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| New shocks: 1 of 3 costly replacement parts on our truck. We did 2 of the jobs ourselves. |
Have you ever had a day or a period of time when things just weren’t going well? For the past several weeks, we’ve been having times like that. Some things were breaking while other things just stopped working although they were perfectly fine. We even found a dead mouse lying in plain view under our couch!
During this time the Lord has been speaking to our hearts about trusting Him. We understand that Jesus is not afraid or ashamed to make use of the normal things of life to teach us. We found deep comfort in simply knowing that He was using the challenging and bad circumstances to draw us closer to Himself. In the midst of stuff, issues, and problems, we focus on Him, utterly convinced that our life is in Christ and not in our situations or circumstances, whether they be good or bad. Therefore, we don’t have to be shaken or deterred. We choose to give Him thanks. There is no place like low. So, we worship Him. Joy fills our hearts, and amazingly, although the situations do not change, we see the Lord’s will being fulfilled within us and around us. We cannot help but praise Him more. God is good, only good, all the time.
There’s No Place Like Low
One place where I am reminded to trust God is the prison. It’s a good place to see the power and the reality of the gospel of Jesus Christ. After worshipping together and a time of teaching, we were all on our knees praying. The Lord did something because I suddenly began to pour out my love on Jesus. Others joined me as we humbled ourselves before Him. Then it happened. No worship with songs, no music, but the presence of God came in a mighty way as we prayed. He came as we were surrendering ourselves anew. In that moment, I saw that the Lord was bringing the prisoners an understanding of the low place of worship – this is where we live. No matter how bad (or how good) the circumstances around the believers in the prison, there’s that victorious “place” of worship that Jesus freely provided for us. And here, victory always reigns. Here, we realize and experience that Jesus is everything we need. The prisoners could live in the prison, yet still be in His presence, and find joy, peace, a refuge, receive strength, wisdom, comfort and hope no matter the hopeless and despairing circumstances that are often around them in the prison. In this moment, many begin to see that their own strength, wisdom, plans and the like do not cause them to prevail in life. But, when they surrender all these things to Jesus, worshipping Him, they find that Christ helps them and becomes all that they need. He is always strong, has all wisdom and counsel, is ever merciful and is more than ready to help them. Please join us in praying that what the Lord started continues. The presence of God is never optional. If these men grasp and guard what the Lord is doing in their hearts, it will utterly change their lives, open their future, and allow them to step into their individual destinies.  |
| Chayah, Amerel and Isaiah in Malawi |
Grace and love, Tyren and Tiffany Haynes
When we are too tired to walk, we decide to run anyway. True faith makes Christ our sufficiency.
