Thursday, July 16, 2015

We're Not in Osaka or The Middle of the Story

I've shared our plot twist. We are not spending 13 hours on a plane today and we will not step off the plane into Osaka.  It is totally natural we'd be "feeling it" during this time when we expected to be on a Vision Trip in Japan. It's totally natural I'd be more emotional about it than the rest of the family - I live big. ::snort:: 

God's story has not changed. Our understanding of the story is being refined. His timing will prove to be better than our timeline.

It is still His will we

Rejoice always

Pray without ceasing

In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for (me) in Christ Jesus.  (I Thes. 5:16 - 18 and it really goes on but I had to stop somewhere).

We choose joy in the plot twist - in the middle of the story.

I read this on a friend's blog - Ann really voices it so much better than I.

Ann Voskamp
... so look, there's a whole bunch of us who are up tonight and sorta stuck here in the middle of the story, God, and we don't know what the next chapter holds.


We've got no idea how our hearts are about to get broken or when, what the doctor could end up saying tomorrow, how the kids will turn out, or what's on the next page or the one after that.
And when you're stuck in the middle of the story? Well, honestly, it's easy to feel at the end of your rope.

And You pull us close, real close: "I’d never forget you—never.
Look, I’ve written your names on the backs of my hands." Isa49:16(MSG)


You've etched the very letters of our name, of who we are, right into You.


You haven't forgotten us or this chapter or this story, and if You haven't forgotten us, we're not about to go forgetting that Your stories always work out in the end -- and if things aren't working out quite yet, it just means we're not quite yet to the end. We'll literally practice our faith -- we'll practice saying thanks in the middle.


Faith thanks God in the middle of the mess,


Faith thanks God in the middle of the night,


Faith thanks God in the middle of the story --


Because it believes in the relentless goodness of Him who will not stop writing till there's good at the end of this story.