Peace. Joy.
Smiling. Singing. Dancing. Laughing.
"Tabitha there is something different about you" I heard this multiple times since I have arrived back in Ecuador from my almost six weeks in the USA. Yes there is. My roommate looked at me laughing "Tabitha, you are how you were when you first came to Ecuador, over two years ago." Yes I have to confess that by the time I left Ecuador in December 2010, I was stressed, insanely busy, tired, and in many ways worn down. What happened? What changed? God began to work in me starting in December concerning my prayer life. Many of you have heard me speaking about a small little book called "Power through Prayer" by E.M. Bounds. God used this book to alter the way that I live. If you get a chance read this book, don't skim it, read it. 100 pages. It took me two months. Those of you who know how I read should know that this says a lot. I have begun to learn the art and importance of taking everything to the Lord in prayer. I have been back for two weeks now, yet still no stress. Please don't think that I am saying that I have nothing to do because if anything my responsibilities have gotten bigger. Rather, I am learning to trust God, from visas to weather to a bus for 40 people. I would like to share a little story about ways that I am seeing God's faithfulness because I am bringing my worries to Him instead of trying to control them myself.
Since I have been home I have been going to the church service for young people on Saturday nights. It is very common to have services like these on Saturday nights in Ecuador. My church, however, has one of the latest starting times, 8pm. It might not seem like an issue but when you count in that all services last for at least an hour and that they never start on time.. it means we don't get out until 10:30pm. Typically the buses stop running regularly around 10pm. I need to take two buses to get from my house to church, or I can walk about a mile. At night it is not safe to walk so I normally go with friends. These last two weeks none of my friends from the area have been going. But I still wanted to go to church so I decided to go anyways. The first Saturday I took a safe taxi from my house (they are not always available) to the church. When I arrived I realized that none of the 30+ people that I knew at the church were there. So instead of worrying I just asked God to help me find a safe way home. Towards the end of the worship time, a girl appeared out of nowhere giving me a huge hug. "Cousin!" She excited cried. Not quite.. She realized her mistake very quickly and began to apologize profusely as she sat down next to me. I was not offended but found the situation a little funny as I have never before been mistaken for a latina. At the end of the service she took me to meet her boyfriend. After talking for a while he asked me "How will you return home?" I just smiled and said that I had been praying about that as it was too late to walk or take the bus. He was appalled that I would even consider either of those options as I don't really blend in here and they offered to drop me off at my house. If that wasn't enough, the following Saturday the same situation happened. So I took the bus this time, with bible in hand just in case... I prayed as I neared the bus stop "God this is a dark two blocks, please protect me" and at the stop a young man with an 'I love Jesus' bracelet on his hand, also got off the bus and began to walk the same direction as me. Once again after arriving a random friend found me and at the end of the service offered me a ride home. I told them the whole story on the way to my house and explained how they were another answer to prayer. Maybe all those things would have happened even if I had worried about them but I wouldn't have seen the faithfulness of the Lord and my faith would not have grown. I know that God will take care of me. I am not sure what that will entail but I have complete confidence that He will.
Isaiah 26:3 says
"You will keep in perfect peace
those whose minds are steadfast,
because they trust in you."
I believe that this is a constant choice, to steadfastly choose to trust God each day. So to say that I am beginning to learn to trust God is the most that I can say. I guess we will see where this leads. I do know though that a life lived in peace is so much better than the other option!
