Sorry....

Well, Monday came and went and I didn't post a "Missionary Monday". Sorry. Here it is almost the end of another week and well, I have lots of excuses that you don't want to hear but let's just play catch-up by trying to get back on schedule next week, OK? Praise that my MIL is doing very well after her nasty fall on Thanksgiving "eve" and that no other people are sick, only the cars (yes, plural, part of that phrase above about "you don't want to hear"!). Thanks for all the prayers for my MIL.

Tonight our friends should be returned from Ethiopia with a much larger family (by 3!) than when they left here 10 days ago. Rejoice with them! If you haven't read their story, scroll down to the oldest postings and read them in chronological order. It will truly bless you - GOD is so very good!!

Other friends of ours are dealing with 1) an unsaved brother's terminal cancer amidst a very dysfunctional family, 2) a wayward son who seeks the truth everywhere except the one place it can be found, 3) an unplanned teen pregnancy (praise that they will have the baby!), 4) & 5) loss of jobs, 6) financial woes, 7) major church split and 8) a possible separation/divorce. All in all we are doing very well, thank you! Sometimes lately when we pray it almost smothers me and then I realize none of this is my responsibility or that I can do much of anything to help but I can pray to the One who can help. And then I am overwhelmed by the amazing fact that He lets me be part of His cure. I get to be the observer and sometimes even the one who helps give the cure to the patient. I can't help anyone, especially not even myself, and yet the Creator, the Great Physician, allows me to be a part of seeing His wonders by aching with and for my friends, by bending my knees to pray for them, by watching amazing miracles happen in the midst of heartaches and sorrow.

Truly rejoicing with some and truly aching with others - and always seeing astonishing things happen to those who trust the Lord!