Living By Faith

Today, we are reposting a blog that Amy originally wroted and post back on December 21st, 2912. There has been a lot of change since then, but the truth and challenge of living by faith is still real and relevent. We hope tha you find some encouragement in todays blog!

What does it mean to live by faith and not by sight? I have heard this scripture for as long as I can remember. (2 Corinthians 5:7) I can honestly say that I am actively learning what this really means right now.

I am excited to share with you that God is revealing this to me daily and it is beautiful! It has been another wild week for us filled with ups and downs. The last 2 days I have had the privilege to babysit for 2 of our former camp counselor staff and what a joy that has been! Monday as Jay was bringing our oldest 2 home from basketball while I was with the other 3 at another basketball game, he was barely able to make it into the driveway with our older van. I had noticed a leak stain on the garage earlier that day and phoned him to tell him. My old self would’ve freaked out and thought the worst. While my mind went to the worst possible scenario (we would have to live with 1 car for awhile because this one died), I quickly squelched that and Jay and I prayed thanking God for this opportunity to see His hand at work without knowing what the outcome would be. We did believe that God would work it all out. We had heard from the car mechanic on Wednesday that it may be just some hoses, and while no one wants a car bill right before Christmas, we prayed and trusted God with it. So yesterday, we picked up the van and came home to a check from a dear friend that covered the amount from the van! Now she had no idea our car was being fixed or that we would need it, but felt God calling her to share what He had recently blessed her with. God is faithful. The cool thing about this is I can see how He has allowed us to move to different places and build relationships with so many dear brothers and sisters in Christ through the years. Sure,we could’ve stayed in any one of the places we have worked and been content , but we would’ve missed out on so much of what God wanted us to learn.We also would’ve missed out on seeing how he would weave our lives back into others and all for HIS glory.

This morning I received a phone call from my dear husband at 4:40am. Now if you know me at all, you know that I love my sleep! The Lord even knew that when He gave me 5 babies who all slept through the night at a young age! Anyway, he said he either ran out of gas or his car really wasn’t fixed and he was stranded. Again, the old me would’ve been mad and complained selfishly about why I have to get up and go find some gas and take it to him at 4:45am. I can honestly say because of God at work in me, that I saw it as a privilege to serve him. Thankfully with a little gas and a jumped battery he was on his way again. As I was riding home,my heart turned to praise as I got excited about the extra time to spend with the Lord this morning! That would NOT have been my response in the past.

I want to share with you Psalm 63 this morning and pray that in the busyness of this season, you will earnestly seek Him and see His power and glory everywhere.

“You, God are my God, earnestly I seek you: I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water. I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and glory. Because your love is BETTER than life, my lips will glorify you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods: with singing lips my mouth will praise you.” Psalm 63:1-5

You see I have learned that when my heart is full of praise to the LORD for ALL things good and bad, I am able to see His power and glory all around. Whether it’s in His provision of a friend dropping off food, or a coffee, or my children’s sweet faces as they share exciting things about their day, or a phone call of encouragement from a friend, or a rusted out hose in our car, or a frustrating conversation with one of our teenagers. I am learning to choose to see God’s hand and praise Him through it all- even if I can’t physically see the good right at the moment. It is a matter of learning to live by faith and not by sight!

- amy

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