Hi everyone,

I hope that your year has got off to a great start.  I know for some of you it hasn't, but I pray that you KNOW that you are in the hands of a Great God.

I remember Pastor Lloyd Averill telling us a story at Bible College once.  He said that he was going through an extremely difficult time and was out for a walk thinking about his troubles.  As he stood on the bridge over a river he threw a stick in.  It was quickly carried along and away out of sight and the Lord said to him something like, "things never stay the same for ever, this trouble too shall pass just like the stick has". 

That thought has always given me hope when times are dark.

Can I tell you about a lesson I got the other day?

I woke up a bit cranky and frustrated because the day in front was filled with things that had to be done that I didn't want to do.  It was one of those days when it seems everything I had felt was important for me were side-lined by things that were important to other people!

Anyway I was reminded of that verse that says, "This is the day that the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it".  It's a verse I know well because Jeff often delights in reminding me of it ;)

I felt that the Lord was telling me that He had planned a great day for me, but with my foul attitude I would surely miss it.  I should start doing as Jeff said, and thank Him in faith for what HE had in store for me.

You know what?  I can't remember the details, but I do remember at the end of the day looking back and seeing that this was exactly the truth.  I had been blessed, even in amongst doing things that I had not planned on doing! I'm pretty certain that was the day Jodie brought me a random gift of biscuits in a beautiful tin as well!

I had a similar experience today as well ... no not a random gift of bikkies, but having to do things that weren't on my planned agenda.  I was reading Romans six, and twice in there it says to 'offer yourselves as instruments of righteousness to God'.  What a wonderful thought! Today as I set out to do these things that I wasn't keen on doing, I was going to offer myself as an instrument to Him, and do it cheerfully. 

I have been so blessed in doing it.

Not only that, I got a lot of other things that I was planning done as well!  I am discovering all the time that a good attitude makes all the difference in the world.  And I am happy to keep learning it afresh every day :)

Lots of love to you,
Lynda