As the Rain and the Snow

Happy 4th of July!  Sadly, the plans I've been making since the end of the school year for today have been rained out.  So here I sit in Starbucks, enjoying my vanilla latte, and looking out at the rain.  My first reaction to the rain was extreme disappointment.  I mean, it's Independence Day and that means being outside, right?  But actually, this rain is a blessing.  It's a blessing not only for the land, but also for my soul.  You see, God is making me slow down today.
As I watched the rain fall my mind naturally wandered back to Ireland (granted, we only had 2 rain days while we were there this year, and one was while I was in the hospital so I didn't really experience it...but rainy days still bring me back to Ireland every time).  And as I was watching the rain, thinking about Ireland, the Spirit recalled to my mind Isaiah 55:10-11.  While a part of me may grieve that the mission trip is over and a bigger part of me longs for the day when I will return, I am encouraged that the work that we did there was not in vain.  God promises that His word will not return void and so with confidence I can continue to pray for each of the children, teens, and adults we met and ministered to.  I may never know the full impact that we have while there, but that's okay because I know that we are being faithful to God's call and He knows.
This also encourages me as I continue on in my ministry here in Alabama.  Sometimes I get discouraged.  Am I really evangelizing and discipling? I should be.  Every day in my class.  Every week in my small group.  I get discouraged when the students just seem to have hard hearts.  But it's not my job to change their hearts, only God can do that.  My job is to be faithful to His call.  To speak His truth, even if their hearts are closed and leave the rest to Him.
Be encouraged.  Keep faithfully sharing God's truth.  Surrender the rest to Him.  He will produce the fruit.

"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it." ~ Isaiah 55:10-11