God is at Work

As I write this Glenn is heading east on the NYS Thruway, I-90, on his way to Upstate Medical University for his interview and I am so thankful for all the people that are praying for him! This is the only interview that he has been offered at this point and we would love to go there! 

That is really on my heart but another thing on my heart right now is that I am SO thankful for the work that God is doing in my family. I know that we would not be where we are right now spiritually if it weren't for these many years of uncertainty and steps of faith that we have taken  through which we have seen God at work to get us to this point.  I love seeing God at work in my kids. Whenever anything good happens the first thing out of Abigail's little 3 year old mouth is "Thank you God!" Even things I don't notice she is so quick to thank God for them. How it brings joy to this mommy's heart! 

This year I really wanted Caleb and Hannah to get into God's Word more. They memorize verses for AWANA but that program doesn't really challenge them to get into God's Word for themselves everyday so I thought I would look for something for them. Starting in middle school or so I had used the Word of Life Quiet Time diary to help direct my time with God for several years and it was really helpful for me. I have looked online for them before for the kid's ages but never bought them. I found some on ebay shortly before Christmas, a few of them from several years back that had never been used that someone was clearing out and I bought all that she had to offer. We gave them to the kids on Saturday and I sat down with them and talked them through the prayer section and what they would be doing everyday (reading a short scripture passage and doing an age appropriate activity based on it).  They were so excited and wanted to start right then but the reading started on Sunday so I told them that they could work on putting down some of the things that they wanted to be praying for and we could pray together. I loved listening to the things that they wanted to pray for. The first request they both put down was that Dad would get into medical school then that Abigail would believe in Jesus. Caleb wrote down Lydia that she would grow in Christ. Hannah's next request was that Abigail and Lydia and her own husband and Caleb's wife would believe in Jesus :). On the missionary page they both wrote down a request for the Thomas' family to catch "the Chisler" (a big rat that has been bothering them in their home where they serve God overseas). They went on to write many things that they were thankful for on the thank you page: grandma & grandpa's visit, a warm home, blankets, pillows, family, safety tools. I really don't think that they were given enough space on those few pages for requests and things to be thankful for! It's OK, we can staple in more pages :)  When we got home from church yesterday Caleb ran and got his quiet time diary to add a request for his friend Zach from church whose arm is broken. It was neat to chat with the kids too after they had done the first day and see what they had learned. I am excited about what God is going to do in their (and  my life) through this tool that we are using this year.

Another thing I am excited about is how God is working in Glenn's life. A lot rides on this interview today. We would love to go to Upstate but as he was reading his Bible this morning he was on James 4:4, "You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God."  We have talked a lot over the last year and specifically recently from the series at church about people pleasing. I love that the song on his lips this morning was "I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold, I'd rather have Him than have riches untold...." You know what? Today is a big day. Glenn may get into Upstate but if that is not God's best plan for us we don't want it. I know that as he goes into his interviews today he is going to be himself and if that is where God wants him, He will work out the details.

These many years of waiting on God have not been easy but the song that rings through my heart this morning is "Through it all, through it all, I've learned to trust in Jesus, I've learned to trust in God. Through it all, through it all, I've learned to depend upon His Word." My God is so good and faithful and I trust Him. He has proven Himself over and over again. Thank you Jesus!