Sometimes, I find myself in this mood where I keep looking for God, but I cannot find Him. It is not that He isn’t there, it is just that I am usually looking in the wrong place. I look where I want Him to be and, nine times out of ten, I miss Him. In Ireland, God and I were finally on the same schedule.
This month, I was blessed to meet a woman named Polly. I met Polly at Open Door Ministry. Jeff invited her to sit down at our table for some tea, small talk and prayer. Honestly, I was in a funk this day. Jeff did all of the talking and I felt like I was in the clear… until he wandered off. In that moment, I did what I do best: ramble. As Polly and I began to talk, I began to see how God had formed her heart to be like His. His love oozed out of her! Talking to Polly was like talking to an old friend.
On Sunday, I was almost late to church. As I was hurrying into the building, I saw Polly and she invited me to sit with her. The music in the service was led by Kathryn Scott and it was incredible! The last song in the set was very relatable for where I was at. In Ireland, I was walking out of a lot and processing through some tough stuff. I felt a huge connection to the lyrics and had to hold back my tears. At the end of the service, we sang the song again and Polly leaned over to me to tell me that God had given her a word for me. It was the exact lines from song that I had felt the connection to. God used Polly to reveal Himself to me.
The lyrics were:
There is strength within the sorrow
There is beauty in our tears
You meet us in our mourning
With a love that casts out fear
You are working in our waiting and sanctifying us
When beyond our understanding
You’re teaching us to trust
Often times, nature is a common meeting place for Papa and I. When I look out over His creation, I am speechless. The same God that created all the beauty I see, also took the time and thought to create me. But it is not just that. In Ireland as I stood on the rocks, felt the cool sea breeze on my skin, smelled the salt water and watched the endless waves, I was reminded of how good God was. In that moment, I could see the beauty of God. The colors of the sun setting over the horizon and the darkening clouds are just a glimpse of our Heavenly Father’s beauty. In times like this His beauty is overwhelming and I think that my heart will explode because of it. When I can meet God and see His beauty, I can see His face. I have never seen His face the way I have over the past few months.
This month in Ireland, our squad was lucky to get to meet Hutch. Hutch has a heart for loving and giving to others. His willingness to give is incomparable to any other. He was constantly bringing snacks by the Scout Hall where we lived, throwing us barbeques or inviting us over so we could catch an NFL game. He did not treat us like strangers, he treated us like family and he gave to us without wanting anything in return.
God is in the people who cross your path, the sunsets you see and the acts of kindness that are done for you. Where have you been overlooking God in your life?
