Our Wonderful Refuge
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Floyd continues to be safe and at peace. I can't tell you what a blessing it is to me to know that he is well cared for when I can't be with him.
I am safe here in our home. Although I'm alone, my whole neighborhood keeps tabs on me. When I'm doing my "deck walking exercise," they'll call out from the street and ask how I'm doing - or they'll send messages asking me if I need anything. I feel surrounded by sweet "angels." I also have friends and co-workers nearby if I need help - and our son lives nearby too. I'm alone, but not alone.
I'm at home at the very bottom tip of the continent of Africa. I'm on my own - and yet, amazingly, I'm in communication with friends all over the world. What an incredible day and age we live in in terms of being able to be in contact with each other. For me, in this pandemic season, it is a wonderful gift and blessing.
As I sit here at home and communicate with friends all over Africa, in Europe, in the US and Canada, in South America, in Asia, in the middle east, in Australia and New Zealand......I don't know anyone in Antarctica!!......I feel like I have people I can "talk" to day and night. I think just about every time zone is covered!
One of the things I've noticed is that we are all experiencing the pandemic in different ways. Almost every emotion and reaction is represented. Some are really happy to have an extended quiet time at home. Some are a bit nervous about things that aren't getting done. Some are stressed, fearful, a bit panicked. Some are grieving. Some are tired of the restrictions. Some are thinking the restrictions should go longer. Some are tearful - others are angry. Some are worried about the future. It seems like there is pretty much any and every response you can think of.
And yet, in the midst of all these places around the world - and all the varied responses to the pandemic, I see a common thread. We are all finding our refuge in HIM. God is meeting each of us where we are and in whatever frame of mind we're in. I love hearing the various testimonies of God's love and goodness in such personal ways to my friends.
Proverbs 18:10 is a verse that comes often to my mind. "The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe." So many times, especially during recent years, when I find myself in an uncertain or insecure situation......I picture myself running to the "strong tower" of the Lord. When the enemy is running after me with arrows of fear, discouragement.....when I am facing decisions that I don't know how to make.....when my courage is waning and my strength is low.....I run to that tower. I slam the door and fall into the loving arms of my Father and receive all I need from Him.
He is the refuge I need and He never fails to protect me and keep me safe. He is my shelter, my safe haven, my peace, my security. Once He has ministered to my needs, I venture back out to face the things I need to deal with. But I know that "strong tower" is there if I need to run to it again. How wonderfully faithful God is.
"Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him." Psalm 34:8
"God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble." Psalm 46:1
"I will say to the Lord, 'My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust!' " Psalm 91:2
"Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in you; and in the shadow of your wings I will make my refuge, until these calamities have passed by." Psalm 57:1
"You have been a defense for the helpless, a defense for the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shade from the heat." Isaiah 25:4
I love this last verse. Whether we feel helpless, needy, being battered by the storm, or being scorched by the heat......He is there as our refuge. Thank you Lord!
Tuesday was both a happy day for me, and a sad one. It was our 53rd wedding anniversary. I'm so very grateful for all the adventures, miracles, provision, strength, grace, and courage that we've had over our years. We've had a wonderful life together. But I'm sad that I couldn’t be with Floyd. I sent him a video message. The therapist said he smiled a bit when I talked about our adventures, and got very "vocal" when I spoke of my love for him.
All those years ago when I vowed to "go where he would go," marrying at the tender ages of 18 and 21 - I certainly never dreamed where that would take me!
living out of a suitcase for 5 years
Afghanistan (back when no one had ever heard of it)
2 houseboats in the main canal of Amsterdam (with a toddler, an infant, and a puppy - I worried that 2 of them might fall in the canal!)
a farm by the heather fields in Holland (a beautiful spot with room for the kids to run and play)
the Red Light District in Amsterdam (definitely not a "family" neighborhood!)
California (we "landed" here after leaving Holland because of my health)
Colorado (where we cared for our daughter in the years when she was so sick - and where we had the privilege of training many young leaders in the Leadership School). All Nations was begun in this season too.
Kansas City (in the very centre of the US - pastoring a churchful of people that we dearly loved)
and ending up in South Africa, starting all over again and pioneering as we were entering our 60s as senior citizens.
There's never been a dull moment! We've had good times, hard times, stretching times, fruitful times - it's been a blessed life.
Floyd was speaking in a church one time and said I wasn't very adventurous. The whole church, who knew us quite well, burst out laughing. I understood what he meant, but how can you look at the list above and say I'm not adventurous. :) I even went on an outreach to Samoa from my island town in Texas when I was 16!
As you can imagine, I've had lots of memories floating around in my heart and mind the last few days. I'm so grateful for God's goodness and faithfulness to us over all these years. I truly have nothing to complain about as I look back - I only have a heart of worship and gratitude for God's goodness. The last few years have been rough, but God has still been the same solid Rock as He's been all the years before. He's so faithful!
"Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God." Ruth 1:16
"Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments." Deuteronomy 7:9
"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." Lamentations 3:22,23
I know that many things that have happened in our lives are an answer to prayer. That's one of the reasons I'm so grateful for all the prayers of so many around the world in our current season. I know we are continually being lifted to the throne of grace.