So Many Children. . .

On Saturday’s we usually get to the Youth Center about an hour and a half or an hour early, but last Saturday we were bringing a lot of things with us so we got there about 45 minutes early.  We were supposed to have Youth Group for Thai children for two hours, followed by a two ‘break’ that allows us to cleanup and setup for the Youth Group for English speaking youth that we have in the afternoon for two hours. 

When we got to the Youth Center there were already 10 kids waiting outside the gate.  One young girl saw us on the main road before we turned into the Soi (small road) where the Youth Center is, she started running toward the car waving her arms and yelling Hello in Thai.  She ran down the Soi as we drove toward the Youth Center.  The other kids jumped up and were waving their arms and cheering.  When Bill unlocked the gate the kids ran in before I could even drive into the driveway.  More kids continued to come to the Youth Center, so instead of starting games at 11:00 we started around 10:30.  We had somewhere between 35 and 40 kids for the Thai Youth Group.  (Bill counted 35 kids at one point, but then more kids came.)  Youth Group was supposed to end at 1:00 but the last of the Thai Youth Group did not leave until 2:20 pm.  In between Youth Group’s we cleaned and set things up for the English Youth Group.  The English Youth Group kids were late, but then they stayed over an hour late, until after 6:00 pm.  We were grateful to get home and sit down a little before 8:00 p.m.  Ahhh!

There was one young girl that was at the Youth Center for Thai Youth Group at 10:15 a.m. that left for a short time before the English Youth Group and then came back and stayed for the entire English Youth Group.  She was the last of the youth to leave the Youth Center that night, and the only reason she left (after 7:00 p.m.) is because were leaving to go home and we needed to lock up the Youth Center.

It is so amazing to see the Lord bring so many children each and every week to the Youth Center.  It is all word of mouth from one child to the next about coming to Youth Group.  Right now most of the Thai children are from what the Thai's call the 'slums'.

Then he (Jesus) said to them, "Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me also welcomes my Father who sent me.  Whoever is the least among you is the greatest."   Luke 9:48

Blessings,

April

I Love How God Works in My Life. . .

In Ladies Bible Study we have been studying about David, in particular, his prayer life.  However on Wednesday we were looking at how David lived, for the most part, with an ‘Attitude of Gratitude’.

As the Lord taught through me, I challenged the ladies to live their lives with and ‘Attitude of Gratitude’, and then we talked about what that would look like.

I told them that when they look at the mountain of laundry that is waiting to be washed and dried, instead of moaning (out loud or silently), that they thank the Lord for each of their family members that wear the clothes and thank the Lord that they have more than enough clothes.

When faced with a sink overflowing with dishes and pans, instead of feeling dread at the prospect of washing them, give thanks to the Lord.  Thank Him whole heartedly for the bounty of food that He has provided for their families, and for the many pans and dishes they have to cook and eat from.

If someone breaks a glass and no one gets hurt, I challenged the ladies to be grateful that no one was hurt and to clean up the mess with a thankful heart.

There was some skepticism about whether in the midst of busy family lives; they would be able to live with an ‘Attitude of Gratitude’.  I reminded them that they have lived their lives to this point probably without even thinking of thanking God for laundry, dirty dishes or any of the other myriad of things that call for our attention.  They nodded their heads affirming that this was true.  Even living here in Thailand, with each lady being from a different country, we still all seemed to share the same struggles.

So I suggested that we were going to have to go about this challenge very deliberately.  When situations would come up that would normally have us frustrated or anxious, we would ask God to help us to be thankful.  I told them that we could not do this in our own strength, but that we would need the Lord to help us to change our thought patterns.  Ultimately if we made it a practice of being thankful we would: Feel less stressed; Be more joyful; Feel more grateful, Feel more peaceful, Feel better inside our heart, Be more attractive for others to want to be around. . .the list goes on.

So, that was Wednesday morning. . .

Wednesday night as we prepared to go to bed, I used the bathroom and flushed the toilet.  When I pushed the handle down, nothing happened.  My mind automatically went to “Oh no, not at 11:00 at night!” and then it hit me. . .the lesson from earlier in the day.  I quickly asked God to help me be grateful in the situation, and He changed my heart.  I told Bill about the problem with the toilet and he went to get tools to fix it.  While I waited for Bill to return with tools, I thanked God that we have a toilet.  I thanked Him that I did not have to use a squat pot, like a lot of people in Thailand do.  I thanked Him that I did not have to go outside to dig a hole.  You get the idea!

