🙌 It's the Friday Call to Worship! 🙌

I've been reaching out to the generous hands who have held us on the mission field. I am always surprised to pick up right where I left off with college roommates, childhood teachers, mentors, and friends from lifetimes ago. It's been refreshing to give thanks repeatedly and remember how God has provided.

I've been privileged to hear some of the stories that don't make social media news feeds as we've shared updates and swapped pictures. The people who have inexplicably blessed us and repeatedly provided for us... the faithful ones who have been our manna from heaven... have shared stories of divorce, disease, disability, depression, unemployment, and grave depravity. They aren't far away, fortuned ones, laughing carelessly and dancing down streets paved with gold. Their grass is not greener. They are real people with real problems, and they are giving from their own poverty. (Mark 12:44)

I walked, worshiped and prayed this week, thinking of these dearly loved ones who give in great faith so we can carry their faith forward to the ends of the earth. I wanted to shout, "WHY, God?" Why do their giving hands carry such burdens? How can these years we've been apart brought them such hardships? The Word Himself rippled through me before I could speak.

Like He told Abram, "Look up and count the stars - if indeed you can count them..." (Gen 15:5)

And as He comforted His people through the prophet Isaiah, "Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom." (Isa 40:28)

Instead of questioning, I tried to count the stars. When we don't know what to do or how to make sense of the world, the answer is always to look to the One who made it. Let's worship our Creator toady with the incredibly powerful song, "Creator" by Phil Wickham.