Pressing On, Pressing In and Trusting God!!
Just sitting here on the porch this afternoon. Sunny, clear skies and crisp, cold wind blowing, but refreshing at the same time. Just sitting here thinking about the awesomeness of our God. Of how He watches over us in all ways, in every area of our life as we walk with Him.
Yesterday reminded me about that old song, about how the Lord keeps His eye on the Sparrows. How He watches over us.
Yesterday afternoon a propane truck pulls up into my driveway, so I went to talk to the driver because I know I did not order any propane but she told me that they received an order for propane, 100 gallons and it was already paid for. I was totally floored because I have not had any propane since June. I was using a hot plate and a microwave to cook and heat water for bathing, shaving and so forth. It sort of took me back to my days in the Army and United States Marine Corps
To go from sponge bath to a full fledge hot shower, let me tell you, that was a bit of heaven for me. So what a blessing of God’s provision. I have no idea of who sent it but I sure do thank the Lord for putting it on their heart to do so. Now I can do some real cooking, instead of microwaving everything.
As many of you know I am still going through the whole process with social security. Waiting for a hearing with a judge now. Just don’t know when it will take place. The Lord has been with me through all of this. He has and is making the way and the provisions for my needs.
I have not worked since February 2003, not by choice, just a result of all that I have gone through over the last two and a half years with the battle with cancer. I have been cancer free. I will be going to the doctors on December 15th to see the surgical team, the ostomy team and Med Oncology team, to have tests to make sure I am still cancer free and that the ostomy is doing ok.
I still suffer a lost of strength because of the chemo and the radiation treatments I went through but I am a lot stronger now then I was two and a half years ago.
And now I am at a place in my life where I have had to put my trust totally in the Lord in all things. It has not been easy but I can say that my Father has been there for me every step of the way!
I am saying all of this to say that we can put our trust in our Father. To know that even in the times of doubt, of fear, when it seems everyone and everything is against you, our Father will be there.
That He will bring us to the place He wants us, to fulfill His call and purpose in our life. In my case, Hill Country Thoughts was birthed out of all of this, and out of the ashes of what look like defeat, life came forth because my Father has brought me through the furnace of affliction and now I feel like He is in the process of taking what has come out of the fire and polishing it, putting on the finishing touches so that when He is through that which will be seen, will be the Christ within, that others will see the reflection of that new life, that new creation.
I want to encourage you my friends today to not turn back, do not flee from these times of going through the fire, for when you come through you will be able to look back and see from where you came, to where you are now and that time of mourning will be turn into joy.
He will bring us to a place that we know Him and not just about Him and we will see the fulfillment of God’s purpose in us.
It is not a time of turning back but a time of pressing in and pressing on and standing in the promises of the Lord, of His word and the things that He has spoken to us.
We are to close to turn back. The Lord is bringing us to a place that we know, that we know, that we are where the Lord wants us, right in the center of His will and it is at this point that we abandon ourselves to Him and say lead on Lord, lead on. Sink or swim, we will follow you.
Rise up my friends and be strong in the Lord, in His strength and in His power and watch our Heavenly Father work on our behalf when we press on and press in and trust Him.
Till later,
Paul