So, instead of feeling upset I felt joyful, thankful and peaceful!  Even if Bill could not fix it right away, I was still grateful.

My Mr. Wonderful, Bill, did fix the toilet in just a matter of minutes.  Praise God!

So each day I do not know what I am going to wear, but I do know that I will put on an ‘Attitude of Gratitude’ each and every day.

As for the Ladies Bible Study group, we will get together this Wednesday and share how our week went with our new attitude.

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”  1 Thessalonians 5:18

Care to join us? . . . J  I think you will find it worth the effort!

Blessings,

April

Joy in the Presence. . .

There is a beautiful young Thai girl that comes to Youth Group each Saturday.  One Saturday a couple of weeks ago she did not come to Youth Group, but when Bill and I went back to the Youth Center early that evening we saw her with two other girls.  The three girls were playing in the small dead end street where the Youth Center is located.  I pulled the car over and Bill ran into the Youth Center to take care of some things.

The girls ran to the car, so I put down my window and we started talking.  I asked the young girl why she had not been at Youth Group, and she told me that she had forgotten because of the new time.  I told her that we had missed her at Youth Group.  Her mouth fell open and she looked at me with complete disbelief. . .she really could not imagine someone missing her.  My eyes welled up with tears at the look of total surprise on this young girls face.

You see her mother is dead, she does not know who her father is, and her sister is in a not-so-good business, so her grandmother takes care of her.  No matter the day or the time we go to the Youth Center, if this little girl is not at school – she is playing in the road.

The moment she sees our car she drops everything, literally, and runs toward the car waving, smiling and yelling “Hello” in her limited English.  The joy that emanates from her is beautiful to see.

Before I even turn into the Youth Center, she begs me to put the car window down so that I can give her a kiss.  So of course I do.    She grins from ear to ear as I pull into the Youth Center driveway.  As soon as I get out of the car her little arms encircle me in a big hug and she turns her face up to me for another kiss.  She then skips along beside me, offering to carry anything and everything I have in my hands.

If I am there to clean up the Youth Center, she grabs a broom or a cloth to dust.  If I go out to clean the bathrooms, she follows me and looks for some way that she can help.  If her two little friends are with her, they find something to play with and beg her to join them, but she will not leave my side.

My heart is filled to overflowing every time I am greeted by this thin little girl, who is just thrilled to spend time with us. 

Writing this has reminded me of my incredible joy in the presence of the Lord as described in Psalm 16:11 -

“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

Blessings,

April

An Unexpected Hug. . .

On Sunday evening, Bill and I were at the Youth Center and we decided to go for a walk along the beach.  A lot had been going on over the past week, so the thought of a walk along the beach with the wind blowing through my hair was enticing.

We started walking the 2 blocks to the beach, but when we arrived. . .there was no beach.  The water was all the way up to the wall that separates the sand from the homes and the street.  There was no sand visible so, we decided to meander through some small winding roads and cut back after a while to see if there was a beach.  As we turned the corner along the narrow street, suddenly we heard children yelling and saw them waving at us.  A young boy came darting across the road and threw himself into my arms.  It was sooo sweet!  He is one of the children that comes to Youth Group, and he was so excited to see us in his neighborhood he could not contain his joy.  He grinned from ear to ear.

My heart swelled, and I felt that this special moment was a gift from the Lord.  As we said goodbye to the children and continued on our walk, I could not stop smiling as I remembered the spontaneous hug from the young boy.

Bill and I had a wonderful time walking and talking along the beach, and I felt refreshed and filled with joy when we returned.

Sometimes the Lord’s gifts are wrapped in tiny packages. . .and I am so grateful for them.  The Lord knew just what I need!  And when I needed it!  Praise God!

Blessings,

April

Dancing for Jesus. . .

Dancing for Jesus

Some of the girls that April teaches Ballet and Praise Dance, danced (in their new ballet shoes) at a Christmas Caroling Service and at a Sunday church service.  

The girls danced to a song called “Grace” by Laura Story.  After all, isn’t that what Christmas is all about? 
God sending His only Son, Jesus, to give His life for us, so that we receive what we do not deserve ‘Grace’; and do not get what we deserve.

England for a Day. . .

Here are some pictures from our one-day layover in London, England on our way back to Thailand in October 2012.

