He is my guide, my strength and my courage

In Sunday school on Sunday it was highly amusing. We were talking about God being our guide. He guides his children just like a father would lead and discipline his children. Declan looks at me with his intimidating glare and asks, "Do you cultivate yams?" I hesitated a moment and then said, "Not me personally." He and Daniel and Sylvester went on to explain to me the very tender art of cultivating a crop of yams, a common crop in Nigeria. It's a root crop, you see, so it grows beneath the ground. The farmer has control over what is done above ground. You have to make sure the vine grows straight and strong, so you put a guidepost in. This ensures the vine has enough space to grow, enough exposure to the sun, etc. Then the farmer trusts that what's going on beneath the surface is going to turn out good based on the work done above ground. We spent a good 10 or 15 minutes developing this illustration for how God guides his children. God knows the way we need to grow, he knows how to make it happen, he's the ultimate farmer. He is intimately involved in the crops and knows which ones are at which stage of growth. Ultimately all nourishment and life comes from the farmer's proper care. God is the farmer; We are his crops. hehehe.

This is Declan and Sylvester and Juliette. But Juliette hasn't been coming to Sunday School.



Monday, Dani, a new short termer from Australia, shared a devotion citing Joshua 1. When Joshua is taking control over the Isrealites and they are about to cross the Jordan into the Promised Land. God tells him repeatedly to be strong and courageous, Joshua, be strong and very courageous. Because let's face it, every day on this earth when things are so terribly difficult and we're called to God's business and we struggle through, the promise that we can be strong and courageous and take heart because He has overcome the world...is something to be held onto. What a great reminder! It definitely came at a good time also. I'm over half way through my 8 month time in Spain and I'm starting to feel that impatience in wanting to go home! I need to remain engaged in the work being done here though!!

This is Dani:


I'm grateful that God is using scripture to speak to me more and more lately because I've had a hard time focusing on that since I've been here. When God teaches you so clearly and strongly through experiences and through people and situations and His truth is reinforced through observation of the life and work around me, taking time to sit in front of the Bible is far from my mind. But what a source of joy.