My God is Faithful

Sometimes you just have to sit and reflect. Last night and this morning, I have been so overwhelmed with God's mercy and grace in my life that I have had to sit and process. As I think back over the years and look through journal entries, I remember a time of frustration. Frustrated because I love missions, and as a busy homeschooling mom, my time was very limited. Frustrated because every opportunity that I would pursue, the door would close. Frustrated because I began having struggles and doubts in my Christian walk because of situations I was going through.

In April of 2013, my journal entry notes a day of prayer. One topic of prayer was for ministry opportunities. In July of 2013 I wrote, "Each day I am trusting God to help me be spiritually wide awake. Seeing and meeting the needs right where I am." Through the words of Christine Caine in her book Undaunted, God began showing me that my mission field at that moment in my life needed to be my home and my community. Striving to be faithful in the everyday, ordinary life and being satisfied where He had me.

Yes, the desire for serving in other areas of mission work was still very strong, but I began to realize that if God wanted me to be involved in it, He would provide the way. I honestly began praying that if God wanted me to be a part of a ministry, He would drop it in my lap.

In March of 2014, my husband Chris went to a men's supper where Greg Pendarvis with Victory Sports Outreach was the speaker. I knew the name and knew he was related to me, but I had never met him. That supper led to Chris calling me on the way home and telling me, "You need to get in contact with your cousin. You need to be involved in his ministry." I met Greg and his family for the first time in July of 2014 when my kids and I arrived in St. George for our first mission trip with Victory Sports Outreach. And yes, God provided a ministry not only for me to be involved with, but my kids also.

Since that trip a little over a year ago, God has continued to move. Sometimes in ways I didn't understand or like, but always for my good because He is faithful. . He has placed us in a mission-minded church with a strong children's ministry. He has allowed us to serve for a second time with Victory Sports in St. George. He provides opportunities in the everyday and mundane.

As I sit here and reflect on my weekend, my heart is full, and I am thankful. Thankful for the opportunity to serve with my Sunday School class on Saturday night to throw a community event to raise funds for Child Evangelism Fellowship. Thankful to witness a baptism on Sunday and hear my cousin Greg give glory to God for what He is doing through Victory Sports. Thankful to have time with Greg and Mia who have brought so much encouragement to my life in this past year. Thankful for what God is doing in my children's lives. Thankful for what God is doing in my life.

What blows me away in these circumstances in my life is God's faithfulness, mercy, and grace. I don't deserve His love or to be used by Him. By His mercy and grace, He chose to love me despite my lack of love, my unfaithfulness, and yes, sometimes anger towards Him. It is quite humbling to reflect back on how God has answered my prayer. He is always at work. Sometimes we don't understand our circumstances, but God is working to grow us and put us in the place He wants us to be. How amazing to think that He has a plan for each of our lives. I don't know your situation today, but God does. Maybe you have frustrations, hurts, anger. God knows every detail of our lives. He knows the desires of our hearts. He answers prayer, it's not always on the timeline we think, and it's not always in the way that we thought it would be, but He is faithful and full of mercy and grace. I pray you can rest in His faithfulness today.

"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful." Hebrews 10:23