Losing Control

At times my spiritual journey feels like I am tramping through a dense jungle, with very low visibility, maybe just past my boots. Every step and every turn taken in faith, not exactly sure where I am going but I know I'll eventually arrive. I feel hot and sweaty, legs are tired but I take one step at a time, trusting in God.
Then out of no where, I am taken away by a wild horse, being swept away and I hold on for dear life but I know I won't fall off because the Hand of God is holding me on!
Sometimes I feel like I live each day at the mercy of God, hanging by a string of grace over the depths of death, but then God clearly reminds me that He is in absolute control and that I can, that I need to place 110% trust in Him for all things!
On Friday, on my way to work, we were in involved in a 3 car accident. The lady who hit us didn't even brake and ended up in the hospital. Thankfully the kids were overall ok. No major injuries. It definitely shook us up! But God kept us safe and this accident might actually help us as we take more steps to getting closer to RVA. God reminded us that He is in control and He wants me to be willing to let go of the control I think I have.
Every day I am humbled and overwhelmed by God's grace and provision. God is faithfull in keeping His promises and I pray for the faith of Abraham so that I can step when I can't see in front of me and the stength to hold on when God sweeps me away!
Worthy is the Lamb! Holy Holy Holy, is the Lord God Almighty!

"He's going the Distance!"

I saw a band play in Boston many years ago called Cake and they played
a song called, "he's going the distance!" If you just hear the lyrics
you think that they are singing about racing around in a car, but if
you see the video, they are talking about the "rat race." Ready, Set,
Go! Everybody loves a race, the feeling of sweet victory, the feeling
that you are better than someone else! Races come in different forms:
the previously mentioned rat race, foot race, who can drink the
fastest, who can eat the most hotdogs, marathons, Ironman, NASCAR, you
name it. The one who wins isn't always the strongest, but they that
perseveres! Winners are not born, they are forged out of sweat and
sacrifice in one way or the other. The whole goal of a race is to win,
win something; a crown, medal, money, bragging rights, whatever, but
the winner takes something home.
In the same way, our Journey with Christ is a race, a race that is
usually long, very long and when we finish, yes we get a crown, but we
also get to go home! How long have we yearned to be home with our real
family and to be with our true father!
Yet Paul alludes to the fact that not all finish the race. In Acts
20:24 Paul says, "however, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if
only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has
given me-the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace."
Like any race people fall, I fall, you fall and depending on the fall
or injury, it can be very easy to give up, to quit running, maybe try
something easier, but don't give up. Our strengh comes from the Lord,
ask and you shall recieve. We are not to run on our own because we
will defintely fail and get hurt.
As we run our spiritual race, we will discover weaknesses that were
once dormant, they appear to be obstacles but if we trust God to help
hurdle them, we become stronger in God's grace. If we fail to hurdle
the object, God picks us up in His grace and gets us back on track and
one day, one hour, or one minute we will come across the same hurdle,
and until we trust in God to help us over it, we will get stuck. But
God's grace is sufficient and doesn't allow us to be attempted more
than we can bear, we need to exercise our faith and trust in Jesus for
strength and victory.
Elite athletes train everyday and are disciplined, we too, me too,
need to live a disciplined life. The fight starts in the heart and
wages in the mind. Paul talks abou taking every thought captive in
obedience in Christ. When you're angry, pray for that person, when you
lust, pray for them for God loves all his sheep and will go to great
lengths to find them. God freely gave to us, so we too should freely
give.
Glory to God who makes the impossible, possible!

Our High Places

Since Amy and I have watched all the LOST we can on Netflix, we
started watching Cake Boss, amazing cakes and very entertaining. On
one episode, Buddy the Cake Boss is talking about how he has to put up
with his crazy relatives and he says, "when I die, I am going straight
to Heaven. I am talking about sainthood. "
Then today I was reading Isaiah 16 which was a prophecy against the
land of Moab, an enemy of Israel. In verse 11, God said, "My heart
laments for Moab like a harp, my inner most being for Kir Hareseh.
When Moab appears at her high place she only wears her self out, when
she goes to her shrine to pray, it is to no avail."
How do we get to our high place? What struggles and burdens do we go
through to get to our high place so that our "sacrifices" are
acceptable? Then, what idols do we build for ourselves? What is it
that we live for? Then we wonder why we feel so disappointed?
Jesus said he came to heal the sick, not the one who are well. The
ones who are sick know they are sick, but the lost are blind, deaf,
and paralyzed, so they build their own high places, make their own
idols, make their own rules to justify their lives and vindicate
themselves. But thankfully, Jesus makes the blind see, the deaf hear,
and the lame to walk.
God hurts watching his creation toil aimlessly trying to save
themselves. There is only one name under heaven whereby we must be
saved!
If we try to get our selves to heaven, we will fall so short it will
burn!

What Would You Do for an xBox 360?

