Thankful Thursday

"He is your constant source of stability; He abundantly provides safety and great wisdom;

He gives all this to those who fear Him."

Isaiah 33:6 NET

This has been my memory verse for the past two weeks and it is AMAZING how much I have been able to claim and apply these simple truths over and over again this past week! Yesterday was a tough day of ministry at FBC Anna since we began to serve here. One instance brought both me and Andrew to our knees and honestly, I wasn't sure at one point of the day how we were going to ever recover from it. But, that was all that it was - an attack. Andrew responded only the way he could have by the strength of God alone. I was so proud of him. You see, the LORD has placed us here and only He will remove us. He is our constant source of stability and He abundantly provides safety and great wisdom to those who fear Him. I praise Him that He is who He says He is and that God is going to do what He says He is going to do!



Ministry can be a very hard and lonely place at times, but He didn't promise that it would always be easy. God has given us such a heart for the people of our church and our community here in Anna. There have been many wonderful days, conversations, services and people who have ministered to us and didn't even know it. We have seen people get saved by the power of the Holy Spirit, lives changed forever, marriages saved, decisions made to surrender finances and circumstances, and have watched many people begin a new journey with their Father in heaven. It has been an amazing year that we look back and say, "Did God really do that much?! YES!" Sometimes you don't hear anything until someone is upset about "how you do church." All we know is to be obedient to the Lord and then to let Him take care of everything else. I can definitely say that this position of ministry being a pastor and pastor's wife is not for the weary or faint at heart. You have to grow tough skin and be able to look and see everyone as He sees them. That has been our prayer many days - "Lord, give us Your eyes and Your heart and Your love for the people of Anna."



I am also coming to grips that in any place of leadership there will be conflict. Those of you who know me know that I do not do well with conflict and have always tried to avoid it at all costs.:) It is just not "fun" for me. I am the peace maker and sometimes tend to want to be a people-pleaser. The Lord is building up His character in me as well as Andrew and it is days like yesterday when you initially want to walk away saying, "we don't deserve to be bullied and treated like that." I completely understand now why so many men and women leave the ministry all together. The conflict and confrontation can be very overwhelming at times and sometimes just doesn't seem worth the battle. But what we have realized is that it truly is a spiritual battle we are in the midst of every day. If you let conflict and such take over your mind it~ is what you think about when you go to bed and when you wake up every day. It consumes and divides your mind and for a pastor who is supposed to be focusing on the Word the Lord is giving him for the people he is responsible for leading, it is exactly the way the enemy attacks. So, today is a new day and amazingly enough we are even more excited about what the Lord is doing here at FBC Anna. We know without a doubt that this is exactly where He wants us to be - in the center of His will.



I am so thankful today that we serve an almighty God who is so faithful and just. It is only by His grace that we are saved and held in His hands. Thank you, Lord for Your everlasting love, comfort and protection!