"Let me see redemption win
Let me know the struggle ends
That you can mend a heart that's frail and torn
I want to know a song can rise from the ashes of this broken life
And all that's dead inside can be reborn
Cause I'm worn"
Chorus of: Tenth avenue north "Worn"
These are the lyrics that I continue to sing in my head. At this point I wish I had a different song in there. However, for the last few days, (or weeks), this has been it.
When there are great things on the horizon, and God is moving in mighty ways, it pisses Satan off. He hates it. I remember at numerous times during our adoption process being the brunt of numerous attacks by the evil one. Well, he is at it again. In fact, last night we had to come together to pray as a family, recognizing the attacks as attacks and praying against them. I was great hearing my kids pray, "God, send satan back to hell where he belongs! He has no business in this house."
This last week, I have been trying to get ready for a story telling training that I am helping lead. We will be teaching people from numerous different churches and languages, the art of biblical storytelling to assist in the spread of the gospel. I haven't been able to put any effort into studying for this yet, at all.
Heather is getting ready to go with our church on a short term team into a volatile place in the middle east. This is part of a continued work that our church has been a part of.
God is working in many ways and we know that he has some big plans for us and we look forward to being a part of the work that he is doing both locally and globally.
So, satan tries to discourage us. He has been winning at times. Not anymore. We won't let him win. Since Easter, at the beginning of April, we have only been able to get to church ONE time, and it will be at least another week. We have started to feel disconnected and lonely. We want to be a part of the church body, yet satan has been keeping us away. We have 3 kids with chicken pox right now. We have two other kids with fevers, which only leave one kid healthy. We were told by the doctor last night to go to the ER because of some bacteria in a blood test. Well, that was the point of breakdown. Half the house was crying, the other half was scratching themselves and I was hungry. Yelling at everyone to come to the dinner table to eat made for a wonderful meal that we shared together (not).
This last week, as part of a men's group study, I have been documenting a sin in my life and working through it. Yep, that sin that I have been working on is yelling. Well, I had been doing so good, as the punches kept coming all week until the last day. At least now I have something to really document.
We have a couple of choices. We can coward before the attacks, become afraid and back off from the work that we are doing, or we can choose to keep our eyes focused on following Jesus. Well, we will take another step into enemy territory and trust that what God says in the Bible is true. That, as we make disciples of all nations, he will be with us always.
