I Need Thee Every Hour

Living overseas and doing mission work is amazing but difficult at times. Nothing stays the same for very long. There are many changes going on right now with my ministry, team and just life. Feeling a little overwhelmed, I decided to get out of the city for a couple nights. So, I headed an hour outside of Joburg to the Hartbeespoort Dam to spend time with the Lord.

One thing I love about South Africa is the number of Bed & Breakfasts. I love the personal care and service that you get. The couple that ran the Bed & Breakfast was so sweet and accommodating. They cooked me breakfast which included fruit, yogurt, museli (granola), eggs, bacon, toast, juice and coffee. Talk about 5 star service. I enjoyed speaking with them and learning about South Africa. It is so fun to meet new people and learn about their lives.

The room was amazing but can I just add that it was the honeymoon suite! Yeah a little weird to be staying their by myself but I enjoyed it.

Especially since this was the view from my bed...

This was how I spent most of my time... enjoying the outdoors, reading the Word and praying. Sometimes when the stresses of life come at you, it's important to get away and commune with the Father. Tell Him what is on your heart as He cares for you.

casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7

As I spent time with the Lord I was thinking about the saying people use, that God will not give us more than we can handle. To a point that is true but then I really began thinking about it... of course God will give us more than we can handle so that we learn to rely not on our own strength but on Him alone.

I looked at some people in the Bible to see that this is so true...

Paul said in 2 Corinthians 1:8, "For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself."

David expressed in Psalm 40:12, "For troubles without number surround me; my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see... my heart fails within me."

Again David cried out in Psalm 69:1, "Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck."

Jehoshaphat spoke in 2 Chronicles 20:12, "We don't know what to do but our eyes are on you."

All of these men of faith faced more than they could handle alone. But instead of living in a state of despair, they cried out to God and God delivered them.

Right now I feel like He is giving me more than I can handle. But I'm choosing to move forward asking Him to give me the strength needed to get through these difficult times. It is through my dependence on Him and my weaknesses that God can receive the glory He deserves.

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9, 10

My prayer is that you would take time to get away and spend quality time with the Lord. Don't wait for the troubles of life to overwhelm you before you realize that you need Him. We need Thee every hour... during the good times and the bad.