Overstretched

We are overstretched on all sides and at a real low point. We could really use your prayers during this time.

Over the past several weeks we have started a few different blog entries with names like, "The Dark Night of the Soul," and "Seeking an End to the Sickness Tunnel." Here is the updated really low blog entry....

While imprisoned, Sixteenth century Carmelite monk, St. John of the Cross, wrote a poem and commentary entitled "The Dark Night of the Soul" describing the different phases of his spiritual journey including his dark night of deep doubt, torment and suffering. We may or may not be at this same place, but we recognized that we are weak, exhausted and discouraged. While St. John's dark night shook the foundations of his faith, God held onto him through it and he grew to know him in a profoundly deep way as a result. So in our own version of the Dark Night of the Soul, we will hold on to the hope that on the other side of this fire we will come out refined, worry less about the things of this world and identify more with the things of God.

There are a variety of things which have brought us to this low point. Our physical health has been weak as all five of us have been hit with sickness: Angela is on her fourth round of antibiotics for sinusitis. Eliana had hives and had a double ear infection. Toby had a bought of food poisoning that lingered for 3 weeks. Gabe continues to worry us with his persistent cough. Ryan is fighting off his third cold. Our personal finances remain very challenging. Ryan has also been burdened with the H1N1 scare with a visiting team from the US, an office move, personnel struggles, and major financial concerns for FH/Peru. This weekend another visitor fell sick and was hospitalized requiring Ryan and a few other staff to provide 24 hour care.

We have been trying to take care of ourselves, being in prayer, reading and fellowship and still we find our selves in this dark night. God has blessed us some with mountaintop experiences in the midst of all this which remind us that we are supposed to be here and that the hard times will pass.

We came upon this verse a couple of months ago and it has been a source of hope and encouragment during this dark night.

"This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says:
In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength,"
Isaiah 30:15

Please pray with us this verse, that we may being strengthened by Him and continue to find moments of rest and quietness.