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Lesson for the day, God is in control! It is amazing how much perspective one can obtain after 12 hours of time and a couple of hours of sleep! I was hoping that by this time I would be posting a blog announcing the arrival of Abraham #3. However, God (and the baby) had other plans. I went into the hospital last night to get my labor induced via some more natural methods, knowing that if I got started on Pitocin (IV medication to stimulate contractions) that the baby would have to come out one way or another and I want to avoid a c-section at all costs. Our baby had a different plan. After 12 hours in the hospital my contractions never really progressed and my cervix never really dilated and I came back home this morning exhausted and disappointed. Disappointed in myself, the whole situation, and yes, disappointed in God.
The lesson in this - God is in control!! I think that I have so much going on that is out of my hands right now that I wanted to have a little control over this event - the birth of our third baby. By this evening I had heard God loud and clear - He is the creator and author of life and I must relinquish control of my WHOLE life over to Him. So, now we go on with life and once again wait for God's perfect timing.
Josiah frequently prays/tells Jesus that he doesn't want it to rain or storm when he hears that prediction in the weather forecast. So in that same way, I am praying for a quick and safe delivery and would love for it to be sooner rather than later. Will keep you all updated when the newest member of the Abraham family makes his or her appearance!
Jeneson and I have been having some great conversations about our future and our faith recently. And it seems that our most recent prayer letter (you can find it on the toolbar to the right) has also spurned some thinking and conversations among our friends and family. As many of you know, we have a lot ahead of us in the next couple of months. For a quick recap:
- I'm scheduled to get induced with baby #3 on Wednesday, July 28th
- Jeneson has to be down in New Orleans for school by Aug 18th
- I will probaby move down to New Orleans with the kids the beginning of September
- We are trying to sell our condo (has been on the market since the end of February)
- We don't know where we are going to live in New Orleans
- We are currently support raising to go to Sierra Leone (GOD willing the first half of 2011)
I think that is enough for now. Jeneson and I have great faith that God will provide for each and every one of these needs. After all, we serve a great, big GOD!!
All too often people say that they trust God, but don't let Him truely work in their lives. They put limits on what He can do. It is easy to trust God with the little things, the non-specifics, and the non-tangibles.
'God I trust that you will take Josiah's fever away (knowing that it is a little viral illness).'
'God I trust that you will provide for my needs today.'
'God please give me more patience with my family today.'
However, we need to trust God in the big things too. God's glory is really revealed when we let Him do big things in our lives, things that are not possible with merely our human efforts.
Think back to some of the workings of God in the Bible. The most obvious one that comes to mind is Abraham and Sarah.
Genesis 12:2 And I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.
God told this to Abraham when he was 75 years old and childless.
Genesis 15:5-6 And he brought him outside and said, "Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be." And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness.
Sarah was 90 years old and Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac was born. Way beyond medical possibility and therefore a miracle from God. Abraham trusted that God would fulfil His promises.
Another example I like is the woman with the bleeding who just wanted to touch Jesus' garment and had the faith that if she could merely touch His garment she would be healed of the bleeding she had 12 years. She had faith and trusted Jesus for a big thing!
We are trusting God for BIG things because we have a great BIG GOD!!!
Dear Friends,
OK, so I missed my goal of getting our summer prayer letter out by the middle of June, but we have been a very busy family. God has been so good and shown Himself faithful to His goal to take us to Sierra Leone. We hope that you all have been able to enjoy the nice warm weather and some time away with family this summer. Here is a quick update on what we have been up to.
Through the miracle known as Facebook, Jeneson was able to reconnect with an old friend, Brent, from his Zion Bible School days (we’re talking 20 years ago). Brent just happens to live in the Chicago area and have a church on the north side of the city. He graciously invited to speak there the end of April and we were blessed with the support and prayer we received from his congregation. In May, we spoke at our home church, Pathway Community Church in Elmhurst. While many in the church knew of our raising support to go to Sierra Leone, it was a great opportunity to share with the church body as a whole how God has planted this desire in our heart and is moving in our lives to get us there. Pathway has been a great support to us and we are grateful that God has led us to this wonderful body of believers who have committed to supporting us both spiritually and financially. God has certainly placed so many people in our path that just confirms that this is what God wants us to do.
June was filled with travel and adventure for all of us. Sandy spent two weeks at the University of Missouri Kansas City at an INMED course in international medicine. She learned a lot about both the medical and public health aspect of practicing medicine in developing nations. She also connected with some wonderful people who are also following God to do work in various countries in Africa, Asia, and Central and South America. While Sandy was away and the kids were spending some quality time with Grandpa and Grandma, Jeneson headed to Haiti with a group from Tulane University. This was a great experience medically and an enlightening experience spiritually as this was the first non-faith-based medical mission trip he has been on.
The months of July and August show no signs of slowing down either. Jeneson’s Dad will be visiting from India in July and the beginning of August. Through connections with family and friends we will be speaking at a church in Shelbyville, IL in mid-July. Baby Abraham #3 is due the end of July/beginning of August. And, the middle of August will find us down in New Orleans as Jeneson starts the Tropical Medicine Diploma Program at Tulane University on August 18th.
We are definitely in need of your prayer support in the coming months. We are still trying to sell our condo and will be stepping out in faith as we look for a place to live in the New Orleans area. Through wonderful friends we have some contacts in the New Orleans area and are fully depending on God to provide for us financially and to lead us to where He wants us to be. Please pray for Sandy as she transitions to having a preschooler, toddler, and infant to care for in a new city. Please pray for Jeneson as he leaves his current job and starts further schooling in tropical medicine. Please pray for the kids as they adjust to a new sibling and a new house. The people of Sierra Leone continue to need prayers for the softening of hearts to hear about the love of Jesus. A short term team from Global will be travelling to Sierra Leone in mid-July and we are anticipating good reports from them on the well digging and hospital construction.
We enjoy any opportunity to tell others of the desires that God has laid on our hearts and how He is working in our lives. So, if you are interested in hearing more or think that your church or small group or any other gathering would like to hear us speak, please contact us. And, as always, if you feel led to give financially to our goal of being in Sierra Leone the first part of next year, please contact Global Outreach Mission for information on financial support.
Blessed,
Jeneson & Sandy Abraham
Josiah, Lydia, and baby Abraham
