'Tis so sweet

After getting up at 3:15 to watch the national championship game and then spending the day with a friend, this was the only possible result. He was one tired little boy!

I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden wealth of secret places, so that you may know that it is I, the LORD, the God of Israel, who calls you by your name. Isaiah 45:3

'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus
Just to take Him at His word
Just to rest upon His promise
Just to know, "thus saith the LORD."
Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him
How I've proved Him o'er and o'er
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus
O for grace to trust Him more.

I actually have two free minutes this morning to blog! It's a miracle!!! Lately, we have been so busy that it's almost impossible to find the time to sit down and put some thoughts down. We are getting ready for Marc's next trip (to Sergut in the Northwestern part of Siberia) on Monday. Today, we are taking a rare, completely alone 24 hours to finish praying through our career options and do a little dreaming about what's next. It is VERY rare that all three kids are out of the house, and we love them but are looking forward to some time to think and pray together. We had a great night at English Club last night and are very thankful for that.

I really only have two minutes this morning, but one of the things I've really been thinking about lately is the grace and sweetness to be found in the dark. It is no secret that both literally and metaphorically, Russia is a very dark place. In the winter, there are few hours where we see the sun clearly. It is gray and dark nearly all the time, something I struggled with last year and have not struggled with as much this year. And spiritual darkness and oppression are very, very real here. So when the chance to leave was first mentioned to us, it seems like a no-brainer to do whatever we can to be somewhere where we can see the light a little more clearly. But that's not really an easy decision at all, and one of the reasons is the great joy in being totally dependent on God. In the States, I was a pretty self-sufficient gal. I took to God spiritual things, but every day life was pretty easy for me. Here, I have to depend on Him for everything--cooking a meal, buying meat, understanding a question asked on the street, plugging in electronics, living in a place I don't love...all of these are things I constantly turn to God for. I cannot do anything on my own here. I am not self-sufficient. And though this has been the hardest experience of my life, it has also been a time of sweet fellowship with my Savior. I do not have to feel Him to know He is there. I can just take Him at His word. He will never leave me nor forsake me...I know, because He has again and again proven Himself faithful here in the darkness. I wouldn't trade that kind of heart knowledge for anything. And so, after 15 months of darkness, I can be grateful that I have had the rare opportunity to live in a place where I can do absolutely nothing without God. It is, indeed, so sweet to trust Him.

Well, the kiddos must get out of bed if we're going to make it to school on time. Wherever you are in the world, I pray that you have the opportunity to live a while in the darkness so that you can know for certain that it is the Lord who is calling your name, and that you are having fajitas tonight cooked by your fabulous husband. Blessings to you and yours!

His,
Kellye