Trust

Lately I have been learning a very difficult lesson...trusting God in the hard times. This is not one of those "trust fall moments," no this is much bigger. Where I find myself right now is a place I never thought I would be, a place with no answers, no security, no safety nets. I don't like this place.
Instead of being able to "manufacture" peace, I have been thwarted on all sides. It seems that my efforts seem to dry up. I am left to wonder if God is there at all. Does He hear me? Does He even care?
When I take a step back and try to gain perspective, I begin to blush. It seems that I am refusing to act on advice I freely give to others.
God is in control. I still believe that (even though sometimes my actions deny it). In times like these I have the wonderful/awful chance to put my faith into full view of others. What will they do when they see a man and his family keep believing in spite of the circumstances? I hope it strengthens people's faith, and possibly introduces some to experience what real faith is all about.
At any rate, God has my attention. It hurts honestly. I have cried. I have felt abandoned. I have felt hopeless.
God is beginning to end the silence, His whispering voice is still there. I know He loves me, and He will provide. I simply must begin to trust Him anew. He is the Good Shepherd after all, I have nothing to fear. He brings me comfort (something that is in short supply in this world).
If you find yourself in a place like I do, I want you to know that I do not pity you. In fact, it might prove to be the best place...a place of desperation. In that place God can show Himself strong. Let Him.

Great book...

If you are in ministry there is a book that will prove to be very helpful. I want to recommend it to you. It has the strangest of titles...Dog Training, Fly Fishing and Sharing Christ in the 21st Century. That really is the title!
It proposes that the best way to develop small groups is to simply allow them to be organic. In other words, people are already gathered into groups, simply harness what's already occurring naturally. People will be more likely to "stick" and relate to these groups.
It sounds so simple, yet it is so often overlooked. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Wow...what a title!

hmmmm...don't think I am gonna buy that book.