 

The Eye, Big Ben, and the underground subway the “Tube” were a few of things we got to see.

This was our first time in London!  

A Bit of a Bumpy Road. . .

April was hospitalized for two days in November after she suffered a severe nose bleed and a bout of hypertension.  But she was still able to keep smiling!  She was treated at the new Bangkok Hospital that just opened here in Hua Hin in 2011.  Most of the doctors and nurses speak at least some English and many of the doctors were trained and practiced in the USA.  Fortunately, health care costs are about 1/5 to 1/10 what they are in the USA and Bangkok Hospital is state of the art and clean as can be. 

April’s room had an LCD TV, refrigerator, microwave, kitchen sink, dishes, a couch, recliner, a kitchen table with two chairs, and a great big private bathroom. 

In January, April battled a severe case of bronchitis and tonsillitis with a terrible cough and Bill struggled with a sinus infection.  So, we have started the new year off slowly canceling Youth Group activities, Ladies Bible study, and Children’s Church until we are back to good health.  Thank you for your prayers!

Our Visit to America

Our Visit to America. . . 

From mid-September through mid-October 2012, we were back in America.  We visited family and friends and took care of things that were waiting for us to take care of.

It was a wonderful pleasure to be back at MPC in September to experience the first of many to come “Colonial Days” at MPC, to help celebrate the upcoming 300th Anniversary of the Church in 2020.

Our time in America flew by.  We were sorry we could not see everyone that we wanted too, but felt blessed for every person we were able to spend time with.

Thank you all for the encouragement, prayers and support.

A New Project - A Christian Bookshop & Café

Happy New Year!  We hope your new year is off to a great start.  We have been under the weather so far this year, but that has not dampened our spirit to spread the “Good News of the Gospel” here in Hua Hin. 

We are helping our good friends, missionaries from Switzerland, to start the first Christian Bookshop and Café in Hua Hin, Thailand.  You can go to www.kaotao.info to find out more about this exciting project.    

What’s it all about?We, Moni & Stefan and April & Bill want to set up in Thailand a tentmaking company “Christian Book Store & Café”.  For this we need 2 million Baht (or $60,000). Half of it we can finance ourselves, the other half we have raised through Christians who have the mission within the meaning of Matthew 28:19 on their hearts. 

Why a Christian Bookshop & Café?
There is no Christian bookshop in Hua Hin. Christians have to go to Bangkok, (a 3 hour drive one way) to buy Bibles and Christian literature or order by Internet, and the latter is not feasible for many.  We will be able to serve believers in and around Hua Hin by providing Christian literature, as well as, reaching out to non-believers in a comfortable, friendly atmosphere. There are many cafés in Hua Hin, and we think it will be a great place where believers and non-believers can encounter one another in a relaxing atmosphere and chat together.  In addition, we believe that the side-by-side aspect of books and café can inspire reflection and curiosity in non-believers about having a relationship with Jesus Christ.  It will also be a place to have Bible studies and prayer time with people.   We hope you will go to the website, www.kaotao.info to learn more about this project and possibly become a supporter! 

Just because time is up. . .

in regard to raising the basic funds to open the Christian Bookshop and Café, does not mean that you cannot be a part of the project.

With additional funding you will be enabling us to do more with the Christian Bookshop and Café than we originally planned. So, if you would still like to give to the project, we welcome your support and encouragement.

Thank you!

Youth Group

We have been having between 20 to 35 youth on Saturdays for Youth Group recently. Most of the new kids are Thai and speak only limited English. The Christian mother of 4 of the newer Thai youth has volunteered to help us with Youth Group by translating for everyone. She has been wonderful translating the Bible lessons for us, as well as, helping to explain the rules of new games we play each week. She has been a true blessing from the Lord!

The Youth Center is located less than two blocks from the beach and the temperature is always in the 80’s or 90’s degrees year round in the afternoon. Unfortunately, the tides in Hua Hin are often very high and when they are, there is little if any beach. We try to play games on the beach at least once or twice a month for youth group, but it took us until the first Saturday in December to be able to take the youth group to the beach. From mid-October through November, after returning to Thailand, we checked every week to see if the there was any beach. Finally, on December 1st, the tide was going out and we had a great beach to play on!



Chef Bill



Pizza for Youth Group is Great, But the Kid’s Love Food Cooked on the Grill as Well!

How Cool Is This. . .

I love working with teenagers.  I especially love to see when they allow God to work through them.

