Over the past number of weeks a word which has been coming to me very often has been the word "Rest". In verses of hymns, in poems, in verses of scriptures, in sermons, in pictures, in daily readings..... it just seems to have cropped up everywhere. The thought has been much on my mind.
When we think of rest we may perhaps think of sleep, being able to sit and do very little and take it easy. Maybe we think of a Sunday.... the day of rest which God has given us so that we can not only rest our bodies from work but also have time set apart to worship Him. As this word has continually been brought before me over past weeks I have shared time and time again with William. It has been amazing how it has so often fitted into our circumstances at that particular time; whether in our personal lives or in the work of Feed my Lambs....it has always been relevant. Thinking of the different times that the word has caught my attention over these past days I have felt that what God has been saying is "Rest".... not sleep, not relax, not take it easy..... but rest in ME. Rest in God. Have peace in Him. In every situation, rest in God. I thank God for the rest and peace God has given in these recent weeks. Rest in the busy days which seem to go past so quickly. Rest even when you feel tired at 9am. Rest in new situations and surroundings. Rest when you see just how His timing is perfect. Rest when He confirms over and over His will. Rest when there are distractions. Rest when the devil hits you at your weakest point. Rest during the smiles. Rest when there has been tears. Rest when you are stretched to your limits. Rest when people frustrate you. Rest when you are nervous about new challenges. Rest when you can't see beyond today. Rest when funds are low for the work. Rest when God provides in ways you could not have imagined. Rest when you can't understand His timing. Rest when you look back and know His time was perfect. Yes the past few weeks have found us in everyone of these situations either in our personal lives or in the work and sometimes both. At times theses situations have been big life changing decisions and big decisions for the work. Other times it has been every day frustrations like trying to sort a problem in our office on the other side of the world. Yet, while in times past such situations have brought fluster and panic, I can look back at how many emotions we have gone through since the beginning of 2017 and say honestly that in every one of these times, God has given complete rest. God has brought that word before me often, just as a little reminder, just in case I would forget. But the peace of God has brought a settled peace in my heart and that is something I can never forget. For William and I as we go through this busy week. Pray for continued rest. A lot of meetings to attend. Numerous opportunities to share about the work of FML. A lot to be done in the office. Other decisions in the ministry. Decisions in our home. Messages to be prayed over and prepared. Waiting on email confirmations regarding the months ahead. Trying to sort yet more African official requirements. But in everything, we trust God for rest. For Joyce; she has spent another week ministering to boys and girls and registering new groups on our programme. She is a busy Pastor's wife and a mother of two young children. Pray that in this week ahead she will know rest. For those in our Nairobi office. For Eunice as she tries to adjust to some studies in the midst of confusion. Pray for rest. For Joel as he adjusts to his new role within Feed my Lambs. As he learns. Pray for rest. As more boys and girls are reached with the Gospel, pray that they too may enter into this blessed rest. This rest that brings peace and joy deep down even when the storms rage around us. This rest which will one day bring us to our eternal rest.
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Last night William was flicking through an old Bible that he would have used a number of years ago. He began reading various verses to me that he had previously highlighted. It was encouraging to look back on promises which God had given him in the past and to see that none of them had failed. Yet, also an encouragement to take those promises into the future....in our personal lives and in the work of Feed my Lambs. He was reminded through those highlighted verses that God never leaves nor forsakes. Over the past couple of weeks I have had a hymn in my mind. It isn't one I know well, but we sang it in a meeting and since then it has been running round in my head. The first verse goes like this: As we swiftly go through this first month of 2017 and make plans for the incoming year it is wonderful to know that God goes with us. To know that He has promised in those highlighted verses that He never leaves us and to know from the verse of this hymn that God's will and plan is best for our lives and although we may not sometimes understand how God is leading, we can know that He knows best and have a peace and contentment in following Him.
These are great encouragements to us in the work of Feed my Lambs. Not only to us but to the rest of the team. We want everything we do to be within God's will and plan. Then we can know that He will surely go with us. As William and I and the rest of the team plan for more sharing in meetings; as we write materials; as we evangelise children; as we pack knitted hats; as we make travel arrangements; as we mark lessons; as we make decisions for future ministry.....there will be times when we don't understand why things will work out differently to what we had imagined. But we can always know that God's timing is best, that He never leaves and that even when we don't understand.....we know that by His side stands one who His our Saviour. The one that we love and the one that we determine to serve in the coming days. Please do pray for each of the team. Pray that in this incoming week and indeed in this incoming year, they will know God's leading in every aspect of their lives and ministry and that we will see great things accomplished for our Saviour in the coming days. It almost seems too late now to be wishing you a Happy New Year! However, we are indeed thankful for a new year and for God's blessings in the days which have passed since our last blog. Although we have been quiet here, things have been moving on with the work. Our team enjoyed some family time over Christmas and are now back to ministry. Despite being unwell over the holidays Joyce has continued to keep the work moving on. One responsibility this week will involve meeting a young Pastor who ministers in a prison as well as among young people. Pray that God will guide clearly as to partnership for future ministry. Eunice is back in our Nairobi office. Various circumstances mean that she will mainly only work two days each week. Over the next few weeks she will be setting up a new computer based system for some of the work. Our Nairobi office has a new team member. We will share more about him in the near future. We have known this man for many years and he has previous experience in marking our lessons etc. He also specialises in another form of ministry and there are plans to use this to develop a new form of outreach within FML. We are excited about this. He will also spend time visiting centres on the two days when Eunice is in the office. He will then be based in the office during the remaining days. Eunice will also visit some centres when he is in the office. More details coming soon. Another young man; Pastor Samuel; is someone who perhaps doesn't get enough recognition for his labours. He assists Joyce with marking and has been very faithful in volunteering for the past number of years. He has also been responsible for a number of people enrolling on our online Child Protection Course. He is helping me at the minute with another project and this is very much appreciated. William is praying much regarding the new project which was announced at our anniversary meeting. He will be overseeing and developing this. There is a possibility of a related activity taking place later this year; but he will not know for definite until around the end of this month as to whether or not this will work out for him this year, or whether next year will be a better option. Pray that God's plan will become clear in regard to this. I enjoyed a break over Christmas but am also enjoying being back in the office and communicating with our workers and partners in the ministry. This week I have been finalising visuals with our artist in Kenya. We have a Publisher sitting ready and waiting to produce these materials; pray that God will provide for this project to go forward. I have also been communicating with a contact in another African country with regards to helping them with future ministry. Work is also underway with some other new materials and projects. I continue to appreciate your prayers. We also ask you to pray for other close friends in the work who help and assist us in ways we so much appreciate. They have given their time, talents and finance to help sort issues and to advise us. Pray that the Lord will continue to bless them also. We thank God that things are moving on and exciting things have been arranged for this year. Please continue to pray that boys and girls will come to know the Lord as a result of the labours of the FML team. Pray also for Pastors and Children's workers we have contact with. Pray that our materials and training will continue to be a blessing to them as they minster among the children in their locality. As we start off these early weeks of 2017, our prayer is that the Lord's presence will surely go with us and that we will not take a step outside of His will for our personal lives or for the ministry. Pray that this will be a good year with many souls saved from a lost eternity. |
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August 2022
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