He is faithful.
He is Holy and mighty.
He keeps His promises.
I can explain none of it, but He has been here through it all.
Breakthrough comes.
Though it never looks as we think it should. Though it never comes when we think it should.
Breakthrough comes, for He is faithful.
We can hold Him to His word, for He keeps it.
Time moves on, seasons change, but His faithfulness truly remains.
I could never express enough words to sing His Holy praises as He deserves.
There is something so incredibly perfect in ending up in the last place you’d ever expect. A place where your story very nearly ended in that permanent type of way. With absolutely nothing but God’s word saying, “Go.” To suddenly find yourself like a phoenix rising from the ashes in the most random of ways.
There are no words for it.
My heart hurts for the countless people who cannot imagine the absolute peace and joy that is reachable only in the most painful places.
The love, mercy & provision of a Holy, Almighty God, who meets the poor, the widow & the orphan—whom others discard as too broken to bother with—exactly where they are, in the exact way they need, which looks nothing like we expected, is not being experienced by many who, like me, just don’t know how to release control, to learn His way, at His feet, as only He can teach.
He is faithful.
Given all we have experienced over the last years, I wouldn’t choose to do it again if given a choice, yet I am thankful for it all.
The pain and darkness taught me to see Him.
The silence taught me the value of hearing His voice and obeying.
The neglect showed me that He is capable of the unimaginable.
When God provides, He can use anyone, anywhere. You need not know them at all.
He taught me the value of biblical church and obedience, in painful action, not just in comfort or satisfaction.
To love one another, to serve each other, has absolutely nothing to do with what we like to do within the confines of a building where all can see, but how we choose to do for others in the privacy and simplicity of our everyday life.
I asked God to show me what it looks like, these things He has been talking to me about, and for exactly 14 days, after having us drive halfway across the country (or what felt like it), He did just that via the hands and feet of His obedient children.
Just an imperfect person who, looking back, really has sought to live a life that honors Him for many painful years now, and who, in their own way, is also receiving a breakthrough, a rebirth, of their very own.
There are so many other “acceptable” roads I feel should’ve been chosen, but those roads did not lead here.
Once we know the person of God—His character, His goodness—we understand that even though there is pain and sorrow in life, He is faithful. So there is also peace and joy there, in the middle of the storm.
He truly is our ever-present God.
And somehow, after all of that, here we are. It all just seems so unbelievable. None of it looks like what I thought this breakthrough would look like.
Yet here it is.
I don’t know what else to say tonight except what I began with:
He is faithful.
“When the LORD brought back his exiles to Jerusalem, it was like a dream! We were filled with laughter, and we sang for joy. And the other nations said, “What amazing things the LORD has done for them.” Yes, the LORD has done amazing things for us! What joy! Restore our fortunes, LORD, as streams renew the desert. Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest.”
Psalms 126:1-6 NLT
“After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.” “Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him. Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.” “Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said. A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.”
John 21:15-17 NLT