heart,
And the sunlight is golden, the sky is blue,
While the smooth road beckons to me and you,
And songbirds are singing as on we go,
Pausing to pick the flowers at our feet,
Stopping to drink of the streams that we meet,
Happy, more happy, our journey will grow,
If God says yes to our prayer, dear heart.

If God says no to our prayer, dear heart,
And the clouds hang heavy and dull and gray;
If the rough rocks hinder and block the way,
While the sharp winds pierce us and sting with cold;
Yet, dear, there is home at the journey's end,
And these are the trials the Father does send
To draw us as sheep to His Heavenly fold,
If God says no to our prayer, dear heart."

If we only had the faith not to rush into things but to "be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him" - waiting for His full explanation that will not be revealed until Jesus Christ comes again! When has God ever taken anything from a person without restoring it many times over? Yet what are we to think if He does not immediately restore what has been taken? Is today His only day to Work? Does he have any concerns beyond this little world of ours? Can He still work beyond our death or does the door of the grave open to nothing but infinite darkness and eternal silence? Even if we confine our thinking to this life, it is true that God never touches the heart with a trial without intending to bestow a great gift of compassionate blessing.