For Such A Time As This

Time has come to go back to work once again...my days off sure fly by! But I must not forget that it is for such a time as this that God has brought me to the Midgett. He brought me here to work and shine His glory as I work. I am not here by chance or by some mistake---He has a reason and I must surrender to His will.

How great and awesome He is and He is ever faithful to me each and every day. So today as I go back to work, I must remember that it is His hand that has placed me where I am at and that it is best. May I be His light on my boat and may I point people to Jesus in everything I do.

Here Rests My Soul

April 30, 2010

This I know is truth that God is good and He is sovereign. I see His hand at work in my life in every detail. In His goodness and by His providence, my leave chit was speedily approved, and by the same goodness and sovereignty my flight home was delayed. The same hand that sustains also inflicts; the same God who gives also takes. Through joy and sorrow, He teaches us that He is good, He is sovereign, and His glory is our joy. Perhaps I’ll miss time with my family, but the Teacher knows best, teaching me to be content in Him in all circumstances. He is teaching me that His love is better than life. So I rejoice that God is good and sovereign. I rejoice that I am going home, and that I am stuck in Seattle. I rejoice that God is my joy, and that is Him my heart finds rest.

Midgett Advenutres~ #24 Know Christ

February 16, 2010

The past couple days I have thoroughly enjoyed rereading Hudson Taylor’s Spiritual Secret. The book truly challenges and encourages my heart as it causes me to think deeply about my walk with the Lord. Hudson was a man who knew his God and loved Him. Christ was most precious to his heart, which is why he spent his life serving the Lord in China, enduring suffering and trials that I have never even imagined undergoing. His passion was fueled by God’s great love and faithfulness in saving sinners and bringing them into His awesome presence to know Him. Hudson’s life was real and full of spiritual blessing because his eyes were fixed upon that which is unseen.

How much I think we miss as we live our lives upon this earth grasping for all we can fit in our hands yet caring so little for what is truly important. We are content to make Christ a part of our lives, but we do not realize that He is not content to being just another trophy on our wall---He must be our life. All our energy, strength, time, passion, and zeal must be used to glorify His name. Our hearts are so often empty and wanting because we do not turn to the Lover of our soul to fill them. Instead we search for joy in all the wrong things and all the wrong places when Christ stands by calling to our hearts to find rest in Him. We shrug Him off though with excuses: I’ll get more serious about my faith when I am older, I just want to have fun, Jesus is boring, etc. We buy into Satan’s lies and step farther and farther away from the Cross.

I plead and urge you, my Brothers and Sisters in Christ, not to linger any longer from His presence. You are missing the very best and your lives are becoming empty because you are pursuing that which is empty. Oh, run after Christ! Treasure Him and know Him! He is the only One who can satisfy your hearts.

Midgett Adventures~ #18 Qualified!

February 8, 2009

Today has been a momentous day. This afternoon after we got underway again from a weekend at anchor, I took my helm and lookout practical and board. I was so nervous as I took my practical, and I made so many mistakes. I had to keep telling myself not to give up, but to keep going even though I felt like I had completely blown it---but I passed! Basically the practical comprised of me taking and executing helm commands, going through steering and gyro compass causality drills, and answering certain questions. My oral board went much smoother. A Boatswains mate third class (E-4) and two senior seaman gave me my board and basically just went through my packet and asked me questions about flags, light configurations, how to repot a contact during lookout, what I’d do in certain situations, what I’d do if there was a man overboard, etc. I am qualified now! I am so excited. No more double watches anymore for right now at least! All praise goes to the Lord!

I remember back three months ago when I was completely overwhelmed when I found out what I would have to get qualified in. I did not think I would get it all done, but God has sustained me every step of the way and now I am qualified and can put my name on the advanced training school list. What a God I serve who does not leave me alone but helps me through all of life no matter what I am going through. He brings the joy, trials, troubles, stress, fun times, and everything for His own good purpose to bring Him glory and us joy. He draws us closer to Himself by showing us that we are not enough---only He is enough. These past three months have been crazy! Through it all the Lord has held me by His grace and sustained me with His love. The peace He has filled my heart with can not be explained and it is beyond comprehension. All I know is that a quiet, joyful peace abides in my heart because I serve the Almighty God who is over all. I see everything about my life differently than everybody else---I see the hand of God in everything, and it fills me with joy.

God’s lessons are hard and they hurt, but the joy He gives is deep and it does not run out. I am not living for this life, which is a vapor that will not last---I am living for eternity; I am living for the Almighty God who has saved me.