Dear Friends,

It feels like we are well and truly into winter and going by the forecast for the week we are in for a beauty in regards to the rain, cold and snow across the country.

Over the past month I have come across a number of times where I have been reminded of both Gods faithfulness and also the faithfulness of those who have served him.

Our family attended a Silver Jubilee celebration of the Christian school in which my two sons went through primary and intermediate. At the celebration night we heard from a number of speakers, from those that were the foundation students to those that had taught there over the years to those who had worked to establish the school. They were powerful testimonies hearing how God had provided over the 25 years in a number of ways and also the faithfulness of those who could have given up so easily when faced with obstacles many of them overcome by, I’m sure, a miracle.

Also a couple of weeks ago at an evening service at our church one of the young adults was preaching and showed a DVD of our 75 birthday celebrations from a few years ago. It was very powerful and as the DVD flicked through photos of our church history there were the faces of those who had helped make our church to what it is today. Those who faithfully worked in all areas of the church without fanfare and also Gods faithfulness in the providing for His work.

Then also at the Mission Council meeting I attended last week one of the board members spoke of his family’s five generations of Christians and again Gods faithfulness in their lives and the faithfulness in their serving. In fact we sang “Great is they Faithfulness” together.

For me it made me stop and think when I heard these stories and testimonies.

It was a great reminder to me how we sometimes get so caught up and bogged down with the trials and issues we are immediately facing in life and can’t see passed them, when we could be taking comfort by looking back and remembering how God has faithfully in the past brought us and others through those times.

And it was also a wakeup call for me to look at myself and ask am I serving God faithfully in all that I do.  

“By faith we see the hand of God

In the light of creation’s grand design

In the lives of those who prove His faithfulness

Who walk by faith and not by sight.

We will stand as children of the promise

We will fix our eyes on Him, our soul’s reward

Till the race is finished and the work is done

We’ll walk by faith and not by sight”

“BY FAITH” Keith & Kristyn Getty and Stuart Townend

Daniel Palmer