Some Days

About a week ago, I had a rather rough day. It wasn’t because of homesickness or the fact that I currently have a cold, nor was it a cultural thing either; it was just a rough day. I’m sure you all have had them as well--we all do from time to time, but this was my “first” since being in the Philippines. As I talked to one of my friends about the unfolding of my day, she reminded me of some simple truths about our Abba Father: He is our rock and fortress, He will never abandon us (even when the going gets tough), and to take those rough days as an opportunity to praise Him even more. This reminded me of David’s psalm: “Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me.” (103:1-2)

While meditating on this verse, I realized a couple of things. First, David chose to focus on the good things God was doing for him rather than complain about his present life situation. What is even more interesting is that King David repeated himself at both the beginning of verses one and two. “Let all that I am praise the Lord…” which, from studies of repetition, implies he was very adamant about not forgetting what the Lord has done for him. He even went on to list several reasons why we should praise God: He forgives our sins, heals our diseases, redeems us from death, crowns us with love and compassion, satisfies our desires, and gives righteousness and justice. And the best part?! We receive all of these beautiful things without deserving any of them!!

Some days will be more challenging than others--not just for me--but for all of us because of the fallen world we live in. But, when those rough days occur, we have a choice: we can complain, or we can count our blessings--past, present, and future. Some days, I know it will be harder for me to put pen to paper and convey my experience. Some days I will want to get “lost” and not think about another language or wonder if what I just said was considered too forward or blunt for Filipino standards. Some days I will softly let the tears fall down my face and silently wish that I was going on a walk with my sister while pushing my niece and baby nephew in the stroller. BUT, through all of those days, I will count my blessings and know that I am truly living out the desires of my heart that my Abba Father has placed inside me.

Things to PRAY for:

• Pray for continued supernatural strength and energy as I go about my day. About two weeks ago (now), I had a stomach bug, and then, last week was hit with a lovely sinus infection, which I’m prone to get. Pray that my body recovers 100% and the infection doesn’t linger.

• Pray for the Directors and admin staff of MCH. They are busy planning for next year and are also setting goals and objectives for five years out. It is a very time-consuming process, and they are now starting to fine-tune things.

"And your strength will be renewed each day

like the morning dew."

~Psalms 110:3~