Blessings in Disguise

I want to share a few things that have really blessed me over the last few days:

1. Starting to read Helen Roseveare's 'He gave us a valley'. I actually couldn't sleep after reading the first four chapters (could not put it down) because I was so convicted to think and pray.

2. Talking to my Dad and hearing how, after a candidate for the pastorship was unable to preach because he was snowed in, he was so convicted in his heart to actually preach himself on 'seeking the man of God's choice', that he did just that (believe me, I know my Dad and this is strange-he tried to get another preacher but clearly the Lord had other plans). And that not only was it well received (never a sure sign of blessing) but that afterwards a few came over to tell him that it deeply convicted them to take the issue seriously and corrected some wrong thinking. He said that it was truly humbling to be lead by the Spirit and used in such a way.

3. Chatting to my brother and hearing answers to my prayers. Hearing how he is a blessing to the CU from my friends, as well as once again realising just how much of an example he is to me to be godly.

4. Reading a friend's prayer letter and finding out that although his brother recently died after a long battle with cancer, just days before he left this world he prayed with my friend for forgiveness and received Christ. Amen! What great comfort and even joy in what is still heart-rending.

5. For the blessing of forgetting my own conscious self in the midst of a prayer meeting and just praying without fear or embarrassment, knowing that God hears the requests of my heart and chooses to bless others through it.

6. Gazing out of the window and biking to work and just being captivated by the sheer beauty of a white, crisp landscape.

7. Experienced such answer to prayer in my lessons today. Both went extremely well despite being a bit unsure as to how they were going to turn out and despite also being pretty tired from not sleeping well or very much at all lately. Also, experiencing renewed joy in my work.

Praise God for them all!