New Things I Declare

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A plum tree beginning to blossom in Portland
I close my eyes and breath it in deeply. The soft air of a coming spring, the scents of myriads of ethnic foods mingle with the shyly budding plants. I open my eyes and watch the traffic rush past brightly colored town houses and brick buildings that house tiny mom and pop shops. Jazz music wafts from a nearby restaurant. In 28 days I'll leave the Pacific Northwest to go back to Papua New Guinea (PNG). Hard to believe. I'm starting to get this strange sort of excitement and hope I did not feel the first time I left. I did leave with hope and excitement the first time, but this time, they're different. I really feel God has something new he wants to do in me and my ministry. What is it? To be honest, I'm not sure, but I know he has something new and that's what makes me excited. There's new challenges this time. More uncertainty and emotion attached to leaving and I'd be lying to say it's easy or even a consistently joyful excitement that I'm feeling as I plan my return to PNG. However, I'm looking forward to what God has planned in this next leg of my journey and I feel God is reaching out to me with new grace and calling me into a deeper walk with Him day by day.

Last month I decided to challenge myself to read the New Testament in 90 days because I wanted to re-immerse myself in God's Word in an intense way. In the last 30 days I've read all the gospels and am well into Acts and God has been speaking to me. He's been renewing my joy, bolstering my faith, and calling me to something new. Maybe something renewed. Jesus' sacrifice for me has become so much more real to me again and the desire to share Him and the good news that He can set free and bring new life has begun to grow in me again. It's like a Spring for the soul after a season of Winter barrenness. I'm feeling the newness of life spring up in me again like the fragile blooms of the primrose blossoms outside my bedroom window. After night comes day, and after Winter, Spring. The verses the Lord gave me as my call to missions are Isaiah 42:6-9 and the last verse says, " See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you." So, just as the scent of spring declares the coming of all that is new, so I feel this encouragement from Jesus is the harbinger of what is to come; before it arrives I declare it to you and wait with you to see what God will do in this next season.

Comments

  1. UnknownFebruary 13, 2016 at 1:18 AM

    Praise the Lord for He is worthy of all praise. The Lord go before you, watch your back and hem you on every side, as you go forth in joy - renewed, and as His mercies are renewed, morning by morning. Thank you for comforting and encouraging us with the comfort you have been comforted. Much love, hugs and blessings and see you soon...in PNG, Lord willing

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