LEARNING A NEW LANGUAGE
- Character Produced: humility, dependency on God and others. One of the first tasks in my life that I couldn't just make happen. Hard work, discipline, and a lot of help from others.
- Hope that doesn't disappoint: I do have a hope and I want people to have that hope too. This trial pushed me towards God and meditating on the hope I have and I believe He's going to give people here.
OUR LIVING CONDITIONS THIS YEAR
- Character Produced: thankfulness, patience, contentment and definitely endurance!!
- Hope that doesn't disappoint: a meditation that this world is not my home and that it's totally worth "this"--the roaches, rats, mold everywhere, non-western bathroom etc. --for the benefit of the relationship with God that I get to enjoy.
MY SICKNESS
- Character Produced:
Confidence in the Lord - He is in control and loves me.
Peace - I have peace w/ Him. Don't fear death or life-leave the future to God, enjoy what He's giving me now.
- Hope that doesn't disappoint:
Life is short, so don't waste it.
Talking to God makes you happy.
God is for me. Thru this I felt more love and peace and more hopeful that He is great and that relationship
with him is so satisfying!
HADASSAH'S CONTINUED PHYSICAL PROBLEMS
- Character Produced:
Trust - by trusting God my circumstances may not change but my heart does.
Humility - I became humble (realizing I am weak) and therefore he lifted me up.
Thankful - I become thankful and He overwhelmed with joy
Prayerful - I become prayerful and God continues to give a peace beyond description.
- Hope produced:
without being intimately connected with Jesus because only then can I have this lifting up peace joy.
This pushed me to memorizing Scripture and to have a passionate desire to pray, just to spend time with God.
I think praying with God privately is great. But also praying with others, my husband, my kids I found especially
enjoyable. I love dates with my husband alone; they are sweet and great for our relationship. But I also love
spending time with my husband with other people. That's how I feel with God. He made Himself to be enjoyed
privately and also in community.
WESLEY'S SICKNESS
- Character Produced:
supernatural ability to speak a language I didn't know and he answered. I was amazed and humbled by my
lack of faith yet overjoyed at his pouring out of blessing.
Peace - I thought Wesley had died and I felt this immediate rush of peace that it was okay
Joy - he didn't die, he just passed out...extreme joy!
Humility - I couldn't do anything but trust God and my new Indo neighbors.
Gratefulness - this trial gave us lasting relationships with our neighbors. This kind of closeness we could never
have imagined but God did it in amazing way
- Hope produced:
and that's all we need. When we try to access future grace now (ie, worry!) we can't and are left with anxiety;
when we try to live off previous grace we became discouraged; present grace is always enough.
He works miracles still. If he can do this, what can't he do? I was left feeling an unbelievable trust in the
Lord. He does great and mighty things because He is great and mighty!