 I’m writing outside listening to the birds sing and watching rose petals flutter to the ground as a gentle breeze blows. It is the first moment of quiet since getting home from the RESTORE Retreat last Sunday. As many of you know my mom fell last Friday morning and broke her hip. It was the day the retreat began. When I got the call from Ken, I thought my heart would tear in two as I was faced with the decision of where the Lord would have me be. Ken and my sister assured me that I should stay and minister to the women at RESTORE, that they could take care of mom as she faced surgery and the hip replacement until I returned. My sister assured me I would be needed more as she recovered. I was faced with a choice. Each day we are all faced with the choice to trust in His promises and rest in His faithfulness. I made the decision to stay at the retreat and trust. God is faithful! I know that. Sometimes we have to live it out in ways we would never choose ourselves.  RESTORE Retreat Tablescape - We are God's Masterpiece - Eph. 2:10 It was a glorious retreat watching Father work in the lives of the women who chose to come and spend a weekend learning about His work of restoration, transformation and surrender in our lives. These are just a few pictures from the tablescapes in our room for teaching and worship. Sherry and I will be sharing some more pictures and testimonies about God's work in our lives on the retreat in the coming weeks on the website.  RESTORE Retreat Tablescape - Surrender in Worship  Prayers - He Will Rejoice Over You-- Zephaniah 3:17- Painting by Maggie Drake We had precious times of sharing His life in us, studying His Word, prayer on our knees, and worship at His throne. We laughed and cried together. He blessed us with weather that was truly one of the most beautiful weekends I have ever seen. We soaked in His beauty by the lake, in His creation, and everywhere He spoke in words of tenderness, faithfulness and love. The Lord sustained and strengthened me just as He promises He will do. The faithful prayers of brothers and sisters in Christ helped to carry me through and focus on what the Lord was calling me to do. I left blessed, encouraged, at peace and ready to face the need of ministering at home to mom. I drove straight to the hospital and stayed with mom through many days and nights as she suffered from pain, confusion and fearfulness. The alzheimer’s and morphine sometimes left her in a fantasy land she created in her mind. We learned to go along with the “vacation” she thought she was on and ordered room service and in room movies! She is in the rehabilitation hospital now and has come to understand some of what has happened to her. Her pain is intense and she doesn’t like therapy of course, but she wants to walk again and all of the nurses, doctors and aids have been so helpful and encouraging. In fact, when she was leaving the hospital to move to rehab, many of the nurses came from other floors where they were working to tell her good bye. Her kindness to them even in her pain had touched their lives and mine. I’m grateful for the kindness of strangers in hospitals who meet the needs of those we love. I’m grateful for family who step in to cover a need when the Lord has called you to minister somewhere else. I’m grateful for the prayers of the saints and for calls of encouragement and faith. I’m grateful for helping hands. He is faithful to supply our needs.  Yet, there have been times in my life when trusting has been difficult. I wonder if you are struggling today. If we are really honest sometimes there are times of confusion and even disappointment when we wrestle with the faithfulness of God. Questions come..... Does He really love me? He seems so distant. Is He really in control? How could He let this happen? Can He possibly forgive me? When our lives seem shattered and we are clinging to the pieces and His promises, will we choose to believe that He is faithful and true? Will we trust Him to meet us in the darkness, the trials, the sorrow, the loneliness, the confusion, the silence...... This I know. God meets the brokenhearted. He will give us enough to make it through each day. God’s Word is true even when we don’t understand it, even when our personal experience doesn’t make sense. This morning I finally have some quiet time at home and have gone to the Scriptures. I felt the Lord prompting me to write a new “My Beloved” letter on His faithfulness to remind me where to turn as we will surely face more trials in the days ahead. These “My Beloved” letters are simply Scriptures that I personalize - like a love letter written to me from Jesus. That really is what God's Word is for us. I pray that these truths and promises will encourage you in your own faith journey today.  My Beloved My Word is right and true; I am faithful in all I do. My Love reaches to the heavens, My faithfulness to the skies. I will cover you with My feathers, and under My wings you will find refuge; My faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. Great is My love toward you, and My faithfulness endures forever. My kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and My dominion endures through all generations. I am faithful in all My promises and loving toward all I have made. My child, I am near to all who call on Me, to all who call on Me in truth. I fulfill the desires of those who fear Me; I hear their cry and save them. Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is My will for you in Christ Jesus. This is how I proclaim My name. I the LORD am the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet I do not leave the guilty unpunished to the third and fourth generation.  You must learn to trust in Me with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Me and I will make your paths straight. I am looking down from heaven to see if there are any who understand, any who seek My face, to strengthen those whose hearts are devoted to Me. So rejoice in your heart as you seek Me. Look to Me and My strength. Sing praise to Me and give glory to My holy name. Give thanks to Me and call on My name. Make known among the nations all I have done. I am called Faithful and True! Psalm 33:4; Psalm 36:5; Psalm 91:4; Psalm 117:2; Psalm 117:13,17-19; 1 Thess. 5:16-18; Exodus 34: Proverbs. 3:5-6; Psalm 105:1-4; Revelation 19:11 At our Concert of Praise on the RESTORE retreat I sang the beautiful song “He’s Always Been Faithful” by Sara Groves. I am clinging to the truths in the lyrics as I face each day. Please take a moment to listen and be reminded of His faithfulness in your life.  Great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me Morning by morning I wake up to find The power and comfort of God's hand in mine  Season by season I watch Him, amazed In awe of the mystery of His perfect ways All I have need of, His hand will provide He's always been faithful to me  I can't remember a trial or a pain He did not recycle to bring me gain I can't remember one single regret In serving God only, and trusting His hand  All I have need of, His hand will provide He's always been faithful to me This is my anthem, this is my song The theme of the stories I've heard for so long God has been faithful, He will be again His loving compassion, it knows no end All I have need of, His hand will provide  He's always been faithful, He's always been faithful He's always been faithful to me I will sing of the LORD”S great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations. The heavens praise your wonders, O LORD, your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones. O LORD God Almighty, who is like you: You are mighty, O LORD and your faithfulness surrounds you. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you. Psalm 89:1,5,8,14  I pray that you will trust and rest in God's faithfulness in the days ahead and experience the depths of why He is called "Faithful and True". All I have need of His hand will provide. He’s always been faithful to me. Resting in His Faithfulness, Kathy  If you would like to receive the "Monday Musings" RESTORE blog each week via email, please sign up and enter your email address in the upper right hand corner.
1 Comment
Sherry
4/29/2013 12:14:20 am
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