Seeing

Today is the four year anniversary of the devastating earthquake that hit Haiti. Have you forgotten?

I've been in Haiti for ten days; most of that was spent inside the Pre-school, working with the kids and getting to know the Tlucek's, making little errands, which has taught me a lot and been really good. But yesterday and today, God really drew me close and I saw and felt.... Haiti.

I saw the awfulness of lives taken in a horrible accident.

I saw beautiful ocean view.

I saw the corruption.

I saw beautiful smiling faces through clouds of dust.

I saw the damage & effect of the earthquake

I saw the pain that is still fresh and will always be there for people who lost loved ones

I felt the sick, twisted, darkness

I felt the pressure

I felt the need

But most of all I've seen and felt God's hand and unconditional love for this country and every single person in it.

We sang Your Love Never Fails and God of This City in church today and the truth of the words we were singing just washed over me and I don't know how to describe it except to say that it was a beautiful thing.

Our Pastor gave a wonderful sermon today titled: He is Still God and We Are Still His. He talked about our response to disasters, whether natural or personal, what our response tends to be and what it should be.

God is showing me a lot, but I think the biggest thing is how constant He is and how He always will be in His love and care for us. It's a beautiful thing and though we can look at Haiti and all the brokenness and think about how hard life is here and all the needs to be met and feel overwhelmed, but if we focus on God instead, you will find: beauty, peace, love and grace in the most unexpected places.

Our response to disasters should be:

1. Hold On In Faith - dont give into fear 2 Tim 1:7 (look it up)

2. Go to God in Prayer - Phil 4:6

3. Don't Blame God - or make excuses because we don't really know Ecc 9:11

4. Respond to Crisis - we are the hands and feet and called to do what must be done James 2:17

5. Rest Assured in God - He never makes mistakes or is shaken

"We structure ourselves to be comfortable, all the time. But that's not what God is interested in. God is interested in our assurance of Him no matter what comes our way. This whole world can be shaken to bits yet God's throne is not moved and inch, not one inch" - Pastor