I somehow I got a hold of an xBox 360 to borrow. I was very excited! I mainly wanted to use it to stream Netflix to our living room but I quickly began to think of all the other cool games I could play! I could see my self playing for hours I did not have! I thought of all the accessories I could buy with a bunch of money I didn't have! So I compromised, I started looking on ebay to find a used game. I wanted to buy it cheap and I got into one bidding war and I was up higher than I wanted to be. I was trying to picture my self explaining to my wife why I just bought a game for a system that I am borrowing and spending money we didn't have. I mean we just had a new kid, not sure on summer employment, and we are preparing to go over seas. I kept watching my iPhone to see if someone bid a little higher. It got down to less than one minute and I was the highest bidder. I was trying to accept the frustrated state I was in. Now I didn't want to win! Oh, I had the sickest feeling in my stomach! Finally I refreshed my ebay page and some one bid higher within one second to go. I was so relieved!!!!!! God, thank you!!!!!

So why do I tell this story you might ask?

I felt like I was under attack by a spirit of materialism. For a day or two I loss peace over a stupid game. I wanted something I thought would make me happy, but it brought distress. I was not concerned for what Christ wanted, I was concerned for what Kevin wanted. After some more thought, my battle could have been spiritual warfare or I think it was more of a test from God. "Are you really willing you lay down your life for me? Are you willing to lose your self interest and trade it for Christ interest? Can I be your portion?"

I found that the best way to battle envy, to battle lust, to battle discontentment is to give thanks to God right now! I need to thank Him for what I do have, that which he has allowed and blessed. I am his child and he takes care of his children. He knows what I really need and provides it! I am exactly where he wants me to be right now and I need to recognize God's sovereignty and awesomeness! Glory be to God, Worthy is the Lamb! If God is for me, who can be against me!

A good idea gone bad...

Toys R Us always brings back great memories. Aisles and aisles of GI Joes, Nerf, Legos, power wheels, and the fun goes on and on forever...

And that is why my wife and I decided to take our two oldest there to pick out a special toy to reward them for their stellar efforts during this difficult time transitioning from 2 to 3 kids. We wanted to get them something they would really like, something they would play with more than 1 day. I was feeling really good! I felt a warmth in my heart as I prepared to shell out a couple greenbacks in order to give something to my kids just because. I figured I got a glimpse of how God feels as he blesses his people and gives good gifts. My son got a guitar which he will not put down. He will take you down if you try and take it away from him and he is 1 years old! He sleeps with it, eats with it, and would bathe with it if we'd let him. My daughter got a hoola-hoop and some toys for her dollies.

I quickly realized how much my son loved his guitar and how much my daughter loved trying to "play" with his guitar as much as possible. My son would scream, squeal, screeeeeech at the top of his lungs until he got his guitar back. This goes on back and forth at least 10 times a day but is slowly getting better. What did I just do!? In fact this was the first time we had bought our children toys just because and I was thinking, I am never going to buy toys again!!

I had to take my daughter aside and tell her God wants us to be thankful for things we have.

As I said that I felt the log in my own eye. Just the day before I was thinking about getting a new computer and upgrading an xbox 360 my mother in law let me borrow and other ways to spend money I didn't have on stuff that I didn't need.

Its funny how we, I, think that things will bring us happiness. If I just had this or that, I would be happy but I can't remember one thing that I have bought that has not disappointed me in one way or another. Here, I thought buying my children a special toy would bring them joy, but actually brought strife, envy, and discontentment. Its funny how we think know what we want and sometimes God just lets us have it and we find how foolish we were/are.

God knows our needs and promises to provide for us but we get confused with what we want and what we need.

When I feel myself yearning for "things" I remind my self of what Paul said:

2 Corinthians 4:18 (New International Version)

¹⁸So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Elise Olivia has arrived!

Our family has a new addition! Elise Olivia arrived @ 14:14 weighing 8.25 lbs and 21" long. Amy did an awesome job! The doctors made it in the room just in the nick of time. There were no complications, hallelujah! Anika and Kevin Titus met their sister last night over a happy meal and can't wait to play with her. Amy's mom and sister were with her during the delivery and Amy was very grateful for their support.

Kevin is going to stay home for a couple weeks to help the transition from two kids to three.
We are very thankful for all the well wishes on Facebook and all the encouraging  texts.
As we look forward to this summer, we see a horizon of many unknowns, but we continue to walk by Faith and focus on what is unseen. For as Paul says, what is seen is temporary and what is unseen is eternal. Paul also encourages us with 2 cor. 5:15, "And He dies for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again."
We also want to thank our famy and friends who continue to support us through prayers and monetary gifts. Each day we are encouraged and give thanks to God who makes the impossible, possible!
Please pray for Amy's parents who are missionaries in Ethiopia. They are facing some challeneges and could use prayer for wisdom and direction.

We pray that you are giving thanks in all situations and holding on to what you have been taught about Jesus Christ.

One Body, One Family, One Spirit, One Christ

Wells Family