Like many of our Christian brothers and sisters, Susan and I decided to end 2024 and begin 2025 with several days of fasting and seeking the Lord. We desire the Lord’s will to be done in all aspects of our life and ministry. Even though the Lord has given us a measure of wisdom and knowledge, we choose to seek His will first and foremost, and above all else.
Though the Lord did not share revelation or details regarding His plan for us this next year, He did deeply impress on us one thing: to rest in Him.
Last year brought both trials and many challenges, and admittedly, many disappointments. I would love to say that I always rest in the Lord, but if I said that I would be dishonest. Last year shook me greatly. I found myself questioning the Lord quite often and had many times of frustration, as well as times of disappointment when things I wanted to happen did not.
Though the first few years of Hope of a Nation’s existence had challenges, we could see the Lord’s hand in it all. Last year seemed a little different. Now, it’s not to say that we did not see the Lord’s hand last year, because we did, but unfortunately the difficulties and the challenges are what I ended up focusing on. Instead of seeing all the amazing small and subtle ways in which the Lord took care of things, I focused more on the things that I thought He did not do.
Last year was financially challenging with our inability to meet all the needs of the ministry or ourselves personally. There were sicknesses and deaths of those we love, there was additional weight and pressures added to me that I began to view as burdens, the current political situation in Mozambique presented new challenges and frustrations in and of itself, and I could go on and on.
Our chicken project on the farm in Mozambique got underway just before summer and was doing well, but it has come to a halt due to the political situation in Mozambique that disrupted the local supply chain and brought with it the inability to purchase more chickens to raise and sell. This pausing of the chicken project became a frustration and disappointment to me because we were working so hard getting everything underway again after the transition from the year before. Just as it was succeeding, we had to stop it yet again; just like we did the previous year.
So many of these things caused me sleepless nights and lots of conversations with the Lord asking Him, “Why?”
It also had me questioning where I may have messed up, or failed, or stepped out of God’s will for my life and the ministry. So, when the Lord said that He wanted us to rest in Him, I could easily understand why He would say that. I was in a mental state in complete opposition to anything close to that of rest.
As I spent more time during our period of fasting, seeking the Lord and asking Him to help me better understand what resting in Him truly means, I began to realize that, like the Israelites in the wilderness, I had been wrongly questioning and even accusing the Lord and feeling as though some of the things He had been asking me to do were burdensome. I did not want to go “back to Egypt” last year, but I did find myself asking if He “brought us out only for us to die of thirst in the wilderness!”
I very much regret all my words, actions, frustrations toward the Lord, and the many times of mistrusting in Him.
Resting in the Lord doesn’t mean being inactive, sleeping, or lounging around watching TV all day. What it means is to be in full surrender to His will, completely trusting in Him in all things, being at peace even in the storms, and recognizing that though we control nothing… God is always God.
In the good times He is God; In the bad times He is God.
For those of us who profess to follow the Lord, we will have times of trouble, trials, and challenges; Jesus said so Himself.
"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33
And as James wrote (verse 1:2-4), “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
We have only just barely stepped into this new year, and it has already brought with it new troubles. A sudden and unexpected storm on January 1st in Mozambique destroyed the roof of the chicken house on the ministry farm (as seen in the image above), a young orphan boy who was cared for at a partner orphanage in Uganda passed away, our operation’s director in Mozambique had another debilitating stroke leaving him unable to speak or move, and the continuing lack of funds for the ministry (and personally) all have such great potential to shake our faith.
But regardless of it all, we choose now to rest in Him.
And so, for all of those who are reading this now, for those who are going through trials, difficulties, challenges, and times of trouble… I encourage you to diligently seek the Lord and to rest peacefully and completely in Him. Surrender yourselves, your will, and your life to Him. Even if what we hope for, what we desire, and what we expect is not met, don’t turn your eyes off the Lord by looking at the problems, but instead trust in the One who holds everything together.
