One Year Later

Today marks the one year anniversary of the earthquake in Haiti.
I woke up a year ago, and prayed for my son and his team that had just arrived in Haiti.
I made plans with my husband to go be part of a surprise birthday party for my pregnant daughter in love.
I continued along with my day until late afternoon when I got a facebook message from my friend Kaylee, who told me there had been an earthquake in Haiti, and wondered where Billy was in Haiti.
I called my husband over, it took about one minute to turn our lives upside down.
The information we found on the internet told us what we feared most.
My son was five miles from the epicenter of the quake.
We jumped into the car, called our daughter in love as we headed to her home, to break the new to her.
We were praising God because before we could make the twenty minute trip to her, my son was able to text message her he was alive.
We spent that evening realizing just how catastrophic an event this was, then we packed up my son's pregnant wife, and 3 toddlers and brought to our home until this crisis was over.

I blogged my daily journey while my son was in Haiti. I encourage you to read them to understand what I was going through at that time.
Shaking But Held  Sitting By A Well Road Construction Ahead/Standby The Hardest Day Of My Life Hostages And Surrender Sometimes No Words Are Better
Today a year later, this is what have I learned.

God is faithful. He always does what He says He will do.
God's plans do not always look like my plans. His plans are better.
Miracles are messy. There may have to be a big mess before the glory of God shines through.
I must be willing to sacrifice what is dearest to me if God asks. He won't always require it, (Abraham and Isaac), but I must be willing to sacrifice it.
God can see all situations, past ,present and future, all at once. I can't. Watching how God interweaves each life together is wonderful. Sharing that after the crisis, when my son was home, was amazing.
God answers prayer. Telling my son what we prayed for and when, then listening as he shared how God answered, was truly a faith builder.

For the people living in Haiti, the crisis is not over.
They are still living in tents.
They are still living on barely enough food to survive.
They are living, and dying, with an out break of cholera.
They still need help.

What has God led me to do as I have walked through this past year?
He has led me to be part of a massive fund raising effort to get food and supplies to those who need it.
He has placed in my heart a love for a people that my son loves dearly.
He has called me to go meet and serve these people with my son this April, all in the name of Jesus.

What I have learned most however, really doesn't have to do with the Haitian people at all.
It has to do with my relationship with Jesus.

^{1 John 4:17-19}

¹⁷ This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. ¹⁸ There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

 ¹⁹ We love because he first loved us.

Earthquakes in my life will come.
Some will be catastrophic, some will be tremors.
God is always there, and God will always hold on, and God will never, ever let me go, even when the shaking stops.
The following songs speaks to my heart today and truly is what I have learned the last 365 days!
You Never Let Go- Matt Redman

Chasing After Hearts,
Glenda Johnson

Sitting By A Well

It is no secret to those who know me that I love the ocean. The water has such a soothing sound.

The pool during the summer months brings such a welcome retreat from the heat.

The hot tub is a relaxing, therapeutic haven for sore muscles in it's swirling awesomeness.

A cool drink of water. A pot of water for coffee. Sweet tea, the drink of the south.

A shower or bath. Brushing your teeth or washing your face.

Laundry. Dishes.

Watering plants. Mopping the floor.

As you read this, how many times today have you already used water?

Clean water. Safe water.

Did you think about your clean, safe water as you used it today?

I have thought about it constantly.

You see my son is in Haiti. (see yesterday's blog)

Yesterday, sitting in the middle of a totally destroyed mission compound, they still had a well with clean, safe water.

This morning, due to aftershock on top of aftershock, the well is compromised.

No more safe water. What does that mean?

Dehydration, dysentary, loss of the ability to fight disease, to even get clean.
My son said to his wife in a very precious one time only conversation this morning " Man do I stink!"

This changes his situation dramatically. Water. Who would have thought that water could change your life so instantaneously?

