These two weeks are chock full of time catching up with friends, preaching, going to weddings, and finding out that one of my best friends is pregnant!
I realized that it had been quite a while since I have written on here, so I thought I better update you.
This past month has been so busy. In the very beginning of August, a young new believer came to the Lord, and I have been crying desperately to the Lord on his behalf. I am also rejoicing to the Lord for bringing in another to his fold. His name is Emerson, and I am believing God for complete deliverance from alcohol and drugs with this young man.
I also graduated from language school on the 14th of this month and will be working directly with the Dahlagers from this point on, daily being responsible to practice the Spanish I have learned. My work will involve planning training sessions and speakers for children's pastors, prayer support and ministry with children, youth and young adults, as well as different projects here and there.
I am so excited to be working for the Lord and it has been such a privilege to see people's lives changed by the power of Jesus Christ and the working of the Holy Spirit in their lives.
My busy schedule since I arrived home has included one wedding and one presentation at Life church as well as a trip to Missouri to visit my younger sister. This week I have one more wedding and a message to give this coming Sunday at my home church.
It has been way to easy to fill the spaces during this week chock full of meetings with friends, and I have to remind myself to REST!
At the same time, I praise God for how He has led me, and used me. I am so thankful that he chose me as I recognize that anyone else could have been used as well in my shoes.
This morning in the worship service God touched me in a very special way. I was reminded of those first moments when his saving power cleansed me and made me into a new creation when I was six years old. I was never reminded so strongly as I was this morning of God's love and his compassionate favor towards me. How that when I was only six years old, I asked him to be the King of my life, and he came and transformed my stubborn willfulness and all the things I had done to displease him and my parents. I remembered in that brief moment how I had changed, and how my desires turned from being focused only on myself, to suddenly consider those around me. It was a VERY real transformation that began that day.
His transformation lasts forever, and I am not that old person anymore that was born into this world. What a beautiful thing to be reminded of his salvation, and to be reminded of how He has created me.
Truly anyone who calls upon His name, (the name of Jesus Christ) will find freedom from condemnation, and will find themselves captured by the loving gaze of a God who also suffered as a human being with them in mind.
He loves you my friend. And He will do nothing less for you than he has done for me. How great is my best friend and how I love him.
Your friend and partner in prayer,
Joanna Joy Finkenbinder
