THE NEW EWE

"What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!'"

Luke 15:4-6

January 8, 2025

LIFE IN THE FOLD

There is something specific that Jon and I have been praying about for a very, very long time. We have both felt as if God has given us a promise regarding this, yet years have passed by and we've not yet seen it come to pass.

There have been a couple times when something has happened that has given us hope that the answer is near, then it's as if it gets yanked away from us.

We've prayed, we've fasted, we've held onto hope, we've trusted God with taking care of the details, we've done all that we can do as an act of faith; yet year after year passes by.

Last year it seemed as if the answer was just on the horizon and looming within reach. Yet recently, circumstances changed and that answer once again didn't happen. It seems as if we are finding ourselves back on that old path that we've traveled for so long.

As I was praying about it, I told God, "I choose to trust You; because if I can't trust You, then who can I trust?" People will let me down and fail me. Even if their intentions are good, they will make mistakes and disappoint me. People can be fickle. So if I can't trust an all-knowing, all-powerful, infallible God, who has our best interest at heart, then I would be foolish to say that I will trust fallible human beings.

Around Christmas I was going about my daily life when I suddenly had a word come to mind. I wasn't in prayer, I wasn't even thinking about spiritual things; yet, I know without a doubt, that that specific word was dropped into my heart by God. I even asked for a confirmation, which shortly thereafter happened. I made a decision that that word was going to be my promise, my hope for the year 2025.

I normally never have a word or goals or resolutions that I make for the new year. There's nothing wrong with that, if you do that, but it's just never really been my thing. I've been in groups where the leader has a word for the year and wants everyone to ask God to give them a word, then wants everyone to share. Honestly, there have been times when that's made me feel uncomfortable, because I don't really feel like I hear anything specific from the Lord; but I don't want to be perceived as unspiritual, so I will say whatever comes to mind, that sounds good.

So this wasn't something that I'm accustomed to doing or even really asking God for. That's what made this word stand out so clearly to me. That's what made me know that it was dropped into my heart by the Holy Spirit.

Even though I have no idea how our prayer can be answered, and it seems like we keep running into walls, I choose to hold onto hope. I choose to trust God. I choose to not listen to the lies and deceit of Satan; who wants us to become discouraged and disheartened and lose faith. I know this is something that only God can bring to pass; and I know that this is not too big for Him or too difficult for Him to handle.

Waiting on God's timing is so very hard! We want things to happen, prayers to be answered, circumstances to change...... in our timing and it's difficult to understand why God waits so long, at times.

There may be times, too, when people may say things that causes us to feel despair and the temptation to give up hope. In their own way, they may think that they are giving encouragement. They may even suggest that we give up or settle for something less than God's promise. When we are holding onto hope, by a thread, it may be tempting to listen to them and settle for less than God's best for us.

For many years I prayed for God to send me the right man to marry and spend my life with. Year after year passed, and I remained single and was never asked out for a date.... no single men walked into my church or into my life. One time, I had someone tell me, "You need to stop being so picky! You may need to just settle for someone to marry." This person was someone whom I dearly loved and was close to. My thought was, "Be picky with who?! There's no one to be picky with!" But I wondered if everyone just thought I was being much too picky and turning down dates. But on the other hand, I thought, "I have the right to be picky! I don't want to get married just for the sake of being married; then end up in a bad marriage and spending my life being miserable, or end up divorced." I was determined that I was going to wait for God to bring the right man into my life, and it didn't happen until I was almost 40 years old.

Other people had made discouraging comments throughout the years, while I was waiting. Comments about my weight being the reason no man was asking me out on a date or showing any interest in me. It was sometimes hard to hold onto faith that if it were God's will for me to marry, then He would bring the right man into my life, in His timing.

I don't understand why Abraham was given a promise that He would multiply his descendants as the stars in the sky. (Genesis 12:1-3) Yet year after year passed, Abraham and Sarah grew older and older, and it seemed as if it wasn't going to happen. They tried to bring it to pass in their own way, through Sarah's handmaiden giving birth to Ishmael, but that son wasn't God's promise. Abraham was 75 years old when that promise was made, yet it didn't happen for 25 years when Abraham was 100 and Sarah was 90! (And no, Jon and I aren't praying for a son or a descendant!) Yet it came to pass!! It wasn't in their timing, and Sarah thought she was well beyond her child-bearing years and it was impossible, but God allowed her to become pregnant in her old age and His promise was fulfilled.

I want to encourage you today. If you are praying for something that hasn't yet come to pass, don't lose heart and continue holding fast to your faith in God! Choose to trust God! Choose to know that if He has given you a promise, it will happen. You may have to wait much longer than you ever anticipated, and there may be times when it seems as if things are getting worse instead of better. But God is working, even when we don't see it or feel it. When you become discouraged, don't allow the unanswered prayer to become bigger than God. Don't give Satan a foothold in your thoughts or allow him to pull you away from Jesus.

Let 2025 be a year of spiritual growth. Let it be a year of fully trusting in the Lord and placing all of your hope in Him. Don't listen to those who may speak negativity into your life; causing you to loosen your grasp on hope and trust in God. Wait and see what the Lord will do! This may be your year of fulfillment, so don't give up or lose faith!!

JON'S PERSPECTIVE:

God can teach us many things. One of the more difficult for many of us is patience. It took Abraham 25 years to have his promised son, but died when he only had 2 grandchildren (by Isaac). Sarah died without any. It was over 60 years later that Jacob began having his 12 sons (Abraham's great-grandsons), and generations multiplied after that.

Moses was away from his people for many years, then spent 40 years from his promise till he almost saw it fulfilled.

The world waited hundreds of years from most of the prophecies of the Messiah till Jesus was born.

And we've waited about 2,000 years for Him to return.

But it is still difficult to have to wait. I hope that eventually, I will be patient. But it is the slowest lesson to learn.

ON THE MENEWE:

Stuffed Cabbage Soup

In a large stock pot, brown ground beef; drain. Put back into the stock pot.

Add onion, garlic and seasoned salt and cook until onions are translucent.

Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and chicken broth. Bring to a simmer.

Stir in chopped cabbage and cook covered on medium/low heat about 20 minutes until cabbage is wilted and softened.

Stir in minute rice and cover 5-10 minutes, until rice is softened. ** 3 cups of rice soaks up a lot of the juice, so you may need to either add a little less rice, or you can add in more broth.

NOTE: This reheats really well. But this recipe makes a lot!! If you don't want this much, you can either half the recipe, or you can put soup in a freezer container and freeze, before adding in the rice. Then when you reheat from the freezer, you would add in some rice at that time.

THIS, THAT AND THE OTHER:

When one of my uncles was about 6-7 years old, the preacher asked if any of the Parton boys had a special song to sing. He jumped up and walked to the front of the church and sang, "I washed my hands this morning, I washed them clean and bright. I lift them up to Jesus, for Him to see them right." He did all of the hand motions, and when he "lifted them up to Jesus", he had little dirty hands.... that hadn't been washed quite so clean and bright. From my understanding, the family was surprised when he jumped up to sing, because this was his first time of ever singing in church.

THOUGHT TO PONDER:

Often when you think you're at the end of something,

you're at the beginning of something else. - Fred Rogers

OUR HEARTFELT THANKS TO YOU:

We love you!

Loretta & Jon

http://www.graysheep.org