Taking It Easy

Today started with us getting ready and checking out a church here.  Since we are moving here, we thought it would be a good idea to get a jump start on finding a church.  I'm not sure that church is for us, but it was a good experience overall. (#283) Among other things, someone prayed for my ankle to be healed and Angleica's allergy break out to be cleared up.  Both of those prayers were answered before the end of the day. (#284 & 285)  

Then we headed in search of a Target to pick up a few things we needed.  Finding it was easy enough.  After yesterday's attempt to find a restaurant that was a huge blessing. (#286) When we arrived at the shopping center, we looked for a place to eat.  Angelica walked ahead and asked if they served anything she could eat.  They didn't but were willing to make something fresh using only ingredients she could consume. (#287) That is not something a fast food restaurant typically can do, but this little Asian store did.  Plus the food was good.  Less "Americanized" than most.  :)  

After that it was time to drive Miracle to the campus for her overnight stay.  Angelica opted not to stay the night because the risk of encountering corn is just too high.  She and I will head out to the college in the morning to meet up with Miracle and start the tour of the campus.  

Acts 13:19-20

This morning, Pastor started a new series. A series on missions. He spoke of Paul, Barnabas, and John Mark. It was Paul's first missionary journey.

But what struck me was not truly the topic of his sermon. He read the verse that said Paul was stoned by the Pharisees and left for dead. Paul was visibly bleeding. The people of God rallied around him and prayed. By a miracle of God, Paul got up and lived.

Something inside me resonated.

It is not that the people of the world or of the church have stoned me. I have not endured any undue hardships lately. Definitely not because of my faith or my witness. But not because of anything else, either. No person or group of people have flogged me. I am not physically bleeding.

And.

Yet.

When he read that verse, inside I knew that was me. I am bleeding. And I need a miracle to be OK again.

I am still standing. Walking. Going about my day to day life. Smiling. Talking. Blogging. Praying. Even sometimes pointing others to my beloved Saviour.

But I am mortally wounded. Bleeding. And I need a miracle to be OK again.

I am guessing that I am not the only one feeling this way. In fact, FigNewTon said she felt the same way when Pastor read that verse. I expect that quite a few of you see yourself in that passage, too. If you do, could you let me know so I can rally around you and lift your struggles up to the God who can heal broken bodies, broken hearts, and broken relationships?