Sudden Change and Rest.

With a cup of coffee, meeting Jesus in the morning stillness, hearing the birds chirping and the bugs whistling. We wake up at 5am before the sun rises, so we have the joy of watching the sunrise every morning. Every day a reminder that a new day has dawned and it’s time to sing God’s song again.

Reminders that are especially important as we near the end of the school year. As this school year is coming to an end, and we are feeling burnt out, tired and sometimes feeling that what we accomplished this year just wasn’t enough, I am reminded that in this world we will have trouble, we will become weary and we will be burdened, we will have trials, but we are promised that we have an eternity of problem free living reserved for us in heaven. So we REJOICE in that!

The next couple weeks of school are going to fly by. They also do. Before we know it, we will be finished our last day, and somehow missing our little kiddos faster than we thought we would. The past 2 weeks of our school days have been long, hot, and exhausting to say the least. But more and more, I realize that there is joy and beauty to be found in each day.

I started writing a blog post a couple weeks ago and never got the chance to finish it. What you just read above is from two weeks ago. What you will read below is from today.

As many of you may or may not know, Cassie and I are back in Canada. Cassie has been very sick for the past three weeks. With contacting our doctor in the States, to seeing Haitian doctors, and a Haitian hospital stay, it was time for us to come back to Canada. Flights were booked on June 3^rd, and we were back in Canada on June 4^th. The past 48 hours have been exhausting on both Cassie and I. We are so thankful for all the prayers and encouragement that we have received. So many emotions fill our hearts with leaving so quickly, but we know Cassie’s health is most important. Cassie is going to see a doctor today and hopefully we will get a better understanding on what has been going on in her body. We ask for continued prayers as this is a scary time where answers don’t always come fast but is a time for us to trust in God and His provision for our lives.

This year has been one of perseverance, testing of patience; trust in God and loads and loads of growth. It has been a testament of Gods strength, faithfulness and His goodness in our lives even through trials and tribulations. I have learned patience, love, grace and joy from the many little hearts and minds that filled my classroom this year. My heart aches from leaving so quickly and I’m filled with so many emotions not having the opportunity to say goodbye to all my little students as well as our many good friends, but I rest in knowing that God’s plan is always greater now that we are back in Canada for the next 2 months, and have time to reflect and rest on this past year.

As we enter a few week, with Cassie and I being back in Canada, and Paul, Bethany and baby Tiona, Peyton and Gerald and Lexi still being in Haiti, we are far but not far in heart. Cassie and I have felt so blessed over the past couple days with the generosity, kindness, help, encouragement and prayers that we have received from our little family in Haiti, but also our Mission Haiti family as a whole in the States and all of Cassie and I’s family and friends. We cannot begin to explain the thankfulness that we feel.

So now we are here, with time to rest and heal.

Rest isn’t only for our tired bodies. It’s also for our weary souls. Our wills, our minds and our emotions get burned out if they never experience rest. Sometimes the silent signals of exhaustion are so deep within our souls that it’s more difficult to recognize than when our bodies cry for physical rest. Our minds must receive rest. Our wills must experience rest. Our emotions must engage in rest. So how do we get there? We must rest from striving so our minds can quiet the noise of thought, and our emotions can detangle our knotted feelings. Soul rest only happens when we quiet our souls, surrender our wills to God and hope in Him.