Alyssa Sooy Bonilla
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Standstill
Moving forward in a world that's standing still
Lord, I don't understand. But I trust you.
This prayer has been running through my head constantly in the past few weeks. March started out with an impromptu trip to Nashville to help my brother and sister-in-law pick up the pieces (literally and figuratively) of their home in the wake of the tornado that tore through North Nashville and destroyed their house. I am so grateful that the Lord kept them safe! They're getting back on their feet, taking it one day at a time. Thank you to all who have been praying, donating, and reaching out to check up on them!
On the heels of returning from Nashville and trying to get back into a routine while getting over a cold, reports started coming in about the fast-spreading Coronavirus. Soon after came the news of the resulting lifestyle restrictions. I know I'm not the only one who immediately thought about all the plans I had made that may not come to fruition. Cancelled trips, reunions, church groups and services...
It seems crazy and almost impossible that the entire planet could shut down, yet here we are. Struggling to help carry the burdens of friends and family, separated from loved ones, some suddenly taking on new roles of teacher and caretaker, all while trying to feel purposeful and stay sane. Not to mention the worry and anxiety that comes from the unknown. But take heart, friends! This isn't the first pandemic or natural disaster that He has seen, and it won't be last. He was there before and He will be there next time. Planting seeds of faith, healing wounds, and redeeming lives. So let's keep our eyes on Him (not the waves and the craziness around us) and be His hands and feet for the lost and for the body of Christ!
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Here's a few things that have been comforting to me in the midst of all the uncertainty:
1.
Grounding myself in Who God is and His promises to us: We know these things to be true, God is Faithful, God is Good, and God is God.
- God is Faithful: In His words and actions, our God proves Himself faithful time and time again to those who seek Him. When times are uncertain and we don't know what lies ahead, we can look back on His faithfulness.
Has God forgotten to be merciful?
Has he in anger withheld his compassion?
Then I thought, "To this I will appeal:
the years when the Most High stretched out
his right hand.
I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
I will consider all your works
and meditate on all your mighty deeds." (9-12)Remind yourself of the ways you've seen God's faithfulness in your life and the lives of those around you.
- God is Good:
You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you." Psalm 86: 5“After the September 11 attacks on America, and then again after the US started bombing Kabul, I had to regroup. I asked myself, ‘What if I die?’ God brought to mind something I heard said at a conference shortly before I returned to Kabul in March. At the conference, someone asked Jackie Pullinger, who lived for decades with the poor in Hong Kong: ‘How did you really make it serving the poor for so many years? What is the secret of sticking it out for the long haul?’ She answered something like this: ‘You have to resolve in your heart that God is good. No matter what happens, you must know in your heart that he is good.’
I determined that I would believe in God’s goodness. In prison I said, ‘Okay, Lord. I believe you are good. I trust that if I die right now in this situation, then it must be the best thing…’”
-From Prisoners of Hope by Dana Curry P. 130-131
Have you resolved in your heart that God is Good? - God is God:
"If He is God, He is worthy of my worship and my service. I will find rest nowhere but in His will, and that is infinitely, immeasurably, unspeakably beyond my largest notions of what He is up to... I believe with all my heart that God’s Story has a happy ending… But not yet, not necessarily yet. It takes faith to hold onto that in the face of the great burden of the experience which seems to prove otherwise. What God means by happiness and goodness is a far higher thing than we can conceive.”
-From Through the Gates of Splendor by Elizabeth Elliot
Our God, who cannot lie, has told us Who He is. Do you believe Him?
2. Asking God to give me a spirit of contentment and joy: I'm learning that the times when I don't feel grateful or joyful are the times when it's most important to praise Him anyway. We are all grieving something that we've either had to give up, or will have to give up. Graduation, vacation, sports, jobs, seeing friends and loved ones... the list goes on. The temptation to throw a pity party and complain is strong, so when you feel resentment creeping in, stop and ask the Lord to replace it with contentment in Him.
3.
Taking this time to be still: Setting aside time to spend in the Word and talk to God is vital to both of the actions above. The more time I spend with Him, the easier it is to trust Him and be joyful in the midst of uncertainty.
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These are "unprecedented times," so no one knows what to expect in the coming months. But have faith, friends! Our God has not changed. Yesterday, today, and tomorrow He remains faithful.
In Christ,
Alyssa
Psalm 77: 11-14
(GOD'S WORD
Translation)
I will remember the deeds of the Lord. I will remember your ancient miracles. I will reflect on all your actions and think about what you have done. O God, your ways are holy! What God is as great as our God? You are the God who performs miracles. You have made your strength known among the nations.
Hola friends, Is it just me, or is 2025 going waaaaaay faster than any year before? I can't believe it's April already! We've got lots of big updates, so grab a cup of coffee and get cozy!
Hola familia,
Hola familia, I'm excited to catch you up on everything that's been going on here over the last few months!
Hola Familia,
