By: Sandy Echols
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I love this song. It is a simple song. The lyrics are not complicated, or overly emotional. It is simply an anthem about the happiest day of my life 🙂
Enjoy! (If you are reading this on Facebook click here to see the song.)
By: Sandy Echols
Comments: 1
I am awake at 3 am, I can’t seem to get to sleep tonight. My mind is running with all the things that need to happen before we leave. My mind is filled with thing, places, and mostly people that we will miss when we move. My mind is restless with so many thoughts about mankind and this planet that we call home. Sometimes it is truly overwhelming to think about all the hardships and heartaches that is endured on this tiny blue rock. Like a celestial ball of pain drifting in space. It is at such times that I understand why some people choose Deism, the thought that God created this planet and then left it to fend for itself seems to make sense in the face of the pain that man endures.
Yet, as these thought fill my mind, I am reminded of the message that we heard today. The message was about Jonah, the prophet who tried to run from God. The one thing that stood out to me over and over is that God is relentless. He is relentless in saving man. Throughout the whole book I kept thinking that God should just smite Jonah already and pick someone a little more obedient, but, thankfully God does not give up on Jonah. In this book God does not only go to great lengths save all the inhabitants of Nineveh, but He takes a personal interest in Jonah. God the creator of all things, greater, better, and more terrible that anything in the universe stoops down and takes a very personal interest in the life of one man. The preacher pointed out that the revival in Nineveh is the largest one recorded in scripture, with over a million turning to God. This is impressive, but at times when I feel small and insignificant like a worm, as the Psalmist put it, I am comforted by the Great God who took interest in little Jonah. He took enough interest in Jonah’s life that a whole nation was saved.
When you are trodden down and crushed, remember that God is God, He is there, He cares.
You are not alone.
By: Sandy Echols
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Sixty two is the number of days we have left in the USA. The one way tickets we bought are sitting quietly in my email inbox, waiting to change our lives forever. In these sixty two days that we have left we will be travelling, packing, meeting, eating (African pizza is just not the same), preparing, and praying. Pray with us as we count down to departure day.
By: Sandy Echols
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God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in time of need.
Therefore, we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains are moved into the heart of the sea, though it’s waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High.
God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns.
The nations rage, the kingdoms totter, he utters his voice, the earth melts.
The Lord of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Come, behold the works of the Lord, how he has brought desolations on the earth.
He makes wars cease to the end of the earth, he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, He burns the chariots with fire.
Be still and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.
The Lord of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is out fortress.
Psalm 46
With the turmoil that we see in the world we live in, it is sometime’s easy to become overwhelmed. I wanted to write this blog entry today so that I don’t ever forget what the preacher said in church this morning, or the feeling or release I felt when he said it. As he preached from this chapter of the Bible he said: “Even if the breath is taken from my body, I am secure in Christ.” That is it. That is all that matters in this life. It doesn’t really matter what is going on in life, on earth, He is God. Nothing can change that.
When we were in Namibia, in the car accident all those years ago Nadia read this Psalm, focusing on the first verse. God is an ever present help in time of need.
So remember, “Even if the breath is taken from my body, I am secure in Christ.”
By: Sandy Echols
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Those looking for a place to give in order to help the Haitian people there are many options. First of all, go over to thepioneerwoman.com and comment on her blog. She is giving away money to readers selected charities, and will donate a dime for every person that comments on her blog, right now it is up past eleven thousand comments, so keep it going!
By: Sandy Echols
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It is true that 2010 may be one of the most exciting years in our life. We will finally move to Namibia as missionaries. This is something we have been working towards since we were first married in 2003. However, this blog entry is dedicated to the year that was 2009.
By: Sandy Echols
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By: Sandy Echols
Comments: 1
Hey. This picture is one of my favorite ever. It is of my niece. I took this picture when we visited them in California last easter.I am entering this pic in an iheartfaces foto contest. Check it out at iheartfaces.blogspot.com .
By: Sandy Echols
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By: Sandy Echols
Comments: 0
We’ve driven 7000 miles in the last few months. We’ve been in 9 different states. We’ve spent over 100 hours in our car. We have exhausted our music collection. This has been our life since we graduated from Central in May. It has been fun and exhausting. We have visited some churches, we have had the priviledge of showing America to my family, and we drove to California to attend a memorial service for David’s grandfather.
Right now we are preparing to move to Namibia next year. It is strange to know that next year we may be living is a completly different country. Surrounded by all new people and opportunities. It is really exciting too. I remember the last time I was preparing to move to a different country it was terrifying an exhilirating at the same time.