He IS with you

The Holy Spirit leads, guides and directs. I love reading this promise all over scripture. In Acts 22 Paul says "And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there." Paul was in tune to the guiding of the Holy Spirit. He was in prayer, he was listening. As Paul sails toward Jerusalem, landing in Tyre he found the discples there. "Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem." The Spirit had shown the disciples what Paul would face.

But I love picturing this next scene. "All the disciples and their wives and children accompanied us out of the city, and there on the beach we knelt to pray." Isn't that the coolest image!!! What a picture of what we are to be about - in prayer together - when the need arises to just stop where you are and pray - children present - whoever is there! Families praying together is such a beautiful thing. What an example this is to pass on to your children.

Ok, so as they travel on a prophet came down from Judea. "He took Paul's belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, 'The Holy Spirit says, 'In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.'" Of course the people pleaded with Paul not to go to Jerusalem. Here is Paul's answer "Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." The people knew that Paul could not be dissuaded and said "The Lord's will be done."

So here you have a man willing to do whatever it takes to share the gospel of Jesus. When we face challenges, which we will, standing firm in our faith can be a challenge. We are witnesses of who Christ is in our life. Sometimes we fall - like I did the other day. I was just having one of those days when it felt like I was sinking. So much coming in, so many directions, so many decisions that I felt very weak. Come evening I was just "out of it" and Angela said "are you ok mom." I simply told her that there are a lot of adult decisions to be made and sometimes it can get stressful. My quiet daughter looked at me and said "mom, look at what God has done in our life, he is going to take care of things. I don't want to change schools but God is going to take care of that too. Just remember what he has all done." It was in that moment I knew the reason for having a bad day. So she could shine and minister to me and speak the words of God's provision. Isn't God amazing how he uses even our crappy days for his glory. We just have to open up our hearts to allow him to teach and shape us.

This past week has been so crazy - and God has definitely used it to shape me. Today we sit in the final preperations for closing on a house in Ohio. Great that we are to this point as it makes it much easier to plan our move. Please keep our family in your prayers as we make this transiton. God has amazing things planned and we are excited to get settled. Tim is ready to get at ministry full time again. God is awesome, never forget that. Our God is a God that can move mountains!

God is by our side every step of the way. When you have days that you don't feel it. Stop and claim the truth - HE IS WITH YOU - and ask him to shape you through whatever it is you are facing. Look where God is taking us - to a new and fresh place. He had lead and guided all along and waited until we were ready for what he had for us. There were times when I couldn't understand it all but since when do we ever know the right time for the next steps. I want God to take the lead in my life - even on those days when I think I know best - I really know that I don't. We must just submit to his will knowing that he is by our side all the time and we can call on him anytime and he is always there.