Musings from Graceland

PRAYER NEEDS AND UPCOMING SWAZILAND TRIP

Since we leave for Swaziland soon, I felt an update was in order.

None of the other kids have come down with chicken pox though my second daughter B (who is going to Africa with me) came into my room just a bit ago with spots that look suspiciously like chicken pox. We'll continue to monitor the situation.

Seeing these red spots does start to give me a bit of tiny feelings of panic but I hold true to what God got into my spirit in a very tangible way last Friday. I was sharing with someone about different times that God had moved powerfully in my life during past events. There were times when in the eyes of man (and in the eyes of THIS woman) things looked bad. But God overcame.

What I spoke and finally, finally, FINALLY really and truly meant it was that God is bigger than the chicken pox. If He wants my oldest daughters to go to Swaziland with me next week, then they are going to Swaziland with me. If they don't go, its not because of the pox, its because its GOD'S BEST WILL FOR THEM AT THIS TIME! Its not because the devil won. Its not because we didn't have enough faith. Its not because God's not able. Its not because God can't protect from sickness. Its because GOD CHOSE FOR THEM TO STAY. Now I'm still hoping and praying that they are both going with me. I know that God can prevent illness and God can heal from illness. And if God wants them to go its going to happen! But if He, for whatever reason as the ultimate sovereign, loving, powerful, all knowing God, decides that they are staying put, then I will praise Him then as well. I won't understand it perhaps. And I will be disappointed. But I am determined to trust Him that He is able to accomplish whatever is for our good and His glory. His ways are higher than our's. His will is not always easy to understand. But one thing I know and I stand firm on...no two things....HE IS LOVE and HE IS ABLE!

Romans 8:28 assures me that ALL things work together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose...the purpose of making us like Jesus. And later in Romans 8 we are encouraged that NOTHING separates us from the love of GOD...not chicken pox, not plans that don't turn out as we thought they would, not disappointments, not ANYTHING!

Please keep praying for us. Pray that if the girls are to go with me next week that nothing will stand in the way of that happening. But I pray most of all, that we will learn to trust and love God better thru this situation and that HIS will be done.

Thanks so much,
Elysa