" WHY WHY WHY?" We always ask

REASONS......We don't understand them, and we always ask WHY when either we don't get our way or if bad things happen from God. BUT He always shows us in His timing why He allowed the things we don't understand to happen

Last May 2012, our pastor from our church we go to ask Chad if we would pray about taking over the youth ministry. Chad and I prayed for a month and seeking God, we had peace about it, even though we are really busy with church groups coming up and helping us in the summer at the Village.We knew this is what God wanted us to do.  We started the youth in July with 2 kids. It was interesting and our pastor Luke kept saying "Don't get discouraged it will take a while".Well the next few months it started to grow and Chad & I prayed on what bible study to start with and we started Experiencing God for youth. We are taking it slow because it still in depth and we want them to get it. So we do a day per week, and  we also have fun Wednesdays with them and play games. So as the months progress God is bringing new youth to our church. We had them pick a name , and they picked Aftershock with the scripture Acts 4:31. Through spring it was getting challenging because they mostly all play sports and they had practices on Wednesday nights, but God was showing us His plan.  We had VBS in July at our church and another missionary lived here for two years (she helped us with youth ) we co-teamed VBS together.We had new girls come through that, three of them are regularly coming on Wednesday nights, they go to their church on Sundays. So Aftershock is growing quick and hard to believe this fast. But when ever God is doing it its going to be like that!!!! We drive the church bus and pick up kids and take them home every Wednesday night and Sunday mornings,there were too many to keep squeezing in our car!! Plus that gives us more bonding time with them!  Carrie , missionary that helped with youth, moved back home in August her 2 year journey was up and she is now in New York doing Gods work there. So that left me to start teaching 7/8 grade girls Sunday school. Now here comes the REASON for it all.........

In January of this year one Sunday after church I felt like God saying you are taking over the girls Sunday school class. So for two hrs I went back and forth with God not wanting to because I love the Sunday school I was in, I was getting fed and I thought that is what " I" needed. Well of course God won that one, and I had peace that night when Carrie left  in August I would be their teacher. Well.... in my first blog I wrote about being sick and God healing me. Chad and I want to have children but we know I have to get healthy first. So there has been a lot of WHY'S in the past, but we know God is in control. I shared with Chad shortly afterwards that I will be the teacher for the girls and that this is all God,and of course he was excited. I've gotten very close to "my girls" and God is showing me why He called us to the church we go to and why Chad and I are youth leaders there........ They are our Kids!!!

Through prayer and devotions,I have realized the reason why it hasn't been the right timing to have children yet is because we are parents to our youth. If we had a baby right when all this started with our youth we wouldn't be as close to them, we wouldn't have this  relationship with them that we do. The girls come over to our house twice a month and we talk and do a bible study. We have parties at our house for them, I absolutely love them with my whole heart  . And when the time is right for us to have children our kids are going to still be our kids and we will have that time and bond still with them, plus have a lot of babysitters!!!!!!!  We just have a bond with them that's forever and if Chad and I didn't have that time to spend with them, it wouldn't be. Through going to their games, talking to them and just laughing with them has helped me so much this year. Our church family always say we are a blessing to them, but they are a blessing to us. There is something about youth that is amazing, our youth is, and no matter what happens that day or how I feel, when  I see them, my heart melts!! They are my world and I'm forever grateful to have them as my girls!!!!!

" Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up" Galatians 6:9


REASONS....Now I know WHY.....He is teaching us and this is all for His Glory!

Sometimes Its Hard to Live by Faith

 Have you ever had one of those days where you feel like can anything else happen, or you feel defeated in any way ? Well some days I get that way, but I have to bounce back and realize God allows things to happen to get us closer to Him.
  

Today's devotion is on Trusting God, now I have said plenty times , "Oh I trust Him on this or I know and believe God has this".  But can we say that for EVERYTHING. It's says in Isaiah 26:3-4 " You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Trust in the Lord always , for the Lord God is the eternal Rock!"

With everything that I do, I must trust him. It's hard being five hrs away from family, and living faith based but know God supplies everything we need when we need is the best way to be. There are things we do without but knowing He gives us the things we need in His timing is priceless. It makes up for what we don't have. And when you think about it, it's not ours any way. It's all God's what ever we have, is His. So we shouldn't just keep things for ourselves we should give it to help others when he tells us. And that goes back to trusting Him, if he gives us something and then tells us to give it that person we must obey, and trust He will supply back to us when we need it. 

There are plenty of times we have had bills to pay, and the money hasn't been here. Then always right before its due, we get the money to pay them.  Sometimes it comes from people we don't even know. But that's all He wants from us is to trust Him and know He will take care of us. We don't even worry about it because we have seen Him supply. We pray and trust that it will be there in His timing and always it is   

He just wants us to give Him complete control and allow Him to work in our lives. The only way to do that is to seek Him daily and have that close relationship with him. And we will hear everything that He wants us to do. I couldn't imagine living any where else, and doing anything else. Kentucky has taught me a lot and Harlan county is my home. It's ok that we live 1 hr and 30 min from any big area, serving God is worth it all and knowing He is using me is the best. God wants to use all of us we just have to open our hearts and fully trust Him! 

Psalms 91:1-2 " He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty, I will say of The Lord  He is my refuge and my fortress , my God , in whom I trust"!