Dear Readers,
It has been a while since we have talked, but I was away last week on a trip to Cape May, NJ. Our final Summer vacation before the routine of the Fall settles in. At first we weren’t sure we would even be able to make it to the shore since Hurricane Irene was scheduled to hit Cape May head on. However, it just turned out to be just a storm. We were able to make it to our destination by Tuesday.
Before we left I was really struggling with my thoughts. Thanks be to God there was a struggle. I was fighting with God’s help to keep every thought captive and obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5), but it was still a struggle. I was feeling discouraged by how sick I have been and also struggling with some financial issues that had recently come. But the Lord knew that I needed a refuge. Not from the Hurricane it turned out, but from life and He became my refuge.
We went to a special place called “Seaside Homes” in Cape May. It was a home established in the 1800s as a place where low income families could come and enjoy the beach. Everyone is required to be there for breakfast and dinner and for devotions afterward. There is a rising bell in the morning at 7:45 and curfew at night to be in your rooms by 10:30. These traditions are still instituted today. I didn’t mind the curfew since having a two year old basically means you have the same rules anyway.
Derick was asked to be the speaker for the week. It was so enjoyable to hear God’s word twice a day and to be around other believers who were thirsty for God’s Word and were so encouraging to our family. There was also a man there named Bill. He was a Scottish man who had a thick Scottish accent and was in his 90s. He sang special music twice in the week. It was such a blessing to my heart. He sang “Because He Lives” and “Be Still My Soul”. The latter song he sang dedicated to his son who had died a few months earlier. The man had a heart of gold and you could see the love he had for God through every song. You could see the longing for Heaven on his face and know he couldn’t wait to meet Christ. Through his song ministry he made me yearn to be nearer to Christ and have that same longing to be with Him.
I wish I could describe how refreshing this week was to my soul. The Lord was my Refuge and Strength. He changed my heart this week.
ministryshardhelmet 