A Good Day with a Funeral

It's such a paradox to think that a day with a funeral could be a good day, but I am here to say that it is such an untrue paradox!

The day began with some very good news -- Kendra got her passport! I felt that yesterday I should pray and fast that she would receive it. When I prayed about how long I should fast, I felt that I should break it at 3 p.m. When I prayed for Kendra, I was praying very boldly, and all of a sudden the words came out "God let her receive it in her hands by three p.m. today!" So at 11 p.m. I sent her a text message asking how it was going. She mentioned that the passport was sent from N. Carolina on Friday, so she should receive it either Monday or Tuesday. At that moment, I was disappointed that she hadn't received the passport because of the faith that I had that she would have it at 3 p.m. But then God gave me peace and said, "Don't worry. She'll receive it within the hour of 3 p.m." And I woke up this morning, she had received it and received it at 3:40 p.m.!!!! Isn't that miraculous and so like God to do that?!?! Wow!

So the funeral... There was a lady in the church that died last week -- 81 years old and a VERY STRONG believer in Jesus. She was a prayer warrior, a servant, and such a compassionate woman. It was like she was everyone's Danish grandma (she was originally from Denmark but moved to Norway). When I got the call at the office from one of her sons last week that she died, I was so sorry that she died but at the same time I was soooo joyful because she is now with Jesus. I have never been so incredibly joyful about the passing on of someone before, but because she was such a saint of Jesus, it was nothing but joy I felt the day she died. Of course, I cried at the funeral here and there, but it was one of the most peaceful and special and joyful funerals I have ever been to.

Then I met with one of my closest friends here and accountability partner Maja for a cup of coffee. We meet weekly to pray for each other, confess sins, etc. While, we were in the coffee shop, a dear friend of mine, Mari comes in with her brother Åsmund. The four of us had a FABULOUS time talking about God and what He is doing in our lives... SO MUCH FUN! I didn't want to leave from our time together. So much fun! But then after the coffee shop closed, we went outside and talked for another half-an-hour until we got cold. So then Maja and I went to the church office and confessed and prayed for each other... we prayed such powerful and prophetic prayers over each other. Then while I was on the way home on the bus, one of the girls from youth group came on the bus, and we talked about what God is doing in our lives. God answered a big prayer she had on Sunday, and I told her about my really incredible, awesome and God-filled day!

I don't think I could ever get tired of all the wonderful things God is doing in my life. He is SO FAITHFUL. He is SO GOOD! A relationship with Him is so meaningful and life giving and when we cling to Him, there is always hope. There is always breakthrough. There are always miracles. He is the one we cling to in the difficult situations that brings us through as more than conquerors. God is SO GOOD!

With that I sign-off to get ready for Kendra's coming... Look out world, God is going to do some spectacular things the next 2 weeks!

I love comments!

Hey for all of you blog readers out there, you can leave comments! I love them... it also helps me to know how many are reading these updates I so painstakingly try to do weekly! Give a girl some love :)

Anyway, it has been crazy busy here the last 10 days... we've had a construction team from the States working at the church and staying at the WorldBase... so that has taken quite a bit of energy and time. But they were a great blessing to everyone, and they traveled home today, giving me a moment to update. You should check out www.worldbase.no and see pictures and Blog updates. (By the way, I have been updating the WorldBase website a lot lately... you should check it out!)

This Wednesday, one of my best and closest friends from the States, Kendra will be coming to visit me for two weeks! Can you say, "EXCITED"?!?!? She still hasn't received her passport even though she ordered it eight weeks ago! Pray that she would get her passport TODAY!

I have fallen in love with Norway again... in the stress of the last two years, I was just here working, and the call is what kept me here. But now, I am in love again, like I have just gotten here. I had my three year anniversary on the 6th of March and what a glorious time to have an anniversary when you are falling in love all over again with the call and with the ministry and with the country. God is good!

Snow's the Story

Well, to make a long story short... a whole five days of snow equals over 6 feet of snow and endless shoveling. The road conditions were terrible, there was no where to park downtown or here at the house, houses lost power, the freeway was shut down, stores began to run out of fresh goods. Now that the snow has stopped, it doesn't mean that there is any lack of shoveling! We have been shoveling away the snow a little bit every day, not to mention the many feet of snow that have just fallen off the roof into the most inconvenient places! Think about walking over a five foot hill of snow to get into your house! That's what we had to do yesterday when the snow fell off the roof in the driveway! The romance of this California girl snow-shoveling is long gone. And in these days of rain and meltage, the snow turns into heavy slush which is still more difficult to shovel and incredibly inconvenient to walk in... Yup, for all its trouble, it is still beautiful to see, but don't be fooled for a second that it is easy work to clean up after such a huge storm... We'll be shoveling for another 2-3 weeks at least, IF it doesn't snow again. ha ha Well, have a good night!