Rejoice!

Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again: Rejoice!
Philippians 4:4

Today was a day for me to rejoice. Rejoice for several reasons and several things. Monday is my sabbath and my day to rest and be with the Lord, a day to get recharged and refreshed. Today was a day of reflecting and celebrating all that God has done in the last two and a half months. All of the change that He was aware of and knew and how He knew my life would look today, Monday October 19, but how three months ago I would have never guessed. In nearly every area of my life, God has brought sweeping changes and given and taken away so there could be new life. I have been focusing on and experiencing the grief that comes with such change, but today was a day to rejoice and be amazed at all He has done. There is a time to mourn, yet there is also a time to rejoice.

With the departure of several best friends, with moving into a new place, with new roommates, with completing support raising, with starting a new job and entering a new stage of life with beginning my life in ministry, with starting a relationship, with leading and serving in ministry, with beginning new relationships with those in our church, with my support systems changing -- through it all I have seen His hand and I can rejoice. I look at all He has done, all that He has provided and how He knew what the road would look like and He was faithful, even when I questioned it, had fears, doubted. I knew He would come through. I knew He would take care of me, sometimes it is just difficult to imagine when life looked one way for so long. He knew what it would look like, He knew all He desired to do in my life through these changes and all He desired was my trust. Trust in His unfailing love, that no matter what, His love is secure and never failing. That no matter what, He is here and He is with me, leading and guiding me every step of the way. That He will always provide, He is always faithful, His love for me never changes. No matter how rocky the terrain or how rough the desert places. He provides and never leaves our side. These were the promises that brought me through. The promise of His presence and the promise of His provision. But more than anything the promise of receiving Him. Of knowing more of Him, learning more about Him each day and how to rest in my identity of the Beloved, Abba's Child and the One immensely loved by Him. Learning to rest in the Father's affection.

Amen Father.
For You are good.