Come and Hear the Vision

I'm so excited for this! If you've been reading my blog for a while, you know that I have a deep desire to help raise funds for a school in Haiti. My friend, Dr. Vilmer Paul, administers this school, which currently serves approximately 700 students in a church building, which is not adequate for the task. God has given Vilmer a huge vision to reach many more students. He has the opportunity to buy land and build a facility for many more students. A large sum of money has been raised, but much more is needed. Vilmer and his wife, Sarah, will be in Coudersport in early August. Vilmer will be speaking at the new Gods Country Ministries' (former Coudersport Free Methodist church) building at 1237 East 2nd Street on August 7th. I want to invite you all to hear his vision for yourselves. There will be a dinner provided at 5:30, with Vilmer to speak afterwards. We will need a ballpark figure for dinner, so if you'd like to attend, please let me know via email (erin.mckeone@gmail.com) or on the Facebook event page that will be up soon.

The Struggle to Choose Contentment and Joy

Philippians 4:11-13, "11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength."

James 1:2-4 has been brought to my mind several times lately. Here is what they say. "2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." These verses are sometimes very hard to hear and, truthfully, at times make me a little angry. I know that sounds terrible, but the pain and uncertainty sometimes bring out the worst in me. In the last couple of weeks, I feel like God has been telling me that I need to be content in this circumstance. I'm starting to realize that first and foremost, contentment is not really a feeling, but a choice. As Paul states in the verses above (Philippians 4:11-13), he wasn't just able to be content in every circumstance, but it was through Christ and His strength that he was able to choose contentment. I'm learning that in the same way, joy is a choice. Because, sometimes, I feel anything but joy. When I feel that way, I have to remind myself (and others have to remind me) that God has a purpose and a plan that is much greater than I can imagine. Isaiah 55:8-9 says "8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. 9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." I keep praying for healing, but I am also recognizing that God is able to use me here. He has brought to my bedside people that I haven't seen in a while (in some cases, years), and we've been able to bless each other. I'm pretty sure that if the circumstances were different, these encounters would not have taken place. So pray with me, please, that I would choose contentment and joy by God's strength rather than lie here and wonder what the purpose is. You can also send me your prayer requests, since I have lots of time to pray.