Back in August, right before the start of our sabbatical I (Ryan) was sharing with a group from our church about how in my Bible reading I was drawn to reflect on Luke 7:9-11 where Jesus says, “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” What I shared with this group was how difficult I was finding it to believe these words of Jesus about God’s heart of generosity and desire to give us good gifts. Over the next couple of weeks, Jesus kept bringing this passage to my mind and through a sermon that I listened to, was reminded that this doubt was the same doubt that came when the serpent lied to Eve. The lie that God was holding out on her and Adam and that he didn’t want what was best for them. Convicted by this revelation I began speaking to Jesus about where I had allowed this lie to take hold and began to ask him to show me his goodness.
While on our 12-day hiking trek through the Balkans I had the overwhelming experience and awareness of God’s goodness being poured out on us. From the natural beauty all around us to the clear skies and comfortable temperatures, to the people in our group who became friends and the good food we ate each day; each day we received so many good gifts from our GOOD Father. Being in a different physical space definitely allowed me to more easily see and receive God’s good gifts, but the truth is that God’s goodness is being poured out in the normal and mundane, even in the downright miserable and challenging times. Our circumstances don’t change God’s character nor his love and delight he has for us. Since being back in Glasgow, I have continued to feel the invitation to recognize the goodness of each day which has been difficult and I haven’t always done so well. But my acknowledging these gifts doesn’t change the fact that God continues to give them. I ask God to help me to grow in seeing and acknowledging his gifts and to reject the lie that Eve and I believed and instead to respond with gratitude even when life feels hard.
Top Left: Enjoying tea and coffee from a shepherd’s hut on the trail
Top Right: A lunch stop at a guesthouse in Albania
Bottom Left: Ryan enjoying the view from a guesthouse in Montenegro
Bottom Right: Our tour group was a lovely mix of people from all over
the world and we had a lot of fun together
Being on sabbatical is a gift we do not take for granted and we are so grateful to those of you who financially gave above and beyond to allow us to go on this spectacular trip. We experience God’s goodness through your generosity that allows us to not only pay our bills but also have restful and restorative adventures as well. The trip was a helpful way to take a step back and disconnect from our ministry responsibilities and focus on reconnecting with Jesus in ways that are meaningful for us. Since coming home we’re begun settling into sabbatical life in the everyday sense and we look forward to how God will continue to reveal his goodness to us as we seek him at home.
At a peak in Montenegro before hiking into Kosovo
We enjoyed the rugged and beautiful mountains of Albania!
Thank you to everyone who has prayed for Erin’s dad’s cancer treatment. God continues to show his faithfulness to her family. Please continue to pray for Marc as he’s in the midst of chemo and for her whole family as they navigate this difficult season while far apart.
