The Longest Week

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything"

Last Sunday Pastor JB gave the message on that passage in James. The Lords timing could not have been better. Last week was one of the most difficult I have ever faced. Let me tell you about it.

John and I went out to the site on Monday with a generator and some drills. We were intent on setting trusses for the kitchen roof that day, maybe continuing on Tuesday. The first day, our inverter broke and we could not do any drilling. John went back to get a new inverter and brought it back on tuesday, then the Generator broke. John went back and returned it to the rental place, and we borrowed one from a local pastor. This one worked, but then we discovered our drill bits were not exactly what we needed. We had to rack our brains for creative solutions to so many problems that we had not anticipated. It was mentally exhausting. John and I both came close to losing our tempers a few times, I may or may not have let some swear words slip under my breath. To make a long story short, we finished setting trusses on Friday. Four days late. Four, twelve-hour days where nothing seemed to go right. On top of that I faced some of the most intense loneliness I have ever experienced.

The good part? Well, Jesus was still in control through all of it. The trusses got set, in his timing. Also, I kept remembering Pastor JB's message. It kept me from despair more than once. I was still tired and miserable, but I had hope. I understood why the Lord, who is in control of everything, was letting it be such a hard week. So now, on Saturday, I am able to count it all Joy that I faced trials of various kinds. I know why I was allowed to face them, because Jesus cares about me. He cares so much that he is going to do what it takes me make me mature and complete.