Revelation from Ruth

Happy April Everyone,

Inspiration can come from all around and this time it came from Ruth… Not the book of Ruth as in the Bible but from my lovely wife(not uncommon). In fact she should really be writing this blog. Everything I will say in the quoted section following really flows from her this time and the truth is I needed it. Let me give you a little background as the last two weeks have been exceptionally long! This time I didn’t handle things so well. I was very tired, low on energy, and slightly   extremely discouraged.  In fact one day in particular I received some several bits of information that really made my day feel a lot longer than 24 hours.

So as I got home my wife saw that I just wasn’t quite myself. After several attempts to not really make a big deal about things we finally discussed the cloud looming over me… Here is what she said

You know Thomas, do you remember when we went to the beach this past weekend? (Yes). Remember how every time the water came onto the shore you ran away because you didn’t want to get wet (my face smirked… Yes) God never promised we wouldn’t get wet. He promised he would provide for  our needs, He promised that he would never forsake us, but He never promise that we wouldn’t experience the pressure. In fact the water may rise a bit high. It may get to your knees, to your waist, to your neck even… Is not God still capable of saving you? (Of course) Then we can’t be discouraged yet. God is still faithful and hasn’t failed us yet, and I don’t believe He will start now… (More said but that is the gist of it)

PUNCH IN THE MOUTH

I will tell you what she was RIGHT! SO RIGHT…. I mean WOW… This is what I needed to hear exactly when I needed to hear it.

Often times when we find ourselves waiting on God to provide in any situation the days often seem longer than they have ever been. The truth is they are the same as they always have been. What has changed is we are learning the hard truth that we are dependent upon God, once again, to be our support and supplier of needs rather than our own strength and abilities.

As we stood in our kitchen and all this sunk in, I was like WOW… So humbled by the truth that, of course, God would provide. I felt like someone should have hit me in the forehead like a V8 commercial but if I would have said that to Ruth she would have done it . Then I was honored because my wife just BLEW my socks off. The truth she just revealed to me and encouraged me with was amazing.

How high has the “water” been rising in your life? Are you able to trust God completely with everything?

The Journey is just beginning…

Many of you know (some of you don’t) that our move to Florida was a part of completing my Seminary degree.

I am doing my Internship which runs from August 2012 – May 2013. I will graduate this May. So the question that is coming up now is “So what’s next?” “Where are you guys going?” What will you all do once you’re done?”

Well before we moved to Florida I was the Lead Pastor of a Church in Pennsylvania. I mention that because it was there that God really confirmed to us that is exactly what we need to be doing. It was an important two years of my life. So our goal is to find another place in which we can demonstrate genuinely God’s love and mercy that he has shown us.

Here is the kicker…. 

Where we are going, what we will actually be doing, and what is actually next is still a BIG MYSTERY to us… BUT not to GOD. Therefore I am not really worried. I mean sure there are times were I am like “hmm It would but fun to know” but the truth is there is great comfort know that the Creator of the universe has my future planned out.
Here is what I am working on…

I am learning how to be more patient. Merriam-Webster.com defines patience as bearing pains or trials calmly or without complaint 

The truth is the way I want to look at having patience as a constant characteristic of mine. I want to be able to think clearly and trust that God will be faithful rather than panic every time something happen just to hit myself in the head later as if I should have had a V8.

Psalms 40:1 
I waited patiently for the LORD;
he inclined to me and heard my cry.

I have a firm belief that God will answer my prayers when He is ready… No reason to freak out or panic. I mean sure I can act that way BUT what will I gain in the process. Transition seems to be a part of life that people seem to not want to deal with. Change is inevitable yet we resist and fight it daily…

This in no way means that I am not doing my part and making sure we are ready for any transition that comes along. That would be unfaithful on our part.

SO overall I am saying… The only way I can answer the question that even we can ourselves sometimes ask is with a simple… Only God knows… I am doing what I can to prepare my family for tomorrow BUT ultimately He is in control. I do know this… When he moves us it will be the best move we could have possibly made

How do you typically deal with waiting? What are you learning/working on while you are waiting?

Carmen is growing…..

I remember hearing people say that when you have kids the time FLIES!!!! Well I believe that time literally grows wings and takes off because I can’t tell you where it has gone…

This Saturday my little Carmen will be two months old. WOW! I still remember taking her home. Now she is growing so well and so FAST!!! Well I thank God for all the time I get with her and how I get to watch her grow. She is a true blessing to us.

At home we have one of those boppy pillows and she used to LOVE it… BUT now she is getting too big for it. Her head control is so good that she doesn’t want to roll on that silly soft thing.. she wants to sit up and be supported… SO we began the search for some kind of seat thingy (bumbo seat). These are all the signs that she is growing up. I am happy for her. Growing up means she is doing what God intended her to do, live her life.

*SOAPBOX-SIDE-NOTE RANT*

I love when people try to give you the “wait and see what’s next” I want to yell SPOILER ALERT… DON’T TELL ME… LOL… I am enjoying every stage of my young daughter and young families life and her growing up is a part of that stage whether I want it to be or not. I thank God for it! *STEPPING DOWN*

Finally for your viewing pleasure here is a picture of Carmen when she was first put into that seat thing… She wasn’t quite sure what was going on…. Her face is priceless….

Breathe…. It’s ok!

You ever have one of those moments where you feel like people are comparing you to someone else?

Or

What about those times where you feel like people value the work someone did over the work you do?

Ever feel less valuable than another?

Just me huh? I have been having one of the weeks or should I say a few weeks. I just felt in a slump of sorts. However I had an amazing conversation with a wise man who reminded me that in God’s eyes He values all of His children at a 10. There are things I can do that others can’t and things others can do that I can’t and that is OK. (and then I took a DEEP BREATH)

I needed to realize that while it was ok to experience the feelings I had it wasn’t going to be ok if I let them overtake me. Has that ever happened to you? Have you ever been so overwhelmed by a feeling or issue that is has over taken you? I really needed to remember that God has a very special reason for what He does and he equips us for accomplishing this task.

So when these moments arise or these people who weren’t particularly helpful in the first place return I can be more confident the next time around know that my heavenly Father is pleased (as long as I am being faithful to HIM) with me and who I am therefore I should be happy with who I am!!!

 

What about you? How do you remind yourself to be happy with how God made you? Remember you are wonderfully made

Psalm 139