This week has been full of fun and exciting events, God’s grace on fellowship in relationships and friendships, new information concerning our future, new adventures and new challenges. Yet there is no other way to walk it other than by the way Christ called us to: by his example and his character.
(Plus, BONNIE CAME TO SEE US!!!)We were very blessed to have her as our first visitor and very thankful for her as well! Thanks Bonnie-- it was a joy to have you here! We love and miss you!!
Last Saturday, we were invited to Career day (which I mentioned in the last blog) and we were flooded with more thoughts, paths and ideas about career paths through the military. There was at least one pilot who talked about his aircraft and its mission, deployment pattern and the many locations you could possibly be stationed at if you chose that particular route. After being flooded with options and information for two to three hours, we were given the opportunity to go tour each plane out on the flight line. We toured everything from a F-15 and an A-10 to a C-21 and a C-130. It was a lot of fun, but definitely wore us out! (Yet it didn’t stop us from agreeing to a spontaneous camping trip that evening!)
For the next few days, it just seemed I started letting my plans for each career route rule the way I thought about our future in the Air Force. Instead of being in the previous mind set of trusting the Lord for whatever route we would be led to, my thoughts pertaining to each path started to manipulate where I my hope was set… and it went from the Lord to the perceived aircraft I would encourage my husband towards for my plan’s sake. The thought of him flying anything outside of what I pictured to be “ideal” was filled with resistance. However, praise be to God that he did not allow this twisted and detrimental thought process to continue for long! I was convicted of my heart’s motives while reading Hebrews 13. In verse 4, Paul encourages the Hebrew people to look to God for their security, not the things they currently had hope in (such as their financial security and wealth: things that seem to be theirs to control and wield as they wished). Yet in a broken world, this can never be—no exceptions. Just like if I trust in fleeting plans and schedules, I will always be failed by it. The only thing to trust in this life is Jesus Christ; the only real hope outside this broken world. Our hope is Him, and promises: “I will never leave you nor forsake you”( Joshua 1:5)… thus, why should we fear what is not in our future or what is not in sight? So “what then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will be not also with him graciously give us all things?”(Rom 8:31,32). Put your hope where it will not be eaten by the moths of disappointment our world is full of.
The Lord graciously showed me in all love and kindness where I had steered wrong and now it was time for me to get my heart right with Him. Lord, make me a clean heart! My heart was once again satisfied in the Lord and my desire longed for the things of Him alone. At this time, we were also preparing to move into our ‘new’ house. My heart had become satisfied with that too—even though it was nothing to match up to our old house, it was still a gift to be given a place to live and have the chance to be hospitable with it. Thus, that Thursday of last week, I showed up to sign the lease…. And the Lord in his kindness gave me more than I deserved once again! It just so happened that the day I showed up it was announced that students could now move into the new houses in Magnolia. Magnolia was a base neighborhood only higher ranking individuals got to live in. NOW Andrew and I, only 2nd LT if you will, were being offered a house in the neighborhood we never thought we’d ever live in! When I showed up at the new houses, I just cried in thankfulness to the Lord. I was overwhelmed! God, we don’t deserve this gift! You are good to us—please help my heart to be generous with what you have given us to be responsible with. I think the best part was surprising my husband with our 2-story “mansion”, with 3 bedrooms upstairs and an extended den! Andrew was truly clueless at first, but when he saw it, he had the same reaction as I as he walked through it: Thank you God! We stood there and just thanked God together within each other’s arms. Use this God, allow us to be faithful with you generosity! This is God’s house and we have been made a manager of His good graces. Have us honor you in all we do in and with this house. It is our desire to worship you in this way. Thank you God for your everlasting love and help as we walk out your will.
(I will post pictures of the house once the internet starts picking up. It's really slow right now!)
Yes, we have been blessed… and I give thanks to God for graciously taking care of us in all manners, for it all exult His mighty name! As soon as I get pictures of our house downloaded, I will post them here. To sum it all up, from the last couple of weeks, I have realized its best when you follow the Lord where He takes you, its best when you do as He commands you and you are most satisfied in life when you are most satisfied in Him. Fear nothing that life brings you, only continue to fear the Lord, who has graciously given us all things!
Also, here are some really cool pictures of a C-747 taking off with the space shuttle at our base last week! Really neat. I will post the video later too!
I will post pictures of Andrew in his altitude chamber and that whole experience when the net starts RUNNING! Haha-- until then, enjoy your week!!
