Encouragements From My Father

The Lord has been encouraging me in a couple special ways this past week or so which has been neat. I am leaving to fly back out to the Middle East tommorrow night so this week has been filled with anticipation of that which has involved a mix of emotions ranging from fear of the unknown to excitement at what God has in store. God gave me this helpful image of Him being excited for me to walk into all the new things He has in store for me. And me, I'm dragging my feet and afraid of the future. It really opened my eyes to how silly my fears really are and how much I should be filled with the same excitement that God has.
Today I was reading in The Valley of Vision and was reminded of what Jesus has done to save me and heal me.

"Grant me to hear they voice assuring me
that by thy stripes I am healed,
that thou wast bruised for my iniquities
that thou hast been made sin for me
that I might be righteous in thee,
that my grievous, my manifold sins,
are all forgiven,
buried in the ocean of thy concealing blood."

When I am fearful and straining to hold on to hope in the midst of things that cause my heart to sink, it gives such peace to my heart to be reminded of Jesus' stripes bringing me healing and that He was made sin for me that I might be washed clean.

And on top of all that, there was a verse that was spoken by one of the pastors during the church service from John 14.

"Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself that where I am you may be also."

There seems to be such passion in Jesus' words here. It comforts me and makes me excited to finally arrive at home and let out a long sigh followed by the deepest smile I will have ever smiled. To think that right now He is preparing a place for me, that is amazing. I am so thankful for my Father who walks through everything with me and answers prayers.