Greetings from Austin Street

Happy Wednesday!  All is well here at 811. Today was National Cheesecake Day!  I met two wonderful friends at Cheesecake Factory today for lunch and a slice of their delicious cheesecake. Red Velvet is my favorite. Suffice it to say that the place was packed with at line out the door to have a half-price slice of their delectable specialty. 

The candle is lit…

Dear God, I praise you for all the good things you give me. And Lord, even if I can’t hear you. I trust you. Thank you for your exemplary character and for continuing to work on my behalf.  Lord, I thank you so much for great friends that are people of faith and courage and great love. I pray a special prayer for Carme tonight as she begins to clean out some of David’s things. It is such a hard step and it may not be an easy time for her tomorrow. Thank you that Geni will be there to help her.  I know there will be laughter and tears as they remember, share and move forward. Thank you Lord, for giving us only one direction…forward.  I love you Lord. In Jesus’s name, amen.

Tonight Bruce and I watched the movie Noah with Russell Crowe.  It was a bit quirky and Hollywoody, but also had some points to ponder. In the movie Noah had a crisis of faith and most likely the original Noah had a crisis of faith. One of the questions tonight’s Noah asked God (the Creator), “Why won’t you answer me?” And he did not just ask this question, he shouted this question to the heavens in an angry impassioned voice.  Noah sought the instructive voice of the Creator and the voice was silent.

Do we ever ask God for His voice and we get silence in return?  Sure we do. But here is what I think.  God does not speak to us until two things are in alignment; first, He is ready to speak and second, we are ready to listen and follow. While the silences of God are pretty difficult for us, it is in those times of silence that our faith grows. It is in those times of silence that we are to stay on the path always going forward as we have been instructed without any encouragement for an outside source.  The good news for us is that we can depend on the trustworthiness of God and lean on His unfailing love and unmerited grace. I believe that in the silences God continues to work on our behalf preparing the next leg of the journey and the twists, turns or straight paths it leads.  We can also take heart that we will always be moving forward.  And when God and we are ready we will hear His voice very clearly. 

“O God, do not  keep silent, do not be still, do not be quiet!

Psalm 83: 1

“They will know that you are the LORD, that only you are God Most High over all the earth.”

Psalm 84

Take joy in the journey praying as you go and always facing forward. Wear comfortable shoes and get some sleep. Love you all, Bruce and Gaylene