I had the wonderful privilege of seeing two teenagers being obedient to God and reaching out and ministering to some other people that needed to see the love of Jesus. 

Sometimes I wonder how many times adults turn a deaf ear to what the Holy Spirit is leading them to do.  And yet here are these teens that are listening to the prompting of the Holy Spirit, and then obeying.  One of the two teens told me that she had prayed that morning that God would use her that day for His Glory.  Yea!

Last week I was sick for a couple of days, so I sent out a message to the youth and their parents that we were going to have to cancel the midweek Youth Group.  I got a response back from one of the parents; her message said “Ok thanks”. 

Then I got responses back from each of the youth saying things like: 

Ø      We are praying for you and hope that you are healed soon.

Ø      I hope that God blesses you and heals you.

Ø      Get well soon.

Wow!  I know it may seem like a little thing, but I am so thrilled to see the hearts of the youth reflecting the heart of God.

Feeling challenged?  I hope so.  J

Blessings,

April

Let's Apply. . .

We were teaching Youth Group and the lesson was called Sin or Mistake.  We put together a Power Point with slides with different questions and accompanying fun pictures and the kids had to say whether they thought it was a Sin or a Mistake.

It was cool when we got to one slide and they said “Well it could be a Sin or it could be a Mistake, depending on the persons’ intention.”  Wow!  So good!  So perceptive!

We went through the Power Point and then we asked them how they could stop sinning.  We broke them into two groups and gave them white boards and color markers, and told them to come up with things they could do to stop sinning. 

When we had each group present what they had come up with, it was great to see things on their lists like:  Pray, Read your Bible, and Follow what the Bible says to do.  I got really excited that both groups had put that you should not only read the Bible, but that you should follow the Bible.

After each group presented and we had a time of discussion, I went over to my laptop and said “Oh yes, I want to change the Desktop picture on my laptop.”  We had the laptop projecting on the wall from when we showed the Power Point, so they could all see what I was doing.  I said “See the blue sky with the white fluffy clouds, the ocean, and the small island with the palm trees; well I want to change that.  I am going to change it to this, a picture of autumn trees with leaves falling to the ground.”  I asked if everyone could see the new background that I was choosing.  They all said they could.  I then said “Okay let’s see how it looks”, and I clicked out of the Display Properties Screen and went to the main screen.

As we all looked at the wall displaying the computer screen I said “What?  It did not change to the autumn leaves.  You saw me go in and click on the autumn leaves, right?”

. . .There was a slight pause. . .and then they said “Miss April, you forgot to hit Apply!”  (You have to remember we are living in a culture here in Thailand, where you do not want to cause someone to lose face, so it was a bold move for them to tell me what I had done wrong.)  I said “Really?  Are you sure?”  They assured me that they were sure.

I began to smile and they knew where I was going with this. . .”You mean I have to hit Apply, I can not just choose things and then exit out?”  “No” they said, “You have to hit Apply or it will not stick.”  Touché!

I told them that it was the same way with us, if we read the Bible and then put it down and do not apply what we have read, we will remain unchanged.  In James 1:23-25 it says, "For if you listen to the word and don't obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don't forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it."

I then asked them if they understood, and I was assured that they ‘Got it’. 

Praise God!

I am praying that we all ‘Apply’ God’s truths to our lives, not being content to live stagnant lives but striving to live passionate lives for Jesus.

Blessings,

April

Thanksgiving and Back Again

Wasn’t it just Thanksgiving?  We celebrated Thanksgiving with the Youth Group at the Youth Center, the day before Thanksgiving.  It was great we shared a wonderful meal, talked, laughed, played games and even had a pie eating contest.

The weeks leading up to Christmas were busy, but especially the week of Christmas. . .

We had such a busy, blessing filled week.  We had a wonderful time with the youth on Wednesday night at the Youth Group Christmas party.  In the weeks leading up to Christmas, the youth made an 8 foot tall Christmas tree out of more than 500 re-cycled soda cans.   We stood around the lit Christmas tree, holding candles and sand Christmas carols and we gave a message about how God takes us when we give our lives to Him and recycles us into something far better than we ever could have imagined.

