so much goodness

Joshua 21

"Now the family heads of the Levites approached Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the other tribal families of Israel at Shiloh in Canaan and said to them, “The Lord commanded through Moses that you give us towns to live in, with pasturelands for our livestock.” So, as the Lord had commanded, the Israelites gave the Levites the following towns and pasturelands out of their own inheritance." 21:1-3

It goes on to list out 48 towns and pasturelands that were given to the Levites.

But this is my favorite part....

"And so God gave Israel the entire land that he had solemnly vowed to give to their ancestors. They took possession of it and made themselves at home in it. And God gave them rest on all sides, as he had also solemnly vowed to their ancestors. Not a single one of their enemies was able to stand up to them - God handed over all their enemies to them. Not one word failed from all the good words God spoke to the house of Israel. Everything came out right." 21:43-45

God proved his faithfulness, again, fulfilling every promise he had made to Israel. Some of the promises took years, but "not a single one of all the good promises the Lord had given them was left unfulfilled." We know his word is true. We know he won't fail us. We know that his timing is impeccable, even when we don't like it.

The more we can wait on the promises, and see him deliver them to us in such beautiful ways, the easier it becomes to hope for them. Be faithful. Be obedient. Be honest. Be true. Be loved. Be amazed at what is to still in his heart to give.

This makes me thing of a two things.

David Lancaster said one time, "hold God accountable to the promises he has given you." That sits in the front pocket of my heart daily. Not that I am saying to the Lord - OK, Lord, you said it, now you do it! It is more of a reverent place of sitting at the feet of the Father, letting him love me, lead me, teach me, and then trusting him in a way that I know he will fulfill these promises, and praising him in that place until he does.

I watched from the sidelines as several families have adopted children from other countries, and from other states. Adoption is one of the purest pictures of how God rescues us. One family I know adopted a beautiful baby girl from Ethiopia, and since I had been to that land and had a love for that place, I was as anxious for them to bring her home as they were. For 3 years they journeyed through this process. With each post she would share about where they were, the longing in her heart to see God fulfill this promise was so deep. On days when you could read she was so discouraged and weary, her faithfulness to hold tight to what the Lord was giving them, always encouraged me so much. Now every time I see a picture of this beautiful child, the Lord uses her life and their story to remind me how faithful to fulfill he is - from adoption, to land in Israel, to a house in Midtown.

I see God's faithfulness in these pictures. Just a glimpse of what he has let me be a part of over the last few weeks.

"everything he had spoken came true."

boys night out to celebrate my big boys birthday's

Keshawn turns 12! I love this kids so much.

little girls night out slumber party

soon to be new kitchen