Despite feeling physically bad, Nelson decides to spell out reasons for gratitude, right in the midst of “this nightmare,” landing on the goodness of God.

                                                     >>>>>>>>>>

September 1, 2022

Sitting in our little apartment at Heritage Manor kitchen, my usual 5:30 am quiet time before Annso and Will get up. Lots of medication going down the hatch at different times, trying to shake the sleeping hangover of aches and pains.

If I don’t know what else to write about, I can always write up a gratitude inventory. Thanksgiving does a lot for me. “Those who sacrifice thank offerings honor me, and to the blameless I will show my salvation.” (Psalm 50:23)

What a great psalm. I’m thankful for this season where I’m not doing ministry for a living, or pastoring, or leading Kokua Crew. I’m thankful that it strips me of false motives for reading my Bible or praying. I might ask for selfish things, but at least I’m really talking to God.

Thank you Lord for hearing my prayers and healing me from whatever I had yesterday. I pray you would heal up little Will from whatever he has and give Annso a break from being up all night with him. I’m thankful for her beyond words.

Thank you for the verse in James that reminds and almost commands us to ask for wisdom. “If any of you lacks wisdom…” Who doesn’t? Being aware that I lack wisdom, that there is a deficiency, I’m asking for God to fill me up in that area.

Thank you for bringing my journaling back and for bringing authenticity to my walk with you through this nightmare, Lord. If there was anything good about it, I’d say it’s good to be in a new town, a town with 4 seasons, not being in YWAM for a season, getting back my real prayer life again, being able to spend so much time with my little family, and possibly getting to realize my dream of buying a house with rental property on it.

I pray you would smooth things out with the tenants about the leases I’m having them sign, so I can get the loan from the bank in Chicago. I pray we would get that loan. I’m grateful to be giving this another try and not to be getting anyone to help us get the loan—that you, God, and I did it all by ourselves. It’s so much cooler that way.

Annso and I can say that as YWAMers living on support without real “jobs”, God provided money and credit to buy a house and put renters in there, so we have the chance to do what I’ve wanted to do for so long now. Of course it’s not in the bag yet, but we are closer than we’ve been before.

Thank you for the chance to live on the mainland in a “normal” place like we’ve wanted to try. Even in the suffering of this thing that we would never choose, you are doing so much. Even in the moment when it feels like I am sitting around wasting time, you are accomplishing so much.

You are showing me your character and how you fight for us like you fought for Israel against the Egyptians at the Red Sea crossing, “…You need only to stand firm, and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring for you today.” That’s us. Thank you.

I’m so thankful for the partnership between us and Brentwood Baptist Church over these past 12 years. Hard to believe it’s been that long. Thank you for the nurture team and their prayers for us, for your orchestration of that whole thing without me even realizing what you were doing. You are so good to us. Thank you.

                                                       >>>>>>>>>>

“The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble. He knows those who take refuge in him.” (Nahum 1:7)