Greetings from Austin Street

Happy Tuesday!  All is well here at 811.

Dear God, Sometimes it is hard to be obedient. And sometimes I am stubborn when it comes to following your will mostly because it will cause me to have to step out of a place of comfort and familiarity. So when you call me to serve please fill me with the confidence I need to act in your ways that I may serve you faithfully. I know that I am stronger by faith because you do not give me strength; you are the strength in me.  Hang with me Lord and I will listen closer and believe that you have new beginnings for me and great possibilities in your time and when you have made me ready. I love you Lord, in Jesus’ name, amen.

Hind’s Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnnard  is one of my favorite books. The book is an allegory. I go back and reread it at different times in my life. The central character is Much Afraid who is in the service of the Shepherd. The Shepherd leads Much  Afraid on a journey to the High Places. She is accompanied by two companions; Sorrow and suffering. On the journey she is led to the foot of the mountains and is excited beyond all imagination that she is going to finally ascend the mountain and be out of the reach of her enemies. The Shepherd meets her at the foot of the mountain and turns the path where she must cross the desert. The mountain is directly behind her and reluctantly she begins to traverse the desert thinking that she is being led away from her heart’s desire.

If you have been a faithful reader of this blog you already know why this book has meaning for me. And I glean new meaning each time I read it.  God uses the situations in our lives to accomplish His will in us.  Sometimes the means do not look anything like what we would choose to accomplish the task. But God, being God, uses the improbable to make good come out of what we might deem impossible. My meditation tonight uses this sentence, “God writes straight with crooked lines.” God sees beyond what we see and knows what will work better in our lives than we do. Out of God’s great love for us His desire is for us to have true peace and joy in our souls. Journeying where we would not choose takes faith. But if we are willing to walk in obedience then we will receive blessings and land right where we are supposed to be.

“In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”

Proverbs 3: 6

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