Pennies from Heaven

Or when it rains, it pours...

I (Jen) started this week in Isaiah 55:10-11.

“My word is like the snow and the rain
    that come down from the sky to water the earth.
They make the crops grow
    and provide seed for planting and food to eat.
So also will be the word that I speak—
    it will not fail to do what I plan for it;
    it will do everything I send it to do."

When the rain and snow fall on the earth, the earth can’t really do anything but receive and allow itself to be saturated. That saturation of moisture yields the results that we expect from the ground. If God’s Word is like rain and snow, then in a similar fashion, we receive and are saturated and allow that Word to transform us from the inside out.

This week, I saw that happen in two places as I joined the ABS Board for our Board meeting and retreat - in visits with Catholic and Orthodox brothers and sisters.

This picture shows our visit with His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America at the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese.

In my short time with each of these parts of the body of Christ, I was struck by their passion for seeing people impacted by God’s Word, their heart for those who are hurting, and their desire to see the next generation turn to God. I also was so blessed by their desire to work together in unity and reconciliation with the full ecumenical scope of Christians!

At St. Patrick’s Cathedral (Catholic), the Word of God is being preached six or seven times a day! At the Shrine of St. Nicholas (Orthodox), located right next to Ground Zero in NYC, many visitors come and share their hurts and trauma, whether from 9/11 or other painful moments in their lives. So, when I think of these verses in Isaiah, I imagine God’s Word going forth over and over in these places, resting on people who are finding comfort and expression in their relationship with God in these traditions. Even those who may not realize it are being saturated with God’s Word.

As I come down from the excitement of new cities, new friends, and new challenges to occupy the professional part of my brain, it’s been a hard time personally. I have to resubmit my visa application for a trip in April (again). We continue to struggle with getting my furniture to the apartment. We have to reschedule (again!) because they couldn’t get their truck under an overpass to get here. It took nearly two weeks to get the internet working. I’m living out of suitcases and hotel rooms and missing my family.

And yet…God is good. Even in these momentary troubles, I sense Him inviting me to trust Him and have peace in the journey. Whatever may feel like rain, from the right vantage point, it might just be … pennies from heaven.

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Praises & Prayer Requests

Praise God for great Board meetings and visits in New York City (and that my first visit to NYC was such a blast! I confess I was a little intimidated.)

Praise God that despite what’s still in progress, I can do laundry, have internet, have some basics, and that Tim and the girls are doing well.

Thanks for joining us in prayer for these requests this week.

• Jen travels a lot in the next week - to Orlando, then Atlanta for Partners International Board meetings (please pray for those!), and then back to Philly, and then back to Orlando… Pray that the flights all leave and arrive as they should.

• Pray for Jen and the ABS staff as we take the helpful direction from the Board and begin moving forward on the next steps. There’s a lot to accomplish to help ABS be all that it can be. It doesn’t have to happen tomorrow, but it needs to progress at a healthy pace.

• Pray for the whole family as we start to experience more separation than we’re used to. Even though Jen's traveling has been an ongoing part of family life, this will be the first time we’ve had so little time together in between times apart for a bit.

If it’s raining where you are, go outside and turn that umbrella upside down! See you next week.