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Lessons Learned in January 2016
As January was ending, it seemed the temperatures here started dropping. Thankfully with the sun out, our days are usually pleasant making the cold, cold nights a time to snuggle close to the warm fire. We had snow this last weekend enough for some on our team to try out some inter tubing down some hills. I just love the snow on the mountains, don’t you? It makes my cold walk to work not so cold. We don’t have snow plows here but with four wheel drive and chains everyone seems to make it to wherever they are going okay.
January has been hard but God’s grace has been sufficient in sending us listening ears and an understanding team. Here is what I have learned in January.
1. Sometimes You Just Need a Second Cup of Coffee
Sometimes a second cup of coffee is even better if it is with your daughter home from college. We were able to go to Dubai for a few days. W and I thought trying out a coffee place called the Second Cup was a better option than going with the boys to the Apple store.
This month I seemed to drink a lot of coffee with friends and family processing life. Coffee with conversation is always good. It was a blessing to spend some time with friends in our capitol city as well as with friends in the UAE while our kids were still on break. So thankful for friends, good coffee, and great conversations.
2. God Brings Odds and Ends Together to Make Something Beautiful
Over winter break, W and I crocheted the odds and ends of my yarn stash to make granny squares. We had no idea what the end product would be but thought it would make a nice gift for a friends of ours who is having a baby. What do you think?
As I was piecing this quilt together, God reminded me how he brings together bits and pieces of our lives. He takes each part of our lives, the ups and the downs, and weaves them together to make us more like him and ready for what is next. He takes the hard and broken places and redeems them into something that glorifies him.
3. Forgiveness and Prayer
This month I finished reading a novel called Retribution by RS Ingermanson. It is book three in a series that is set in Jerusalem during the time of Paul, Nero, and right before the temple is destroyed. In this book, Rivka hates a man named Hanan who has a grudge against her family specifically her husband. In fact, Hanan almost killed her husband. Rivka was to hear from God. Their friend who is a healer and hears from God encourages Rivka to pray for Hanan-to bless him. She needs to forgive then she will hear from God. Throughout the book, Rivka struggles with this. She will pray for Hanan and be released from her resentment only to find it crippling her again. (Warning: Slight spoiler ahead) At the end, Rivka is at home on bedrest while her husband is in mortal danger. Their healer friend has gone to find Rivka’s husband but as he leaves tells Rivka to pray for Hanan. She does not want to pray for Hanan but slowly begins to pray. At first, her prayer is just words and then it turns into a true prayer from the heart as God works in and through her. River has no idea that power of this prayer but she does know that her resentment and bitterness are gone allowing to hear from God.
Even though this was a fiction novel, I felt God telling me I needed to pray for Mr. S., the main official standing in the way of our flight permissions. I needed to forgive this man for his fickleness, stubbornness, and all the stress he has cause us this past year. I found myself praying that God would work in him and bless him that maybe God would use this to show Mr. S who God is. I prayed that I would forgive him and others who are making life here harder than it needs to be.
On the positive note, our organization received our AOC from the FAA. This certificate is opening up some doors- flight permission wise for us. Continue to pray that this will be resolved soon so our guys can get back to what they do best-flying and taking people to the remote areas of this country.
How was your January? Didn’t it go by fast? Care to share a lesson you learned? Once again I am linking up with Emily at Chatting at the Sky and other bloggers on lessons learned. Blessings, TJ
TJ
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