Some pictures from Easter :)
This book means a lot to me. Our librarian recommended it and both Sadie and I loved it. We even claimed one of the quotes from the book as our own "you get what you get and you don't get upset." Recently, it's reminded me that God provides. I made a quick trip to Goodwill to find a couple books for Sadie's Easter basket (I have a hard time paying full price for books; most of ours are thrifted or hand-me-downs from family. Occasionally I'll buy new, especially for special occasions such as Easter, but Juan hasn't been working for over 3 months so spending $15 on a book just wasn't going to happen). I prayed a quick, half-hearted prayer under my breath "God please let me just find Pinkalicious" not really thinking I would. I had my mind and heart set on finding other books, and that was ok with me. Ten minutes into my search there it was, in brand-spanking new condition! I almost cried because I was so moved that He answered my pitiful, faithless prayer, and over something as trivial as a kids book. In that moment I felt him say "I'm here. I'm always here. Listening. Waiting for you to let me be your God. Whether things are good or not. Whether you are living in plenty or want. Whether you are at church or at Goodwill. I'm here. I am near you and taking care of you."
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quite waters.
He restores my soul;
He guides me in the paths of righteousness
For His name's sake.
Psalm 23:1-3
My prayers aren't always answered the way I want them to be or in the moment I want them to be answered, in fact, there are some prayers that I've been praying for years. But I know that I know that I know He can be trusted and I'll be provided for. "The Lord is my Shepherd. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quite waters. He restores my soul." We've been praying for a job for a long time. Some looked very promising, but in the end, for whatever reason, they fell through. We even considered moving forward on a dream of opening up a business. Some days were harder than others, because we felt utterly hopeless not knowing what else we could do to make something happen. Juan was so diligent about spending time daily searching for jobs, perfecting his resume (5 pages worth of experience, a letter of recommendation, and references that are shameless in boasting about how good of a worker he is...pretty impressive!) preparing for interviews, following up, networking, and nothing was happening. All we could do was wait. I didn't understand why it was taking so long, and if he'd get a job before the money we saved ran out. We had to daily remind ourselves of God's promises in the Bible, and how He's provided for us in the past. We were filled with an un-explainable peace that helped us enjoy the 3 months together rather than fight, stress, and look for ways to make money dishonestly. Later that day, Juan received a job offer after almost 4 months of not working.
Sadie and Blaze, my prayer for you is that you'd be truly satisfied in Christ. If you understand who Jesus is and grow in that relationship you will be satisfied and content in any season of life. Put all your affairs and well-being in God's hands, you won't be disappointed. The Lord is your shepherd, you will not be in want.
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quite waters.
He restores my soul;
He guides me in the paths of righteousness
For His name's sake.
Psalm 23:1-3
My prayers aren't always answered the way I want them to be or in the moment I want them to be answered, in fact, there are some prayers that I've been praying for years. But I know that I know that I know He can be trusted and I'll be provided for. "The Lord is my Shepherd. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quite waters. He restores my soul." We've been praying for a job for a long time. Some looked very promising, but in the end, for whatever reason, they fell through. We even considered moving forward on a dream of opening up a business. Some days were harder than others, because we felt utterly hopeless not knowing what else we could do to make something happen. Juan was so diligent about spending time daily searching for jobs, perfecting his resume (5 pages worth of experience, a letter of recommendation, and references that are shameless in boasting about how good of a worker he is...pretty impressive!) preparing for interviews, following up, networking, and nothing was happening. All we could do was wait. I didn't understand why it was taking so long, and if he'd get a job before the money we saved ran out. We had to daily remind ourselves of God's promises in the Bible, and how He's provided for us in the past. We were filled with an un-explainable peace that helped us enjoy the 3 months together rather than fight, stress, and look for ways to make money dishonestly. Later that day, Juan received a job offer after almost 4 months of not working.
Sadie and Blaze, my prayer for you is that you'd be truly satisfied in Christ. If you understand who Jesus is and grow in that relationship you will be satisfied and content in any season of life. Put all your affairs and well-being in God's hands, you won't be disappointed. The Lord is your shepherd, you will not be in want.
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