Encouragement from the word
Well, in keeping with this morning’s theme of encouragement from the word….I want to share that personally I’ve probably gained the most encouragement from the word, by spending time reading the Psalms.
I love the Psalms. I love how rich they are and how much they reveal about who God is, and how we can relate to Him.
Plus the Psalms are all about emotions and feelings and as a woman and as a counselor ---I can definitely relate to those.
The encouragement I have received from Psalms has come over time as I’ve read it in my quiet times.
For example: I’ll usually read a psalm or two even when I am studying another passage.
Or when I just need a quick word from the Lord I grab a Bible and I read a Psalm.
I even read the Psalms when I don’t really feel like reading my Bible… but I figure at least I can get a couple psalms in. ;)
My enjoyment of the Psalms grew several years ago when I read the Psalms through in just a few weeks, I read some in the morning---right when I woke up ---and I read some at night –right before I fell asleep.
That was such a cool time as I got to start my morning with great Psalms like: Ps 5, where in verse 3, it says: In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.”
Or,I got to end my day reading a Ps like 16:in verse 7 where it says: “I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me.”—
God’s encouraging words through the Psalms have also taught me how to pray---to come to God with all things, and I’ve learned how to praise him- How to praise him for who he is and what he had done.
I’ve learned how to ask him to provide and to protect me and I’ve learned how to ask Him to deal with the things I can’t control.
Recently, one thing I’ve learned is how to wait on the Lord.
Psalm 40 starts out in saying “I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feed on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord.”
You see for the past 2 years, since I finished my Master’s Degree in School Counseling, I’ve been so excited to start a job working with students, encouraging them and helping them. But that is not exactly what the Lord had planned for me,-- just yet. Instead, he directed me to work several jobs at 4 different schools, gaining the experience I needed at every school level thus preparing me for the plan that He had for me. To go to Kenya and work with students at a internatinal school that is Kindergarten through -12th grade.
How incredible!, I’m so excited that he is leading me in this way……but-- contrary to psalm 40 –During the waiting I am sad to admit that I really can’t say that I waited patiently for the Lord.
But I did wait with Him….really there’s no one else we should wait with except the one who directs our path.
During this waiting time, some of which was really tough, not knowing what my next job was going to be or if I would be able to provide for myself, or if I would ever get to do the job I wanted to do---the job I felt that the Lord lead me to pursue. Would he find a way for me to work in the lives of students and use my training?
I felt like I should’ve had a more rational and sturdy trust in Him during the waiting but at times I felt like the author of Psalm 102: who says: “Hear my prayer O Lord, let my cry for help come to you. “Do not hide your face from me when I am in distress. Turn your ear to me; when I call, answer me…quickly.”
Or I felt like David in Psalm 57:1 saying “Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in YOU my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.”
(Isn’t that a wonderful phrase by the way-- the shadow of your wings….)
Fortunately, some of the encouragement I drew from the word at this time, was that others have also come before the Lord in this way. ----- Earnestly and desperately crying out to Him, ---and he hears the crys of those who know where their help comes from.
During this time, I believe His plan was to draw me even closer to him, and to prepare me so that I can be a School Counselor in Kenya, where he could use ever ounce of my background and experience to work with international students at West Nairobi School.
‘Many are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you were I to speak and tell of them they would be too many to declare.” Ps 40:5
I want to praise Him for what he has done! He has heard me, he has ‘waited’ with me, he has set my feet on a rock and given me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth.
I can say to him with the Psalmist –“Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.”
I pray that I will continue to stay in the shadow of his wings as I head back to Kenya this July and begin the Job that he has called me to do, I pray that He would continue to provide for me So that I can serve him by ministering to students at West Nairobi School.
If you would like to be a part of the ministry to students in Kenya, you can partner with me by praying for me or with financial gifts….Please let me know if you would like to do this.
Thank you so much for this time to share and fellowship with you.
