Under Construction

Have you driven on I-96 near US-127 lately? Are you tired of the construction, too? I am so ready for it to get back to normal. It isn’t fun to get stuck in traffic when I am on a tight schedule, especially when I have forgotten about the construction and haven’t built “just-in-case” minutes into my drive time.

But do you know what God has done while I’ve been waiting in my van? Besides giving me opportunity to be impressed with the total reconstruction of a highway (never knew there were big black tarps, under a layer of stones, under all that concrete!), He’s given me time to think about my own reconstruction. And I realized I get just as impatient with the time it’s taking to re-make me, as I do with the work that is being done on I-96. Maybe more so, if I’m totally honest.

God saved me from my life of sin through the blood of Jesus Christ. And I am so thankful! Now God is making me into the woman He wants me to be. I am so thankful for that, too! But sometimes I wish God would just zap me and be done with it. I wish it wouldn’t take my whole lifetime for Him to perfect me; I just want to be finished.

Yet the highway construction reminds me — as the workers break up the old highway and haul it away, bring in new dirt and flatten it out, as they roll out the tarp and lay the stones, and finally pour the new concrete — so God is working a thorough and complete process in me. And I can trust He knows just what He’s doing.

How about you? Do you struggle with the wait? Will you trust Him, anyway?

Karen Hossink

Experiencing God

One of the most life-changing Bible studies I have ever done Experiencing God by Henry Blackaby. I thought of this study recently because of a huge praise report involving my nephew. Nathan is eight years old and has had illnesses starting as an infant with eczema, food allergies and eventually asthma. This has continued throughout the years but lately has gotten much worse.

Recently, I was out to lunch with a friend. She was telling me about the symptoms her friend’s child was having and out of my mouth came “Celiac disease.” My friend looked at me a little perplexed and said “Yes, how did you know that?” I replied, “I have no idea.”

That is when all the light bulbs started coming on. About 2.3 minutes later I called my sister. When I mentioned it she flipped out! She had been praying and fasting for the previous two weeks pleading with God to lead her to an answer. The day before she had talked with a chiropractor who questioned if Nathan had ever been tested for Celiac disease (a gluten allergy). Less than 24 hours later I call mentioning the same thing.

This week he was formally diagnosed with Celiac disease. I am not thankful for the diagnosis but that we finally know what is going on and can fix it! He can finally get well!

The Experiencing God study has 10 concepts, two of which are highlighted in this story. First: God is always at work around you. Second: God invites you to become involved with Him in His work.

God loves my nephew, more than I do and even more than my sister does! God was at work for my nephew and He invited me to be involved in it. What an amazing God we serve!

Michelle Heriford

Making the Invisible Visible

I’ve been eagerly watching for my flower bulbs to push through the soil. I have a few red tulips, yellow daffodils, and purple hyacinths planted in front of our home; as the sun gets warmer, they start poking their heads up to see if our Michigan winter is over. What I love about this is watching the invisible become visible right before my eyes. All winter the bulbs lie hidden, but God is preparing them for their spring debut.

My spiritual life is sometimes like my garden. At times, I’ve planted, watered, and waited, but I see nothing; no “fruit.” I’ve prayed without success for someone to awaken to Christ; I’ve prayed for marriages that fail and friends who pass on into eternity. I’ve asked for ministries to prosper, only to see them flop; prayed for leaders only to see them abandon their ministries; and I’ve yearned to have an impact for Jesus, then felt as though my efforts are like footprints washed away by waves.

But it’s then that Christ reminds me that “what is seen was not made out of what was visible” (Heb. 11:3). He is a God who works in the invisible realm, then makes His work visible. Just as He prepares my bulbs for new life out of sight under the winter soil, He is actively completing His work in the unseen spiritual realm.

What I see as “fruit” and what God is actually accomplishing may be very different! Maybe that’s what “walking by faith” means — believing that the invisible God is responding and working powerfully even when I can’t yet see the evidence.

Lord, as I wait expectantly, knowing my tulips and daffodils will eventually appear, teach me to trust in You to eventually make the invisible work You are doing in my life and in the lives of others visible!

Anne Cody

Director of Group Life, Trinity Church