Listen closely

... I realized today that I have not been listening closely for God. I have expected him to jump out at me to come through the wind, the earthquake, and the fire, but I've not been listening for the whisper.
    Last week was tough, the lack of power, Internet, fuel, water, and sleep accompanied by tense relationships and close quarters made for a really emotional week. Honestly, most of this I can deal with quite easily. Sure its an inconvenience, or just plain obnoxious, but you deal with it, you move on, no big deal. The things that really make life here difficult are my own struggles, things that make me more comfortable, things like anxiousness and worry. If I can just fret about something I'll be okay... right? NO! Praise the Lord he puts intelligent people in my life. A very wise friend said "Quit giving Satan names." What  I really wanted to say was. SHUT UP, Don't say things like that to me! Just feel sorry for me and let me have it. Thankfully another wise friend who God sent with me to Africa said, "He's right you know...." Okay guys smack me in the face one more time why doncha... Well they didn't have to God took care of that as well.
    Last Wednesday it was one year since a dear friend of mine passed away. I was reading on of the last sermons he wrote, and was encouraged and convicted even more than I had been. I am so grateful  for Christian and the live he lived. What a magnificent example his life was and has continued to be to me and many others.
    It's hard to pinpoint exactly what made last week so incredibly difficult but I'm glad its over and we can start new... a new week... a new beginning. I'll be listening closely this week for the whisper.  PRAISE THE LORD!

In other news we started off this week, Monday, by going to the guys basketball game. The team has made it into the championship playoffs (secretly I'm really confused about all of it) but Ogles and I went to the game last night and it was really great. First off I got to hold the sweetest baby in the world and just enjoy her and it was great. Second, the guys played a great game, and really close game. In the last period of the game the students started singing hymns... I promise for the next 8 minutes or so the other team did not score. It was all really excellent, and we won! so Wednesday we'll play the championship game and see what happens there. It was great!  The week is young, it's been a good week thus far fun things are happening my God is big, bigger than all of the mess that is my life some days.
Please continue to pray... Pray for Malawi its tough right now, things are crazy. Pray for ABC, for the students, teachers, staff, everything you can think of. Pray for peace, wisdom and understanding, and lastly pray for continued financial support. I feel your prayers here more than I can express and I am so grateful!

Until next time...
"And he said, 'Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.' And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind and earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire, the sound of a low whisper...." 1 Kings 19. 11-12 (I strongly encourage reading the rest of the chapter)