As I said before on a couple of
mornings a week we go into a community here in the Philippines and do
home visits. This has become one of my favorite times of the week.
We usually break up into teams and go out. Depending on how many
translators we have, one team will go to the houses while the other sits at the front of the community and prays. Which always ends up
with another chance to play with the beautiful kids that live there.
So, on Thursday Emily, John and myself went into the community to
talk with the people.
The first house we visited was of a
Grandmother, she has 8 kids and 14 grandchildren. Most of whom live with her. So she definitely has a packed house. We started talking
with her and asked if she was saved. She said yes and began to tell
us a story of how she came to believe. When she was younger she went
through a hard time and was going to commit suicide by jumping off a
high cliff. As she went to do it she looked down and saw an image of
God holding out His arms to catch her. When she saw this she knew
that she was supposed to be here.
Her testimony gave me such a picture of
how God saves us. I have never been in this exact situation but I
can relate. I have been to the point where I wanted to give up and I
am sure I will be in that place again. Especially this year with the
challenges I am going to face on the world race. However, I know
that I won’t because I have a wonderful God who is fighting for me.
He is strong in my weakness. Because of Him I know I, and you, can make
it through on His strength not my own.
Then another time she was telling us
about, which a lot gets lost in translation, when she was injured and
and was in the hospital. She almost died but God saved her again.
She has been saved for a reason. I could tell it was for her family.
They are beautiful and hopefully with the guidance of their Lola
(Grandma) they will see the awesome power and glory of our God.
Hearing her story and seeing the joy in
her eyes gave me hope for the community. There are people in the
community who truly believe in God and have amazing testimonies. So
check back with me for the rest of their stories. And please
continue lifting this community up in prayer.
2 Corinthians 12:7-10
7-10Because of the extravagance of those revelations, and so I wouldn’t get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan’s angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! At first I didn’t think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me,
My grace is enough; it’s all you need.
My strength comes into its own in your weakness.
Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size-abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.
