Overwhelmed

The title of this post describes pretty perfectly how I've felt lately. And it explains why I haven't written for awhile. When I feel overwhelmed, I don't really like to talk about it or to process it. I'd really just rather hide in a dark corner until it goes away. So sometimes I do that. Metaphorically. So if you ever notice that I haven't written something for awhile, maybe just say a prayer for me? Because I probably need it.

This week especially has been a week of high highs and low lows. The Bible says to rejoice with those who rejoice and to weep with those who weep. That generally comes pretty easily to me, especially that second part. I mean, the surest way to get me to cry is to show me someone crying. Or even just a picture of a sad looking animal will suffice.

Anyways, it has been one of those weeks - a week of joys and a week of tears. A dear co-worker's father was killed last night when he was trapped in his burning home. Some co-workers who lost their baby daughter shortly before moving here announced today that they are pregnant. A student is in Singapore seeking answers to his declining health - for what doctors there now describe as the worst case of mono they've ever seen. A friend came safely home from a two week ministry trip to Pakistan, bringing lots of gifts and pictures and stories to tell. The mother of a student shattered her elbow and has spent the week seeing specialists in a city far from here with no indication of when she'll be able to return home to her children. A local friend sent me a heartfelt e-mail expressing how thankful he is for me and the work that I do here. A lady in our community suffered a stroke yesterday. A missionary family well known and loved by people here lost their 20 year old daughter to cancer. A student brought me a gift this morning, just to thank me for being his teacher. A mission pilot in a neighboring country had his leg cut off in an emergency amputation after an accident. Our school passed a government inspection on Monday, and they are even pleased with our work here. Someone who has been a huge help and blessing to me is quickly but bravely dying of cancer.

Someone described this week as "life according to Job", because it has seemed like bad news on top of bad news. I have a notebook that I write down Bible verses in. Verses that are meaningful to me in some way or another. I knew I had a few verses from Job written down, so I decided to look them up. I don't remember what I was thinking as I wrote down most of these verses, or why they were so meaningful to me at the time. Maybe God just highlighted them for me so that I would be able to go back and read them when I needed them - like today. This is a comprehensive list of all the verses from Job written in my notebook.


God hurts, but He also bandages up; He injures, but His hands also heal. - Job 5:18

God is gently calling you from the jaws of trouble to an open place of freedom. - Job 36:16a

Death is naked before God; destruction is uncovered before Him. God stretches the northern sky out over empty space and hangs the earth on nothing. He wraps up the waters in His thick clouds, but the clouds do not break under their weight. And these are only a small part of God's works. We only hear a small whisper of Him. - Job 26:6-8, 14a


Like, really. If you haven't read Job for awhile, do it. I think it's one of the most underrated books of the Old Testament. Because THAT is good stuff, right there.

I don't know if this whirlwind is going to let up anytime soon, so in the meantime I will continue to rejoice with those who rejoice, and maybe even more often to weep with those who weep. But no matter what, at the end of the day, I know that my God has overcome the world.