Refreshed!
Elizabeth's personal reflections
on living and growing with Jesus

August 2010

Family Smiles


Elizabeth & Andrea	Sarah & Nick

family smiles

Gérard and I are still catching our breath in between family visits during this late summer. Our nephew Nick, whose company we enjoyed last summer, came back to share a week in Amsterdam with his delightful girlfriend, Sarah. Andrea, his sister, stopped by for a couple of weeks on the tail end of a summer adventure volunteering in Ghana, and their visits overlapped for a couple of days.

We sure enjoy the young people in our lives, and these smiles capture the delight of being together. Nick described sharing an evening around our table as a bit surreal. With the 3 of them arriving from 3 different continents, it really had a family reunion feel, and to enjoy that at our home was a treasure indeed.

We have a couple more weeks to catch our breath and tend to normal living before Nick and Andrea's parents arrive. The Atlantic seems to have grown narrower for our family, and we'll just keep on enjoying the benefits that brings.

29/08/10

Trust

Thursday is Foundations Group evening. In spite of the summer we've headed into the final leg of the course with a fabulous group of young Christians.

Last night Ank and I gathered our women together as we dove into the theme of Surrender. We had a pretty amazing discussion about how we're doing in this essential area of discipleship. What warmed my heart the most was their sincere desire to surrender, based in the knowledge of God's goodness and love. That was exactly what I, as the writer of this course, had hoped would be the case. I'm sure I was beaming from ear to ear as I affirmed their longings!

We considered what hinders our surrender and what fosters it, and the conversation moved toward trust. Trust fosters the willingness to surrender. And trust grows as we get to know God more, as we spend time with him so that we can see ourselves as he sees us.

The atmosphere of authentic sharing between women seeking God was beautiful and powerful.

In the wake of the evening, I'm wondering for myself ...

What would it look like for me today to trust God more?
What might my Father want to show me about himself that would enable my trust to grow?
How would my Father be pleased by my heart, surrendered afresh to him today?

What might trust look like for you today?

HTML Comment Box is loading comments...

13/08/10

Work and Sleep

Psalm 127 took a new twist for me this morning thanks to a footnote in the TNIV version. It seems really appropriate for those who are enjoying a slower-than-usual summer pace, whether that includes getting away or taking some time out from the usual pace.

Verse 2 says "In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat--for he grants sleep to those he loves." At times the final phrase has comforted me and at times it has confounded me. On the one hand, it reminds me that rest is valued by God and is a gift. On the other hand, at the times when I struggle to sleep, the promise seems unreachable offers little solace.

The footnote adds another slant to the Hebrew, for the verse can also read, "In vain you rise early and stay up late ... for while they sleep he provides for those he loves." That speaks real potential to me today.

The Lord, who 'builds the house' (verse 1) continues to work even while his children get their much-needed rest. I love that promise, and it encourages my heart today. The Sovereign Lord who never slumbers nor sleeps (Psalm 121) is at work on his children's behalf 24/7. That's not new to me, but it sure encourages my heart.

Tomorrow when I wake up I think I'll check in with the Lord with a view to discover what hidden provision he has worked while I've been off in dreamland.

06/08/10