Encouraging Collectibles!

God is so good.

Just now I came inside to post a few things on my blog. I wanted to write down some collectibles from today. And I got another as I was sitting here. Dear Angela commented on my "He is the Savior!" post from the other day and really blessed my heart. I declare that God greatly blessed my life when He caused our paths to cross! She speaks life to my heart so very often and I am always amazed how God uses her to lift my spirits. I know she prays the prayer of Jabez and as far as I am concerned God has enlarged her territory because she speaks to me all the way in North Carolina though she doesn't even live in the States!

Here are her encouraging words to me this evening:

And start thanking God NOW beloved one..NOT when they are out of the miry pit. They may have wandered away ,but God has not wandered away from them. I keep praising God for the work He is doing in my eldest son. I REFUSE to walk by sight when I 'see' my son,, I walk by faith when I 'see' him..and the more I do that, the more I see God's hand in his life. When I was busy walking by sight, Susanne,,it was literally killing me emotionally because all I saw was brokenness and those fears of evil tidings coming to pass..NO MORE!! Remember,,the good work that God started in each of them,,WILL be accomplished,,in Christ Jesus.



And this so nicely goes with a quote that impressed me as I read a book by The Voice of the Martyrs founder, Richard Wurmbrand. In Tortured for Christ he makes the statement that he would look at his fellow prisoners and also the Communists who tortured him "as they will be in the future! . . . [L]ooking at men like this -- not as they are, but as they will be -- I could also see in our persecutors a Saul of Tarsus -- a future apostle Paul." Wow! This was really very encouraging in light of the people on my heart right now. And then I came here and read Angela's comment which essentially reminded me of the very same thing! Through a book and through Angela's comment - within the space of an hour - God told me the same message: I can change people! Have faith and see how I can take these messy situations and mire-filled people and make them beautiful! I am the Lord, nothing is too difficult. Or as the book of Luke says, "With God nothing is impossible."

Isn't this small verse BURSTING with hope?

'Scuze me while I shout!

YAAAAHOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

*ahem*

Other things that I wanted to record. A verse from a song .. an old hymn, Blessed Assurance, written by a blind woman years ago named Frances J. Crosby. The third stanza really spoke to me earlier today:

"Perfect submission, all is at rest, I in my Savior am happy and blessed, Watching and waiting, looking above, Filled with His goodness, lost in His love."

Wow, really think about those words. Reread them and consider what is being said. I think God is teaching me to wait on Him. And this hymn reminds me of how glorious a time waiting truly can be. Patience/waiting + American don't generally go together, but God is rewiring me so I'm not more American, but more like His precious Son! And really, who doesn't want to be at rest (peace), happy, blessed, looking above for answers, filled with His goodness and lost in His love! Oh man, can you get much better than that??

And one last thing ... a verse from Isaiah 41. I read it the other day and found it sweet in a simple way. I could totally picture a mom comforting a timid child this way. So the picture in my mind was touching.

¹³ For I am the LORD, your God,
who takes hold of your right hand
and says to you, Do not fear;
I will help you.

God is so good.