Held By Grace: Eastport, Maine

29 June 2011

Eastport, Maine

June 29, 2011

I began a new chapter in my life today as I waved goodbye to my family and turned to face my new life in Eastport, Maine. I am confident that it is God who has placed me here as His light in this small fishing community. The town itself is pretty small as it only takes about five minutes to walk from one end to the other. As I write, I am sitting in my small motel room, enjoying a quiet day. The temperatures a slightly colder here, seeing as how I am wearing my winter coat right now in the middle of June!!! I am excited about the new life I have ahead of me for the next two years. I do not know what God has in store, but I commit everything to Him that He may receive all the honor and glory.

I know that God will be teaching me many lessons here, stretching me in my faith, challenging me in my dependence on Him, and preparing me for the work and ministry He has in store for me in the future. This is my ministry now, but I know that God will use this experience to prepare me for new challenges that lay ahead. He will teach me deeper lessons in trust, surrender, humility, patience, and so much more. I know that what He has in store will exceed my wildest imagination, and so I step forth in His strength, ready to take on this new challenge.

I will be reporting into my new duty station on July 1 and also moving into my new and first apartment. I am excited and nervous, but most of all sure and confident that God is with me, leading me forth. I am His sheep and He is my shepherd. He leads me and I follow. And my soul cries out for a deeper walk with Jesus, a deeper love for my Savior, a deeper trust in the Almighty One as I follow Him and learn to trust Him more and more. I am nothing, but Jesus is my all and He sustains me by His grace. I do not walk on from here alone, but with the Shepherd of my soul leading me forth down this path that leads HOME.

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THE MISSION

Written for my family as they move to Cameroon, Africa to share Jesus love with the people there.

Rejoicing in all God has done.
In your lives, I see Him displayed
As your greatest treasure of all;
Your mission: to proclaim His name.

Fix Your eyes on Christ…Run hard to the goal.
Consider the work He has done, He has saved your souls!

Press on, HOPE IN GOD…IN HIS HANDS you are safe. UNDER HIS WINGS…you are held---
you are HELD BY GRACE.
Take up your cross, follow Christ, let His praises resound.
Be BROKEN AND SPILLED OUT
as you journey HOMEWARD BOUND.

Cheering you on as you go
As you make much of Jesus today,
Considering all else as loss
Compared to the Savior’s name.

Fight the battle of faith…stand firm in Christ.
Trust Him with all of your heart, give Him your life.

Press on, HOPE IN GOD…IN HIS HANDS you are safe. UNDER HIS WINGS…you are held---
you are HELD BY GRACE.
Take up your cross, follow Christ, let His praises resound.
Be BROKEN AND SPILLED OUT
as you journey HOMEWARD BOUND.

Praying for you in my heart.
May God’s sustaining grace push you on
To follow Christ outside of the camp,
Calling the nations to join the song!

Jesus is mighty to save
For while yet sinners He died in our place.
Shout---shout His praise For He has given us grace!

Press on, HOPE IN GOD…IN HIS HANDS you are safe. UNDER HIS WINGS…you are held---
you are HELD IN HIS GRIP OF GRACE.
Take up your cross, follow Christ, let His praises resound.
Be BROKEN AND SPILLED OUT
as you journey HOMEWARD BOUND.

Jesus, Lover of my Soul

Pressing on in Faith

Amidst the raging seas of life,
And swirling tides of time
Stands one who walks upon the storms, And calms this heart of mine.
He holds my heart in nail pierced hands; And sustains my soul by grace.
And though my eyes fail to see His work, I will trust Him and press on in faith.

The clouds block Him from my view;
My precious Savior I can't see,
But I know without a shadow of doubt, His eyes are upon me.
So I will press on toward the goal---this pain is apart of His perfect plan.
And though my soul may hurt with pain, I will ever sing praises to His name.

Affliction

Do not even such things as are most bitter to the flesh, tend to awaken Christians to faith and prayer, to a sight of the emptiness of this world, and the fadingness of the best it yield? Doth not God by these things (ofttimes) call our sins to remembrance, and provoke us to amendment of life? How then can we be offended at things by which we reap so much good?.... Therefore if mine enemy hunger, let me feed him; if he thirst, let me give him drink. Now in order to do this, (1) We must see good in that, in which other men can see none. (2) We must pass by those injuries that other men would revenge. (2) We must show we have grace, and that we are made to bear what other men are not acquainted with. (4) Many of our graces are kept alive, by those very things that are the death of other men's souls.... The devil, (they say) is good when he is pleased; but Christ and His saints, when displeased. —John Bunyan

Thoughts for Tomorrow

Tomorrow is another work day…another day I can demonstrate Christ’s love. I start dreading the thought of facing another day and then Christ reminds me of my mission…to make much of Him. So tomorrow my plan is to be the most joyful person on base because I have all the reason in the world to be joyful---Jesus has saved me! I don’t want to be critical and complaining about work; I want to be excited and happy about everything I am doing because I am not working unto men but unto God. May Christ be praised as I paint tomorrow!

God's Perspective

The overview of a mountain peak is beautiful. The steep cliffs, thick brush, and jagged rocks all blend into the picture, adding depth and a quiet, peaceful strength to the scenery that points to its Creator.

However, climbing to the mountain peak is hard, difficult labor. The thorn bushes cut into our flesh, the steep cliffs cause our muscles to burn, and the jagged rocks bruise us as we stumble along.

But we can be certain that every step of the way to the peak is a part of what makes it so beautiful when you see it from God's perspective.

Held By Grace

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29 June 2011

Eastport, Maine

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