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Monday, July 21, 2014

The Desert Road...

As many of you readers know, God has really been stretching and teaching our family lately.  I wrote about it here and here.
Long story short…
My husband took a one year internship this past year.  We ended in May, and have to be out of our apt by the end of this week!  We have been applying, waiting, interviewing… all since January.
And we are still waiting, still deciding.  This has been a true testing of our faith in 
God's Timing Not Ours!
All that to be said… I don't have any juicy tidbits about exactly what we are doing this next school year, though I know all of you are on the edge of your seat, just waiting for the announcement (I kid, I kid).  But I do have another little bit of encouragement that I have learned through this.
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I have been reading through and studying Acts. Yesterday I was really caught by Philip's story in Acts 8.  The church had just started really getting persecuted after the stoning of Stephen and as a result they were scattered through Judea and Samaria.  Fortunately, what was being done to hurt the movement for Christ actually helped because Christ went with them and was proclaimed wherever they went.  That brings us to Acts 8:4-8
Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. So there was great joy in that city.

From what I can tell, Philip was rocking it in Samaria.  I mean people were being impacted for Christ.  Now skip ahead to Acts 8:26
Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.”



God was using Philip in great ways in Samaria.  And then BOOM, angel, and that desert road command.  How appealing is that?  What if someone said to you, "I know everything is going good here, but I want you to walk down that desert road, into the unknown."  Well, Philip had to go, it was pretty clear considering God had sent an angel and everything.  The rest of Acts 8 goes to share how he met a Ethiopian eunuch, who was pretty important guy in his area.  Philip shared Christ with him the eunuch became a believer, was baptized and then Philip was suddenly taken away (that part is amazing to me too) to preach somewhere else.

Philip obediently left a ministry that was working to go down a desert road.  This probably felt unknown, or even like a demotion.  But God used this.  That Ethiopian eunuch that came to Christ, thus creating an "in" that brought Christ to a new place!

I think about where we have been in the past.
Coming to Statesboro in the first place, not really our plan.   Another year of an internship after the hubs had already been an intern for the past 3 years.  To be totally transparent, it just didn't seem right.  But we were obedient to God's call.  This past year, we have built relationships, shared Christ, learned… it is an experience we could not have foreseen and now would not trade!  God really used it in big ways for his glory!

I think of where we are now.  Unknown, choices, risk (yea, I know I am being vague, but you are just going to have to go with it).  We have come to realize, we don't need to choose what seems safe or secure, we need to step out in faith down our desert road.

Where are you today?  What desert road God calling you to go down?
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14 comments:

  1. I love your faith and your willingness to be still and wait for God's direction. You have such a big heart Stasia! Praying for you and your family to be full with peace as you wait for your next step :)

    xoxo
    Lauren
    http://sincerelymrslo.blogspot.com

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  2. I'll keep you in my prayers, Stasia! Stepping out on faith isn't easy, but God is always good, even when things don't go well and I hope that you have a wonderful adventure! A couple years ago, God put it on my heart to do foster care. It didn't make sense since we already have three bio sons the youngest of whom was still an infant, we have a three bedroom home and I have fibromyalgia. But, I'm am so thankful we said yes! It has been so wonderful and have been taking care of some precious kids. There is no fulfillment like being in the center of God's will! I share a bunch of our stories and lessons I'm learning on my site, uncommongrace.net- would be so fun to connect! Thanks for sharing at A Mama's Story!

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    1. Thank you for your prayers and sharing your blog! God has used you in awesome ways and I am excited to start following along!

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  3. Love this and so glad you shared. We moved to SC almost 7 years ago and was definitely a desert road. But now I look back and I see how God had a plan and has been using us here. Is so exciting- praying for you guys!

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    1. It is so good to hear that… we are excited too and appreciate the prayers!

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  4. It is so true God often calls us down a desert road. I just wanted to share a verse which I recently read ... "The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice & blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy." (Isaiah 35:1) And why is this? Because it is there that "they will see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God" (verse 2)
    May you find that your lives fully bloom right there on the desert road!
    Blessings!

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  5. I will keep you in my prayers. I have been where you are and am in a sense. I can recall having to do an unpaid internship for months. I am also in the place I am now trying to follow Gods call on my life. It is not easy, but we just have to stay in faith. You will come out on top.

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    1. Thanks! We are so excited about the journey God is taking us on… for HIs glory!

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  6. I too will be praying for your family during this time of change. I believe with you that God will send you to the place where He can use your family best.

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    1. Thanks so much! That is such an encouragement!

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  7. Thanks for linking with the SHINE Blog Hop!

    I truly enjoyed reading this post. I haven't been walking in faith as much as I should but I do know that I'm on an unknown road. If that makes any sense. In some areas of my life, I feel as if God has "something up His sleeve." But I AM learning to go with it all. I feel that the more I rely on Him and trust in His omniscience, the stronger my faith muscle becomes. =)

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  8. I have never looked at that passage like that, but you are so right! Philip must have felt confused and nervous, at the very least. What a great lesson in trust.
    I am excited to hear how God uses your obedience!

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  9. I know in my life sometimes I wonder what God has planned when I take a leap of faith. I know that God honors that trust in Him and will guide you all on His perfect plan. I look forward to seeing where He leads you all. Thanks for sharing your heart at the Saturday Soiree Blog Party!

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