Jesus did. Listen in on a conversation He had with a woman;

John 4:6-15   Jesus sat down by the well because he was tired from traveling. The time was about six o'clock in the evening.
  A Samaritan woman went to get some water. Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink of water."
 (His disciples had gone into the city to buy some food.)  The Samaritan woman asked him, "How can a Jewish man like you ask a Samaritan woman like me for a drink of water?" (Jews, of course, don't associate with Samaritans.) Jesus replied to her, "If you only knew what God's gift is and who is asking you for a drink, you would have asked him for a drink. He would have given you living water."
  The woman said to him, "Sir, you don't have anything to use to get water, and the well is deep. So where are you going to get this living water?
  You're not more important than our ancestor Jacob, are you? He gave us this well. He and his sons and his animals drank water from it."
  Jesus answered her, "Everyone who drinks this water will become thirsty again.
  But those who drink the water that I will give them will never become thirsty again. In fact, the water I will give them will become in them a spring that gushes up to eternal life."  The woman told Jesus, "Sir, give me this water! Then I won't get thirsty or have to come here to get water."

Jesus knew water could make a difference in everyone's life. He alone is the living water we can draw. We can be sustained. Our lives overflowing with Him.

So today, this is what I know:

The well in Haiti is compromised. Jesus is sitting there. He is offering my son, his mission team, and every Haitian family there, "the living water".  Clean water or not, the "the living water" is there and flowing abundantly.

Every time I turn on a faucet today, I will not just see water that sustains and cleans the physical life we have. I will pray to the One who is the "the living water". He will sustain me today and beyond today. I will claim the promise,
John 7:38  As Scripture says, 'Streams of living water will flow from deep within the person who believes in me.'"

As I was writing this morning, one of my prayer warrior friend's FaceBook updates said something that touched my heart. I hope you are as inspired as I was:
Sandy wrote:
We are praying for all of you. God put on my heart while I was in the 'shower' to have a water fast today so I can keep Billy and the people in Haiti in my prayers. I have to start over, (again), I have unconsciously used the water twice already today after my shower. Love to all the Johnson family! PS I have never done this before --

Water for the living. Required by the living. Will you partake?

Chasing Their Hearts,
Glenda Johnson
womanaftergod@gmail.com
http://www.twitter.com/GlendaJohnson63
http://www.facebook.com/BibleBowlGlenda

Shaking But Held

Has your life ever been shaken so hard that you can barely keep your balance? As of 5:40pm, 1/12/2010, I have been shaken to the very depths of my soul. I am struggling to get my feet on the steadied on the ground and help those around me pick themselves up as well.

You see, my son is in Haiti. There was a 7.0 earthquake there just about 5pm on 1/12/2010. We got the news via Facebook at 5:40pm. I have not stopped shaking.

I know that God is in control. I know that God has put my son there for just this very purpose. I know everything will be ok, even if it isn't.

That's what is scary.

My heart promise for this year (chosen in December) is this:

2Co 9:8  And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

So today I claim this verse for me. To get through the worry and concern.

For my son. To do what God wants him to do. to keep him safe.

And while my world is still shaking, at least I know who is holding me, my son, and both of our circumstances.

So, this song is getting me through today. I've included the lyrics and a video. Maybe it will help you if your world is shaking.



I'm trading my sorrows
I'm trading my shame
I'm laying them down
for the joy of the lord

I'm trading my sickness
I'm trading my pain
I'm laying them down
for the joy of the lord

we say yes lord
yes lord yes yes lord!
yes lord, yes lord
yes yes lord
yes lord yes lord
yes yes lord amen

I'm pressed but not crushed,persecuted
not abandoned
struck down but not destroyed
I'm blessed beyond the curse for his
promise will endure
that his joy's gonna be my strenght
through the sorrow may last for the night
his joy comes with the morning!
---

And even as I was writing this, we heard from my son. His compound has be demolished and they are trying to make it to the airport. Please pray for God to continue to guide them safely to the airport.

Chasing Their Hearts,
Glenda Johnson
womanaftergod@gmail.com
www.twitter.com/GlendaJohnson63
http://www.facebook.com/BibleBowlGlenda