During the party, Bill received two phone calls.  One from a friend asking to come speak with us when we got home from Youth Group around 8:30, and the other asking if it would be okay for 20 to 30 Korean university students from Handong Global University in South Korea to come to sing carols at our house around 9:00 pm.  Bill told me about the calls as we drove some of the youth home from Youth Group.  As he spoke I glanced at the clock in the car and saw that it was ten of 8:00.  My first thought was ‘Yikes!’, and then I started planning what we needed to do when we got home.  As we arrived home I felt confident with the quick plan of moving a table, getting together snacks and juice, water and soda for the university students.  However, I had just put my purse down when our 8:30 friend arrived.  Fortunately, while we spoke with our friend, the Korean university singing group called and said they would be about 20 minutes late.  I thought ‘Great!’ we can still make this work.

The Korean group arrived and one student did a series of magic tricks with a rope.  He was really good, but it was funny because our puppy Alphie went and stood right in front of him wagging his tail and looking like he was going to jump up and grab the rope.  I am happy to say the Alphie restrained himself from grabbing the rope and running off.  Then the Pitch Pipes, an incredible a cappella group of university students sang a wonderful array of Christmas songs and finished by praying for us.  We then prayed for them, and offered them refreshments.

What happened next reminded me of a cartoon, the students surrounded the table and moved in tightly and then they swelled back out.  I looked at the table in disbelief. . .there weren’t even any crumbs left.  I dashed over to Bill and told him that I was going see if I could find any other food to put out for the students.  I triumphantly returned with some chips.  I handed the chips into the circle and someone relieved me of the chips, I saw that they were dumped on the table and again they went in tight and backed away revealing that the chips were gone.  Again I went searching for more food, I found a little more to put out, and everyone was looking satisfied so I thought all was well until. . .

One of the students picked up a can and said “Beer” pointing at the can; I quickly looked at the can and said “Root Beer” “soda”.  He again pointed at the can and said “Beer”.  I tried to assure them that it was soda, not beer.  Finally one of them opened the can and tasted the sugary sweet root beer.  Okay, they understood soda not beer.  Ahhh.

Thursday, I taught ballet class and then led rehearsal for the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day presentations at Market Village Mall and Power of Love Church.  While I was teaching and rehearsing the girls, Bill was downstairs leading a cookie baking group.  After rehearsal we then joined them in making cookies to give away at the Youth Group table at the Christmas Eve celebration at the mall.

Friday, we went shopping for more cookie baking ingredients, followed by a wonderful evening with friends at the Connect3e fundraising dinner at the Sheraton to raise money to build a second home for Karen students. (http://connect3e.org/)

Saturday, we baked and baked and baked cookies to give out to people at Market Village at our Youth Group outreach table, where we also gave out free Thai and English Bibles and tracts, as well as information about the Youth Center. Fortunately we had a lot of help from the Youth Group. :-)

We just had enough time to dash home for the costumes for the girls to dance at Market Village as part of a Christian Outreach Christmas Eve celebration. The girls did an amazing job. I am so proud of them! They danced to one Christmas song in English and one in Thai.

Then bright and early Sunday, Christmas morning, I picked the girls up to dance at the Power of Love Church.  Bill preached at the Power of Love Church this morning, and in my unbiased opinion, did a wonderful job of making us want to draw closer to Jesus - not just for one Holy day, but for a lifetime. The girls danced wonderfully. It is amazing to me that I have only been teaching them for just over 3 months, they are already so good.

Then Christmas afternoon we were so blessed to spend the afternoon with wonderful friends, laughing, telling stories and sharing a meal.

And so here I am, my heart is overflowing with joy and thanksgiving.

I pray that each of you found yourselves drawing closer to THE CHRIST in Christmas.

Blessings to each of you in 2012!

Blessings,

April

So, How Do You Pray?

Have you ever had someone come up to you and say “I know you are going to say No, but I want to ask you the question anyhow”?

I have had that happen, and I always feel funny when someone starts with the phrase “I know you are going to say No, but. . .”

In the span of one week, I have counseled 2 different women, in regard to their marriages.  Each of them came to me with pain showing in their eyes and tears rolling down their cheeks, telling me that their marriage was over and that they had no choice but to leave their husband.

In each case, I let the woman tell me her story as I sat in silence and listened.  Then I prayed and asked the Lord to guide me as I gave them Biblical counsel.  The Lord brought verse after verse to my mind and I shared the Bible verses with them, explaining to them how these verses applied to their marriages and to their lives.

On both occasions, each of the women seemed to listen intently.  I talked with each woman and then asked them if they would like me to pray with them.  In both instances the woman said “Yes” she would like me to pray with her.

