A time of reflection

This has been quite a weekend.  I just finished a 5 miler.  As I ran today I was just reflecting on the weekend and realized a LOT has gone on.  First and foremost, I want to tell you about saturday morning which was demolition day for the refuge farmhouse.  What a monumental day!  There were roughly 20 volunteers ranging from teenagers to mature business men!  We literally tore down the walls to this place.  gutted it.  I can't help but think about the parallelisms with the women who will be living in this place.  God is going to do a MAJOR cleaning in the lives of many!  He will empty us... only to be filled with His spirit and love and FIRE!  I weep just thinking about it.  This house will be filled with women who will get to experience the love of our Father in a way that is going to blow them away!  Read the lyrics to this song...

oh you bring hope to the hopeless
And light to those in the darkness
And death to life, now I'm alive

Oh you give peace to the restless
And joy to homes that are broken
I see you now, in you I'm found

And you open the door for me
And you lay down your life to set me free
All that I am will serve you lord

Oh you fill those who are empty
And rescue those in the valley
And through it all you calm my soul

Oh now you find me in my weakness
And heal the wounds of my heartache
And worship for you in spirit and truth

And you open the door for me
And you lay down your life to set me free
All that I am will serve you lord

And you open my eyes to see
All the wondering all of christ in me
Jesus you're everything I need

(Worship)

All honor
All glory
All praise to you (repeat)

And you open the door for me
And you lay down your life to set me free
All that I am will serve you lord

And you open my eyes to see
All the wondering all of christ in me
Jesus you're everything I need

    

As I pulled up to the road where the farmhouse is, I began to weep.  I felt like God was giving me the eyes of the women who is coming here for the first time.  Scared, excited, anxious, overjoyed, overwhelmed... I wish you all could see this place.  It is absolutely beautiful.  I will have some new photos soon.  Please pray for the ongoing construction and for the resources that it will take to allow the work to continue.  As Ked Frank has said "faith before sight".  

The other thing I wanted to share with you is something on a personal note.  As some of you know, I have been through quite a season of suffering and mourning.  Mourning over the death of a marriage and a life with someone whom I thought I would spend the rest of my time with here on this earth.  Yesterday I had to give up my dogs...  Yes, very sad.  Brady is 11 and Britney is 6.   I have gone through many storms as a direct result of my own rebellion.  I've also gone through storms as a result of spiritual warfare.  But, the most difficult of them have been storms that come as a direct result from another person's poor judgment.  This has represented a unique difficulty for me.  Why?  I have someone else in the flesh and blood to blame! I have felt a much greater potential for bitterness and unforgiveness to reside in my heart!  This is something I have to fight off everyday!  But, I can tell you this God has proved Himself faithful time and time again.  So, be encouraged today and know that He is with you through ANY storm.  No matter who causes it... you, the enemy, or someone else.  Love you all!