I've posted some thoughts on our engagement's parallel to the Kingdom of God in my personal blog. Take a look if you'd like.
- Daryl
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Monday, January 7, 2008
Answers to prayer
As we look back on the year 2007, we see so many ways the Lord has blessed us and allowed us to experience His grace. Here are some of the prayers He has answered:
For Daryl:
Daryl spent a lot of time praying for God to prepare him for missions, for opportunities to become more involved in ministry with Church, for God to bring people around him who would challenge him to have more spiritual growth, to not become complacent or materialistic. The Lord answered these prayers by having Daryl lose his job, become a part of the Internship at Muncie Alliance Church, and in bringing strong believers around him to hold him accountable and encourage his walk with Jesus. Additionally, God caused a great job to fall in to Daryl's lap, that wasn't necessarily a 9-5 ordeal and one that allowed him to be flexible and be part time later, when the Internship started.
Daryl had also spent time praying that if it was God's will that he go overseas, that he would provide a wife for him before making that move ;) ....the rest of that is history
For Jodi:
Jodi looks on 2007 as being one of the most amazing and challenging years of her life. So many big changes, trials and blessings. At the beginning of 2007, she was praying for a home group of believers that she could be a part of- which the Lord answered quickly by providing an amazingly loving group of people( almost every single one from a different country). Around this same time, Jodi found out that she wasn't accepted to grad school and though it was a very difficult thing to discover, she was encouraged that the Lord must have something better, even though she had thought that it was the best thing. A little while later, as her wonderful roommate whom she had lived with for four months prepared to leave, Jodi prayed for another place to live. Some caring friends offered to let her live in the first floor flat of their house- which was also called the Prayer House. It turned out to be a crazy-awesome blessing to be living in a House of Prayer, and surrounded by so much intercession. Soon, Jodi was on her way out to the Far West of Nepal. She spent a month away from fellowship and other believers, which proved to be a very difficult time, however, Jesus became so real to her during that time. Jodi prayed that she would be able to return to this place, but that that it would not have to be alone.... ;) God answered that one in a fabulous way.
Later, as Jodi sat in Thailand after having to leave Nepal because of visa issues in a whirlwind exit process, she prayed for direction of what to do/where to go next. It seemed crazy that she would have been enjoying and thriving so much in her time and work in Nepal and then have to leave it all in a rush. Jodi didn't want to just return to the USA- because it seemed like the easy way out, and in other ways, the hardest option. Jodi chose to come back, even though she still wasn't sure if that was the right thing to do- but the Lord provided the funds she needed to return at exactly the right time. Jodi spent a lot of time praying that her return to the US would not involve her falling in to a complacent walk with Jesus, but that she would remain strong in Him and that she could be used as an encouragement to others.
The Lord continues to answer these prayers in ways that have blown us away. We are thrilled to see that He really does hear us when we pray, and He is ready and excited to answer in ways that lead us closer to Himself.
Together:
Now, as we look forward to forging our lives in to one, we continue to pray for God's direction and guidance as we seek what He has for us together. We both feel so privileged to have the Lord's hand on us so strongly, and we pray for eyes to continue see His hand, especially when difficult times come.
For Daryl:
Daryl spent a lot of time praying for God to prepare him for missions, for opportunities to become more involved in ministry with Church, for God to bring people around him who would challenge him to have more spiritual growth, to not become complacent or materialistic. The Lord answered these prayers by having Daryl lose his job, become a part of the Internship at Muncie Alliance Church, and in bringing strong believers around him to hold him accountable and encourage his walk with Jesus. Additionally, God caused a great job to fall in to Daryl's lap, that wasn't necessarily a 9-5 ordeal and one that allowed him to be flexible and be part time later, when the Internship started.
Daryl had also spent time praying that if it was God's will that he go overseas, that he would provide a wife for him before making that move ;) ....the rest of that is history
For Jodi:
Jodi looks on 2007 as being one of the most amazing and challenging years of her life. So many big changes, trials and blessings. At the beginning of 2007, she was praying for a home group of believers that she could be a part of- which the Lord answered quickly by providing an amazingly loving group of people( almost every single one from a different country). Around this same time, Jodi found out that she wasn't accepted to grad school and though it was a very difficult thing to discover, she was encouraged that the Lord must have something better, even though she had thought that it was the best thing. A little while later, as her wonderful roommate whom she had lived with for four months prepared to leave, Jodi prayed for another place to live. Some caring friends offered to let her live in the first floor flat of their house- which was also called the Prayer House. It turned out to be a crazy-awesome blessing to be living in a House of Prayer, and surrounded by so much intercession. Soon, Jodi was on her way out to the Far West of Nepal. She spent a month away from fellowship and other believers, which proved to be a very difficult time, however, Jesus became so real to her during that time. Jodi prayed that she would be able to return to this place, but that that it would not have to be alone.... ;) God answered that one in a fabulous way.
Later, as Jodi sat in Thailand after having to leave Nepal because of visa issues in a whirlwind exit process, she prayed for direction of what to do/where to go next. It seemed crazy that she would have been enjoying and thriving so much in her time and work in Nepal and then have to leave it all in a rush. Jodi didn't want to just return to the USA- because it seemed like the easy way out, and in other ways, the hardest option. Jodi chose to come back, even though she still wasn't sure if that was the right thing to do- but the Lord provided the funds she needed to return at exactly the right time. Jodi spent a lot of time praying that her return to the US would not involve her falling in to a complacent walk with Jesus, but that she would remain strong in Him and that she could be used as an encouragement to others.
The Lord continues to answer these prayers in ways that have blown us away. We are thrilled to see that He really does hear us when we pray, and He is ready and excited to answer in ways that lead us closer to Himself.
Together:
Now, as we look forward to forging our lives in to one, we continue to pray for God's direction and guidance as we seek what He has for us together. We both feel so privileged to have the Lord's hand on us so strongly, and we pray for eyes to continue see His hand, especially when difficult times come.
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