PTL!

I've been reading A Praying Life: Connecting With God in a Distracting World, and it's been making me think about our culture's skepticism toward answered prayers, and more specifically my skepticism. My bent toward science and logic constantly leave me hesitant to believe that whatever good thing happened in my life wouldn't have happened just the same without prayer. I'm glad that the good things happen, but because of my cause-and-effect mentality I don't give God all the glory He deserves. So today, I wanted to share some of the really cool things God has been doing in my life recently. Whether there was science behind them or they were flat out miracles, God was the cause of each of these praises.

Yesterday, we hung out with our girls at Cristo Viene Girls' Home once again to vaccinate their chickens, this time against Viruela, and build them some roosts. A little over a year ago, the home started praying for a chicken coop, and now it's been as much a blessing to our ministry, VetRed, to come together and build it and now see the results, as it has been to the home and the girls.We've been waiting on God to bring us the perfect coordinator to guide VetRed as I'm on my way out and Bill Janecke will be leaving on furlough for six months about the same time. One of our concerns was that if there was no one using the great new office that the university's gifted us, they might find another use for it, while we're waiting for our next two CVM vets to get down to Bolivia to serve. But a few days ago, I found this brand new sign outside our office, reassuring us that the university has no plans to replace us, and that God has much more to do through VetRed.

In A Praying Life it talks a lot about various opinions on praying for the little things like parking spaces and lost objects, and how some people are opposed to such menial petitions, but the author is not. I would have to agree with him, and say that I even see God's intervention more clearly in the seemingly unimportant things than the big things sometimes. This week for instance, God healed my new camera. The story's too long and convoluted to bore you with now. Suffice it to say, I waited weeks for a new camera, after trying to get mine repaired here, and then suffered so much talking to Panasonic's automated helpline because the camera didn't work well, that I was actually looking forward to my root canal scheduled for later that morning. But either my standards have really plummeted or both the camera and the tooth are doing much better now, praise the Lord!

Our church was praying for a new place to meet late last year as our lease was running out on our last building, when God directed us to Mark 14:15, "And he himself will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; prepare for us there." Now, we've been meeting comfortably in a large upper room, in a perfect location for our community, for the past two months, and this Sunday we had an awesome crowd with lots of visitors.

I'm not sure who the prayer warriors are that have been lifting up Angie and me, but I imagine there's quite an army, and for that I thank you. And I thank God for the excellent past couple weeks we've had after a rough couple months. I like to think it's not just the stabilization after a time of excitement and transition in December and January. I like to think we've matured, and are learning how to treat each other better. But really, it was all God and to Him go all the credit and the glory.

Many of you are curious about our plans for the future; will we return to Bolivia as a family, move to another country to serve, or stay in Kentucky? Jon and I are similarly curious, and we're seeking God to see what He has for us. Last week, we were feeling the pressure to know our plans sooner than later. The same day I was praying about it, God took the pressure off in a tangible way and we're both breathing easier, now able to focus on finishing well in Bolivia and starting our family well in the US, before we figure out exactly what's next. There will be plenty of time for that after July 21st...

What answers to your prayers are you failing to see God's divine hand in today?