Is This Real Life?!

God. Is. Crazy.
I would never have guessed I would be back in India so soon! The Lord moves and works in my life like an on-looker watching a potter mold a piece of clay; my life may look like clumps of mud, the outsider may even question the Potter's abilities... but the Lord knows it's not until I have been refined in the furnace will my faith and my purpose be enhanced. "My rarest and choicest jewels and my finest gold are those who have been refined in the furnace of Egypt" -Isaiah 54:11.
So here I am, being put through the fire, and it's getting pretty heated. I had asked the Lord to show me humility- and it's been humiliating (if you pray that prayer, don't expect anything less), I had asked for his plans for my future-and they seem impossible (God never asks us to do things we are fully capable of doing on our own).. I thought maybe there could be a shortcut, you know? But the Lord doesn't believe in shortcuts, unfortunately.
But His plans and His purposes come with perfect timing, Habakkuk 2:3 says " For the vision is yet for the appointed time; it hastens toward the goal and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; for it will certainly come, it will not delay". Did you hear that! It won't delay.. which means God's vision and purpose for our lives is right on time. Yesupadam accurately said the other night, "Waiting is not wasting". Don't ever think you are wasting your time when you wait on Him.
Other than that, there were Hindu festivals last week, they built the biggest statue of one of the gods in the center of the city, it actually is going in genesis book of world records..but the day they were going to take it down, it completely collapsed, landing on it's knees. Every knee will bow before the Almighty, True, Powerful God one day. "Of what value is an idol, since a man has carved it? Or an image that teaches lies? For he who makes it trusts in his own creation; he makes idols that cannot speak...But the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him". In India, idols are so easy to spot, people are visibly bowing down and worshiping wood, silver and gold. The United States is so much more insidious. Our idols come in the form of our work, money, computers, and other human beings..just to name a few. Be careful what you are giving your life to.
It's so good to be back with the kids, I actually prayed the other night with a twelve year old. If you ever get the chance to pray with a child, do it. It is so powerful, their prayers are so pure. We just confessed our sins together and lifted up songs of praise to Jesus. It was such a good time.
I'm jealous that you are all experiencing the fall right now.. eat a slice of pumpkin pie for me, and Tay, drink some Chai tea latte from Starbucks for me as well. Missing you all, love you so much, Mackenzie