It's a good day....

Through the many challenges I've been through in my personal life, I can joyfully say: They were necessary. Granted, during those I would only say, 'Yeah, these trials and tribulations are necessary.', but I would be whispering those words underneath my breath with but a 'not-so triumphant tone'. You know? That tone that as we all who are Believers in the Body of Christ should have because the battle was already won by Jesus and all we have to do is walk in victory as have Him in our hearts. Though just when I thought the trials were over, the enemy was just getting warmed up; he threw some more deceitful whispers to me as I was planning to go back to Peru to go serve the Lord. It wasn't just a 'dry season' like we all have when we feel or say, 'I don't quite hear the Lord, today or this week.' This has been a 3 week long; Yes, a 3 week long period of daily battle where the enemy would cast one arrow of doubt to me and I would respond with Scripture. Following that would be another battle, then one after the other. Though with all these things that have stretched me, I consider it worth it. This is really preparing me for Peru and even with these trials and tribulations for any Believer these are small compared to what we can expect in Heaven as we are praising God. These very trials I have considered a reminder of the thorn in the flesh that Paul had with his ministry to Corinth. As for me, these certain things have been a bitter sweet blessing as I see that the Lord is doing some serious heart surgery in me through these challenges, but in the long run I see that it is all worth it.

I do know that by the time I go back to Peru, I will think back and thank God for these challenging times, because I will see that these challenges were to get me out of my stagnant and stale mood in my faith and really thrust myself outside of my comfort zone to truly be used by Him. For example, today I got to talk to an old high school NJROTC buddy of mine who is in the Army and is now a husband and is a brand new father. It was such a joy to talk to him about Jesus and I was even so much more blessed and fortunate to send him a Soldier's Bible with him name enscribed on it. This was a friend whom in NJROTC were very close but when I come to the Lord around my senior year he was going through some unfortunate times in his personal life. I prayed for him and hoped that one day we would be able to talk again and put whatever bitterness or arguement we ever had behind us and now it feels like a brand new slate. Man, what a blessing from God to be able to be given a second chance to renew a friendship. We had known each other since we were but freshmen in high school and we ran side by side in formation aroudn the school with the rest of our platoon for physical training. I knew that someday he would join the military, I, on the other hand prayed for being in the military. It's just, I may not be in the United States Military, but enlisted in the Army of the Most High. Not a army to wage war, but an army to deliver the Gospel, teach disciples, minister to others and we have one amazing Commandant; Jesus Christ. As I sit here in my kitchen, this Halloween and remembering the 'groggy feeling' I had from running around Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale's 'Final Hour' the night before, I came to a great conclusion. From the time, I wake up to the time I rest my head is the amount of time I have in this day to willingly make a decision to follow Him and deny some certain selfish opportunities and come closer to Him in the process. Only a gracious God like Our God would do such a marvelous thing but to come down to a very spoiled, complaining, child of His and be ministered to by His love. Love from the Lord is but a free gift, how great is it to be given the opportunity to spread it.