1. Joy comes in the morning / after the storm. There have been several days when the trials, brokenness, and injustice leave me worn out at the end of the day.  Sleep can sometimes seem like a distant wish as I dwell on everything I experienced in that particular day.  It never ceases to amaze me that every single morning after a night of restlessness and tears, God meets me in the morning and restores my joy.

“Weeping may stay for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.” Psalm 30:5b

Mangly enjoying the downpour

2. God NEVER fails to give us our daily bread.  Here is just one example: About a month after moving here, we were still working on obtaining our residential permits for the state of Tamil Nadu.  At the time, we were registered in Kerala, an adjacent state.  Out of the blue, we received a call saying we had to leave in 20 minutes and drive through the night to Kerala.  I had been sick the entire day and the idea of driving through the mountains in a beat-up jeep that had no shocks or A/C did not excite me.  In fact, it terrified me.  But God sustained me and we arrived the next morning in Kerala, but I was still very sick.  Wasting no time, I crawled into bed and did my best to get as much sleep as I could.  In the morning, I felt even worse and was going on two days of not eating.  Unfortunately, we had a very important meeting concerning our registration so I couldn’t stay in bed all day.  Once again, the Lord gave me just enough strength I needed for that day.  Even though I had next to nothing in my stomach for about five days, I always had the strength and energy I needed for that day.

“Give us today our daily bread.” Matthew 6:11

Afternoon fun with Priscilla and Feba

3. If you ask for wisdom, God freely gives it.  Throughout a day here, there are countless of decisions we have to make.  Some are easy, but the majority are not.  At times it feels like these children’s health and safety depend on our decisions.  There have been plenty of bad decisions I have made here, but looking back, it is encouraging to see that God gave ample amounts of wisdom when I stopped and simply asked God for it.

“If any of you lacks wisdom you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” James 1:5

Mending Selvi’s hand after it had been smashed in a door

4. A little orphaned girl’s face will light up EVERY time you tell her she is loved and beautiful.  Without fail – every time!  It doesn’t matter if they are upset, hurting, or being punished. As soon as the words leave your mouth, you can see the edges of their little mouths curl up and life come back to their big brown eyes.

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not dishonor others. It always protects.” Excerpts from 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Sisterly love

5. There is nothing – absolutely nothing – I am doing worthy of my own glory.  Pride. It can be one of my biggest struggles. Thankfully, God is creative and finds new ways to gently humble me so as to remind me that stealing His glory is shameful and sinful. I am not these children’s savior.  They already have a Savior.  I am not what brings these children joy or gives them strength to face the day.  The joy of the Lord is their strength. Constantly, I am reminded that it is God who works to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

“I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols.” Isaiah 42:8

Surji being her usual happy and joyful self.