Before I prayed with them, I wanted to make sure that they truly had faith that the Lord could heal their marriages.  I wanted to be sure that as we prayed, that we would be two people gathered together of one mind.  The Bible says, "I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you."  Matthew 18:19

As soon as I finished praying with the first woman, she said “My husband will never change.  Our marriage is definitely over.”  And I knew that even as I had pleaded with the Lord on behalf of her marriage that in her heart doubts had lurked, and she had not believed that the Lord would intervene and restore her marriage.

"But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do."  James 1:6-8

A week later I met with and prayed with the second woman.  The very next morning I received a text from her.  She was praising the Lord and thanking me for counseling her and praying with her.  She proceeded to tell me that as soon as she had gotten home God had worked a miracle in her marriage. 

This woman had trusted that the Lord could and would work in her marriage, and He did.

Later that afternoon I got a call from her and she told me that God had also answered the prayers we had lifted up about a second issue.  She was so thankful to the Lord for answering her prayers, and truly filled to overflowing with joy. 

"And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith." Matthew 21:22

"Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."  Mark 11:24

So, how do you pray?

Blessings,

April

I am So Excited to Hear From. . .

The other day in Bible Study we started talking about how we come before the Lord.

“Do we come before the Lord, like some children come to their parents?” I asked.  The parents in the group all smiled, when I asked that.  They had all ‘been there’, feeling like they were just a wallet to be tapped, or a shoulder to cry on during a hard day.

The parents all said how nice it would be, if their kids:

• Didn’t want something every time they came to them.
• Wanted to spend time with them.
• Actually wanted to have a conversation with them.
• Believed that their parents had some wisdom to give them.
• Were as excited about seeing their parents as they were about seeing their friends.
• Loved and cared about their parents.

So how are we when we come before our Heavenly Father?  Do we. . .

• Always have our hand out, asking for something?
• Talk at God, not waiting to hear what He wants to tell us?
• Try to make our interaction with Him, as quick as possible so we can get on with life?
• Tell God and show God that we love Him?

After this conversation, I challenged all of them (and myself), to go before the Lord with new hearts from now on.  Everytime!

Instead of reading God’s Word, having morning devotion time, or praying. . .

• Because we should, or
• Because it is something we can mark off of our To Do list, or
• Because as Christians, that is what we are supposed to do.

Instead. . .

• Really being excited, as we go to read God’s Word, or to pray.

• In awe, just knowing that The Creator of the world wants to talk to us.

• Feeling the privilege that we have in having God’s Word available at our fingertips whenever we want to draw near, and knowing that the Lord is always available to us.

• Excited to hear what the Lord wants to say to us today.

• Hungry for the encouragement that He wants to give us.

o       Or even, to be admonished.  Yes, I have learned that it is even good for the Lord to tell us about something we need to change in our lives.  Maybe it is something that we need to change in our hearts, or maybe it is something we are doing (or not doing) that needs changing.  "So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin." James 4:17 Whatever it is, isn’t it always better to take care of an issue right away, rather than letting it fester and become a habit in our lives, or rather than letting it lead us further off the path that the Lord has laid out for us.  "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10 

Wow!  It is so exciting for me to think about the fact that God prepared in advance for me to do good works.  Just like a parent whose child says they want to paint a picture, and then the parent goes and prepares everything for the child.  They gather up all of the supplies, and then they set out the paints, paint brushes, paper and sponges, so that their child has everything they need to succeed in creating their project.  The parent even covers the table and the floor area with plastic and newspapers so they won’t make a mess, so that it will be a good experience for the child.  Hmmmm.  God wants us to succeed in doing good works, and He goes before us and makes preparations so that we can succeed.  He even tries to keep us from making a mess out of our efforts.  As I think about the love the Lord shows through His tender care and thoughtfulness, my heart is just overflowing with joy and gratitude.

o       Joy in having the confidence, in knowing without a doubt, that we can trust His wisdom.  Knowing that He is the source for wisdom.  Sometimes in our dealings with people, we hear them say what seems like the right things, but something just feels off. . .and we wonder, do they really have our best interest in mind as they give us advice?  With the Lord, we do not have to wonder.  We know that He says "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  Jeremiah 29:11

I am praying that each of us will have excitement, love and joy as we have the honor of having a daily relationship with the Lord.

Blessings,

April