Day to Day Miracles

Have you ever been driving down the road and BAM this strange thought pops in your mind?
Like what would happen if all of a sudden one of my wheels falls off? Or what if I am driving real fast and just like that, my steering locks up on me?

These thoughts or ones like them, I am certain have crossed your mind. But we should always thank God for the small miracles. Miracles that we may not even consider as miracles, like getting from point A to point B unharmed, waking up yet another morning with air in our lungs to breath. I am learning to thank God for the day to day routine things in life. I am realizing that with out him holding the world together, the routine things, the simple things that we don’t ever think about would become sheer chaos.

On Monday morning after droping the girls at school, it was time to head out to Rwazza to visit the children again. This time though I had some other things on the agenda as well. I was hoping to also meet with the mayor of the area to share with him about SoZo Ministries Africa and our findings of the exploitation going on in his area involving these children. I had plans to also seek out the head parish priest to discuss some things as well.
The drive up is around two hours. I know it very well, I drive it at least once per week.
If you don’t know already, Rwanda is known as the land of a thousand hills. This means that every where you drive is up and down mountain sides curving this way and that. At times it can feel much like a roller coaster. The views are breath taking!!

About 5min before reaching the turn off where we go up to see the kids, I noticed that the steering on the car was acting funny. It was getting very loose and there was a lot of play in the steering. Finally I arrived at the junction and started to turn, the car went straight… I came very close to taking out this guy on a bike.
I was able to correct it and get the car to go where I wanted, thinking my Lord what is going on.

After driving another 5min up the mountain side the cars steering completely went out! I had no choice but to stop. I locked up the car and walked back to the main road (the only place to get phone reception). I was able to reach Stella (our program supervisor that stays with the children), to tell her that I was close but would not be able to bring the car up the mountain.

About 45min later she and some of the kids were there to meet me.
To make a long story short…. We were able to get the broken part fixed and five hours later head up the mountain to take Stella and the kids back home.

I know now when I think about it that I have really experienced a miracle and the supernatural protection from God. This could have happened any where along the journey at any given time. With all those sharp turns and ravines I could be sitting at the bottom of one of them if my steering had gone out any where else than where it did.

What a sobering thought! It makes me to give my girls extra hugs and kisses when I see them to let them know that Daddy loves them and never stops thinking about them. It makes me hold my wife extra tight and never want to let her go.

Thank you God for your protection!!! Thank you God for the day to day Miracles you perform that we do not give you the credit for!!! You truly are an awesome God!!!!

Be Real!!!

We all know the Story, it is told around the world.

Jesus Christ is Crucified!!

I can’t imagine one of the longest days of his life on earth. Jesus had gone through so much, he is on the cross nearing his death. He feels the pain, the abandonment of all that were with him. He knows he has to finish it! He already asked two or three times if it were possible to have the cup pass from him. None the less not my will he says but thy will be done. But this does not take away the pain or the suffering that he is now enduring. He knows all to well the price and the pain he must now be put through. All this to reconcile man to the father! So that God may be glorified. At one point it is so much that he cries out “ My God, My God why have you forsaken me?”
There you go, true feelings being poured out! Some say at this moment in time Jesus was quoting Psalms 22 (OK maybe). Others say that at that moment in time when Jesus was taking on all the sin of the world his father in heaven being pure and perfect light could not look upon sin so for a brief moment had turned his head. Jesus knowing this, cries out! (well…..)
Or (going out on a limb here) could he just be pouring out his true feelings???

Lets face the truth, we have all been there!! In a time of desperation, pain, abandonment, suffering, frustration, anger, etc. etc. At one time we have made comments like this.
God where are you!!!
God what the hell are doing!!
God I can’t feel you!
God I don’t see you!
I’m sure the list goes on and on!!

Jesus was 100% God but he was also 100% man, when studying his life we can see both. If any one deserves to make such a statement surely it would be him.
In many of today’s Christian circles we are not allowed to voice such true feelings of what the HELL… Instead we need to know all the right refrigerator verses so that when the going gets ruff we can remind our selves and others of the truth and how we need to believe and react to such situations.

I can just imagine after Jesus making such a statement, his followers that were standing by at the foot of the cross coming to him saying. No No Jesus, you shouldn’t say such things. You know that your father is omnipresent, he will never leave you nor forsake you. Don’t worry, when you are weak he is strong! With God all things are possible! For you know the plans he has for you, plans to prosper you not to harm you.

I think that Jesus knew all of these things very well just as many of us do. We know he is always there, we know that he will provide for all our needs according to his riches and glory. But knowing such things does not always take the feelings away! We must be honest and truthful in how we feel in what we are experiencing. I am not saying that we should not know and quote Gods word, what I am saying is there is time and place for it. Let’s be real! Let’s allow others to be real! Some times it enough to know that you are not the only one with such experiences or feelings. Your not going crazy, your not sinning, your just trying to be real. There is encouragement in that.

Lets not hide behind Christianity, we are real people! We can't hide our feelings, sin, struggles, or short comings from the Lord why try to hide them from each other.

Don't believe for a minute that because your Christian you can't have those thoughts. Or how dare you feel that way! Why on earth would you say such a thing!
We are all striving to be like Christ, that means that we are not yet. So we are striving, and while striving we can not be hypocritical but simply show people that we are real and really seeking to be like him "Christ" who was perfect in every way.

Why was it that King David was called a man after God’s own heart? The guy said it like it was. He was extremely transparent extremely real all the time. I encourage you to read through the Psalms. David knew how to be real with God! His cries for intimacy with the Lord are awesome.

Thank you Jesus for another lesson learned by your walk on this earth!