The Joy of the Lord

I have recently been in a funk. Not just a bad mood but one of those slimy, impatient, pessimistic moods that just suck you in. I was questioning the call of God upon my life, my role in the Overland team, and just everything about myself. During our morning worship the other day, I couldn't even get my thoughts together long enough to even worship God. It was then that I realized I was under attack. None of the thoughts and feelings I had been feeling were accurate but just an attack from the devil. My guard hadn't been raised up and since I was tired from the expedition, there was an opening for him to move in. I could almost feel like claws in my back as this thing latched on. So I started praying and I glanced up to see one of our staff members walking towards me. She put her arms around me and just started praying for a tidal wave of the Lord's presence and strength to fill me. Suddenly this burning joy erupted within me and all I could do was laugh. The heaviness and "dark cloud" was gone and God's love and joy just poured over me. It wasn't like water but like a thick oil that saturated every pore and surface from the inside out. In Nehemiah 8:10 it says that the joy of the Lord is our strength. With Him we can do all things and He is the source of our strength. Praise God!

My Visitor

In africa, every day seems to be an adventure. Sometimes this can be good and sometimes bad. On saturday I was in my tent preparing to go to town and meet some friends for dinner. I was there, trying to get myself to look a bit less "bush-like" and heard this rustling outside my tent. We have lizards on the base so I had assumed that it was one of those crawling around. After walking outside my tent, I caught sight of a spitting cobra, reared and ready to attack, just a couple feet away. In the years I've lived here in Africa, I've never come face to face with a cobra that was alive. I wish I could have kept it that way. I always wondered what my reaction would be if I came face to face with one. I had hoped I'd remain cool and collected and then with amazing, Indiana Jones type skill and kill the snake. However, I seem to have this inner girl that screams and runs. :) I ran for the guys to kill the snake but when we went back, it was gone. The adventure doesn't end there though, my friends. I had this feeling it was still in the area and when I went back into my tent, I stepped on it. The cobra had crawled under the tent. I had the perfect opportunity to regain some self respect as a hardcore african missionary. However, I screamed and ran again. This time, the snake didn't move and the guys were able to kill it. However, now snake jokes seem to be coming up more often. TIA! (This is Africa!)

Note: Photo is not of the actual snake but same type of cobra