The Day After...

I was going to have a post for Thanksgiving yesterday, but I got in too late and did not have time. I have so many things I am thankful for, and I always want to give God Almighty the glory for the many blessings in my life.

I am especially thankful that I am in a warm bed these days and not sleeping in my van since it has been in the low 20's here lately. In the dark yesterday, coming back from the farm, I praised the Lord for the food and the protection and for opening my eyes to the things going on around me. I said, "Lord, I am so thankful for this wilderness journey you have called me to. But I wonder, I do not have a specific vision that you have given me. I need a purpose in my life." The Lord answered me and said, "It's a surprise."

When I think of that I think of someone leading me into a room with their hands over my eyes, and that soon, they will take off their hands and yell "surprise!". In those situations the anticipation is that good things will happen when you open your eyes again. I believe that is why I do not know what the Lord's specific plan for my life is. Part of the idea is to trust the Lord for every provision.

Recently I wrote a list of my needs to the Father. I told the Lord that I needed new sneakers because my old ones developed a hole in the heel that had a hard piece of plastic sticking out and rubbing on my heel and giving me a blister. I also needed some "walking around money" since I only had .80 cents. The next day someone gave me $15 and my dad took me to the store and bought me a brand-new pair of Nike's because he wouldnt hear of me having some cheap pair from Target. I really felt that was 'abundantly above what I could ask or think' on that. Thank you Lord!

I was reading in Exodus and two specific verses jumped out at me:

Exodus 3:6, "Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God."

Exodus 4:2-3, "And the Lord said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod. And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it."

Twice Moses was afraid in these verses. Yet we know that Moses later did many brave things and went to see God face to face and was not afraid. The wilderness and the experiences with the plagues of Egypt changed Moses into a mature believer who truly trusted God to not be afraid of God, or serpents!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for all provisions, for food in abundance, for warm beds and surprises. Thank you for having a plan for my life and for always being with me. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.