Wow! I am finally making time to write some thoughts again. A few days turned into a few weeks. How easy it is to neglect writing thoughts. So much has happened! And being as honest as I can, sadly not much has happened as well. That’s a funny thought. How can so much happen and at the same time so little has happened? As I think about that, I realize it’s another important lesson in abiding.

So much has happened! There was the ministry transition that has taken place since Jared left to Makapala and the preparation for Pastor Sunny’s arrival. I got sick and it knocked me out for a week or so. Then I got a relapse and that knocked me out again! There were special events and a bunch of regular meetings and gathering that added to the festivities. And if you add on the challenge of getting a good night of sleep, what you have is a pretty good case for why I haven’t take the time to write down some thoughts. And far more important than that, you have a pretty strong case for why it’s so difficult at times and seasons to truly abide in Christ. As a write all this down, I have myself almost convinced.

But alas, the truth is that it’s all a bunch of excuses. Everything and anything I say that keeps me from truly abiding in Christ are really excuses. Yes they are. How so? The truth is, everything I can list that keeps me from abiding are really opportunities to abide in a greater and deeper way.

Every ministry transition can be a great opportunity to press in and allow God to lead me through. Every thing, every plan, every idea, every decision I made to prepare for Sunny’s arrival could have been a wonderful opportunity to draw even closer to Christ. To hear God’s heartbeat for next steps. To hear His voice. To see His leading. To see Him personally prepare for Sunny’s arrival. Being sick is a time to just bask in my Savior’s presence. Resting in His care and healing, which is much better stressing over what course of action to take, what medication to take, all the work that is not getting done, or how long is this darn thing going to take. An overcrowded calendar is an opportunity to see how God is going to get me through it all. It can be a real testimony of His faithfulness in my life, His hand and presence, active in my life. What I easily say are excuses are really golden opportunities to abide in Christ.

But looking back, what comes shining through, more than the thoughts of what could have been, is something really wonderful and fills me with such wonder. What comes shining through is the incredible, patient and amazing love of my Father in heaven. He didn’t scold me. He didn’t ask me why I haven’t learned this yet. Why I mess up in this same way, time and time again. As I look back, He looks back with me and smiles. He smiles that I am learning to recognize all the opportunities that are before me to abide in Christ, even if it is after the fact. God smiles at me.

The Lord your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.  Zeph. 3:17

What a precious thing! As I go through things and learn stuff the hard way, my Father is there. And He loves me. And He smiles!

Smile on me, your servant;  teach me the right way to live.  Ps. 119:135

Another step…