Faithfulness

It's been a tough couple of weeks but I was reminded of why I like to send these out, so I thought I'd get back into the weekly installments with a little something I wrote a few days ago. I think of it as a simple reminder that it's all about perspective...

God Bless
-AMR

Tuesday, December 10, 2002

After 6 days without electricity (including heat), I have finally had it restored. I also turned in my exams today so things are starting to look up. All I need now is my car back (i had it in the shop for some repairs and a tree fell on it during the ice storm so i'm waiting for them to get a chance to fix that...).

In spite of this very trying week, I've definitely been able to see God's faithfulness. The power went out at 3:40am last thursday, and i was able to find a place to stay by 6pm that night. God was definitely looking out for me because i was horribly unprepared. My only flashlight was in my car, which was at the shop and my only phone is a cordless, and therefore needed power to work. The previous day I had gotten a ride home with a couple who lives near me, and they had happened to give me the phone # of the girl i've been staying with for the past week (who is the only one i know who never lost power at all). Being new to the area, i still know very few people here, and of those people, i know hardly any last names, so trying to use a phonebook to find them would have been very difficult. I was able to use a neighbor's phone to call, and within 20 minutes i joined the crowd of (20+) "refugees" at her apartment. She lives 10 minutes from my apartment, so I was able to go back and forth to get the materials i needed this week as i worked on my take home exams. I think i finally know the true meaning of "southern hospitality".

It was anything but an ideal working situation, but as I walked around the neighborhood, i saw people who had trees fall through their houses and I thought about all of the people who were not fortunate enough to have somewhere warm to stay.

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea. Psalms 46:1-2