Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Waiting on the Lord - iFast58

Waiting on the Lord is something that seems to be popping up everywhere for me lately. It seems like it the Lord is really trying to teach me in this area...and if twitter is any indication...a lot of my friends too! Sometimes it's waiting on little things... anticipating a fun weekend plan; sometimes its a grand event like a trip or an orphanage launch :-) or a move; other times its for things God has laid in your future, like waiting on an adopted child or some other promise the Lord has laid before you. No matter what it is, for me waiting is hard.

I told a friend tonight that waiting is a particularly interesting concept in my spiritual life. It never seems to be something I "get" or conquer. I can be feeling like I'm doing great one minute and be anxiously longing the next...all in the span of 15 minutes! It constantly requires me to run to Him. To cling to Him desperately some days and to simply hold His hand on others. It's not something I do well on my own. I think He makes it hard for me on purpose, so I run to Him regularly..you know, He kinda likes me and likes spending time with me :-)

Beth Moore spoke on Isaiah 40:31 recently. "31Yet those who wait for the LORD, will gain new strength. They will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary." What she said really stuck out to me. She said, notice that it says WAIT ON THE LORD. Not an event or a person or anything else. If you are weary and tired in the waiting, maybe you aren't waiting on Him. He promises that if we wait on HIM we will run without getting weary.

I hope that challenges you as much as it does me. I want to use that to diagnose myself this week. When I feel weary I'm going to choose to ask the hard question of whether or not I'm waiting on HIM or an event. I'm going to run to HIS arms in that wait, whatever it may be, and drink in His life that will allow me to wait without growing weary.

Let's pray the same for so many who wait and long for hope. Let's pray that God's church rises up to offer love, support and provision to the least of these. Thanks for praying with me. You guys are a joy to me and I am privileged to join you in the throne room on behalf of the poor, the hungry, the oppressed and those that serve them.

ABBA Fund
- Pray for the families in need of financial assistance for adoption
- Pray for us to have wisdom with the funds that we have and that we would be good stewards of those funds and follow God's leading in disbursing them
- Pray for God's provision for our operating funds
- Pray for our church partners who have adoption funds that we administrate, pray for the families and orphans they represent
- Pray for our new venture, ABBA's Family Thrift Store that we just opened last week to raise money for orphans and adoption

Remember the Poor:
Very thankful for what so far is a successful well installation at the Nkumba, Uganda orphanage/school. This week one of the Nkumba staff is headed out to the Teso region to do some follow-up work and hopefully order surveys to drill more wells. We are asking the Lord for specific direction--that He would direct our steps to the areas that need water, and for accurate surveys in these areas so that we work with the correct drilling company. We are also asking the Lord for the resources needed to irrigate the farm. In summary, we are asking Him who is the fount of Living Water for water, water, water!

Global Orphan Outreach~
Christina Hoffman who is the stateside director of forget me not childrens homes will be traveling to Liberia next week. She will be meeting with several people both within the ministry of health as well as directors of feeding programs and hospitals whom are looking to place abandoned children with her in this program. Pray for guidance and discernment.
And as always- the funds to care for these kids

Louisville Orphan Care Initiative
Personal--from Amy Coleman: my husband needs healing of kidney stones. We ended up in ER today.

LOCI is overwhelmed with requests: PTL!! Voluteers to be His hands & feet still needed. Favor for all we come in contact with.

HopeChest Requests:

1. Ethiopia Vision trip departs in 13 days – pray for lives changed and children helped

2. Sponsorship Launch of Mpholi in Swaziland by Salem Chapel in Winston-Salem , NC on Sunday November 28 – pray for all the kiddos to get sponsors

3. Sponsorship Launch of Bukedea in Uganda by Connect Community in Fargo , North Dakota the weekend of December 3-6 – pray for fund-raising and sponsorships and a serious WARM FRONT – brrrrrrrr

4. Sponsorship Launch of Ngariam in Uganda by Westmoore Church in Oklahoma City , OK on Sunday, December 13 – pray for fund-raising and 500+ children to get sponsored.

5. Pray for our leadership in the US and overseas.

6. Pray as we go into the holiday season that our attention would be set on things above and that we would try to make this holiday season less about materialism and more about giving eternal gifts.

7. Specifically pray for Bosco, a 12 year old boy in Uganda who needs his leg amputated to save his life. Pray for the $1500 necessary to get him medical help. (see more info on Vince's blog or my own...feel free to post it!!! www.vincegiordano.blogspot.com)


Orphan Relief and Rescue - Liberia
As our field team is returning in force to Liberia, the year ahead looms large: lots of work to do. So many children needing shelter, nourishment (physical and spiritual), and
love. Please pray that the team knits together tightly as a family, shoulder to shoulder. Pray we remember the work is the LORD's, He is before and behind us everywhere we go, every child we touch.
In particular, we lift up Michael, a 17-year old boy with advanced cirrhosis of the liver from Hep B. His prognosis isn't good. Please pray for healing, for wisdom for Deb, our nurse, in seeking care, and that throughout the coming months, Michael feels the touch of the Living God, the Great Physician, in a truly special way.

5 comments:

Kathleen said...

Praying and fasting with you today. We serve a big and powerful God...

Ephesians 3:20~

V said...

definitely agree about really distinguishing between waiting on the Lord, or on the event. Praying with you today.

American History said...

your prayer request touched us. We are praying for you. We found this site helpful www.holylandprayer.com Check it; maybe it gives you a relief. God bless you.

Meggan Lambesis said...

Thanks for posting these thoughts---It's very encouraging as I think it's something I really needed to hear this week as well.

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