The continual journey of trust

The Lord has been teaching me some good lessons of late. They haven't actually been easy, in fact both of them have hurt quite a lot. But in each lesson the Lord's goodness has been immediately apparent to me. Recently someone said that my life is under the microscope by the nature of the work that we are involved in. Some might be inclined to say that our lives are not that different from that of any other believer, that we simply endeavour to shine God's glory where ever we live.
But I am coming to accept that God has placed me in a position where my life is under the microscope. Am I ok with this? Well even a year ago I may have said no. Are people right to place me under the microscope? Well, I would hazard a guess that it is not the job of any of us to place others under the microscope. I have actually been guilty of doing this to others. Is God right to place me under the microscope? Yes. Do I want HIM to do this in my life? Yes. Does it even matter if people who do this may be doing so with the wrong motivations? No. So long as I can see what the Lord is doing, and what he wants to teach me. So it's time for a new season in life, time for greater transparency. I wonder how that will fit in with my quest for honesty in communication. I guess the answer is, in honesty that is filled with gentleness and respect.

We have been doing a lot of juggling of late. Juggling catching up with many people; juggling visas for China and Russia; juggling moving out of our current accommodation; juggling loose ends here in Australia, etc, etc. All of this can easily cause stress. Each day I am forced to get down on my knees and ask the Lord for help, and to confess that I have allowed some worry or stress to come in. He is so faithful in every detail. I want to testify to this.

I had a birthday this week and it resulted in a purchase that has been waiting over 18 months. I now have a SLR camera. So stay tuned for a hopeful improvement in the photography department. I hope I can view Krasnoyarsk through fresh eyes. I hope I get there in time for the beautiful flowers coming to life in the Akademgorodok forests.