Same song, another stanza

You know, I've been wondering if any of you would tire of my constant theme of God's provision, so I've been thinking about it quite a bit. Here are just a few of my thoughts: For one, The Lord's financial provision has been one of the main ways in this past year that He has assured me that He's caring for me in other ways as well. Financial and physical provision are just things that my finite mind has a easier time holding on to and remembering. Especially for those times that I doubt if He will care and provide for my emotional, or spiritual needs as well.
For two, when I think about this blog and why I'm even writing it, I've decided that its main purpose is to stand as a witness both to myself (see Joshua 4) and to others of the extraordinary work of God in the lives of ordinary people. I have a feeling there are times coming that I will be tempted to doubt God's goodness and concern for me personally, so I write this with the expectation of returning to it to read of God's faithfulness, and I hope you will too. So if His main theme in my life right now springs from His financial provision for me, then I'll continue to shout that refrain until He gives me a new verse of the song to sing.

So here's one more stanza for that refrain: For the past year I have been puzzled about the best way to make sure I have the medications I need in Uganda. Things become just a bit more complicated when you can't just call in a refill to your nearest Walgreens and pick it up on the way home from church! I'll be out of the country for 2 years straight, and without a completely reliable mail system, I'd better have a plan in place before I leave! While I was still on my Dad's insurance, the plan was to stock up on any medication I would need for the entirety of 2 years and take it all with me on the plane. But for a myriad of reasons, that didn't happen. And once again, the Lord shows His ways are even better then all my planning! I recently found out that all of my long term meds are listed on the Walgreens Prescription Savings Card. Basically the way it works is an individual pays $20/year and can get a 90 day supply of many generics meds for only $12! so basically I can get all the prescriptions I need for an entire year for only $70. Even under my dad's insurance, I would have had to pay over $250 for the same amount.
And then there's the little blessings along the way like the gift of a free pair of brand new shoes from a precious woman of God, or the friend that joyfully buys me a cup of coffee. Each time is the Lord's gentle whisper saying, "See Melanie, I care about all...the big, the small, the necessities, and just the little perks. Whether financial, emotional, spiritual, physical, I see every detail of your life and care about them all." So whether I face a totaled car, stinging heartbreak, or times that Bible reading seems like only that: reading, I can have confidence that my Abba cares and is watching out for every detail.


Things to keep praying for:

1. Transportation! Either that the last amount of monthly commitments would come in quickly so I don't have to buy a new car before I leave, or that I would find a new one quickly so I can continue to travel to raise support
2. Spiritual wisdom and sensitivity as I work on sinful thought patterns now, and for life!
3. Wisdom and growth in my relationships now, both with the people I am teaching, and the ones teaching me
4. Diligence in the everyday details required for deputation
5. Opportunities to share Jesus's love with those around me, especially in the office I go to for physical therapy