I am thankful to see something special developing in myself…
Recently, I completed a devotional called “40 Day Worship Experience: A Journey of Surrender. A devotional made by a mentor of mine with the intention of seeking the Lord for 15 minutes a day.
What has encouraged me the most through this devotional was a prayer to say when you first wake up: “Jesus, I surrender my will to your will.”
This prayer specifically has reinvigorated a desire in my heart that I am nurturing, to serve Him wholeheartedly with a hope and an excitement again for the future.
Throughout the fall and early winter, I went through a dark season that I did not handle well. The cloud over my mind drained a part of myself I thought I would never get back. But I can say now, with a renewed faith in my chest, that I feel strong. Strength that can only come from God. A renewed sense of peace, a sound mind, love, joy, and a sense of humor that finally sprang out of the rock it was buried under. Be encouraged to know that the enemy doesn’t have the final say when it comes to failures and disappointments. Even when life feels only hard, God will give you the grace to sustain you every day, no matter the circumstance. With renewed strength that I feel in my bones, I am now, under wise counsel, considering what the future will look like once my contract in Romania ends around this time next year. One year comes quicker than one can expect, and I am evaluating and praying for what I should practically prepare for as God reveals the pieces in His time.
“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
Hebrews 4:16 NIV
All I can say is God has been faithful.
I wake up every morning, ready to be faithful to His Will.
Allow me to share what He has done:
All Roads With An Alltrack
I am pleased to announce that, through the generosity of donors, my beloved Passat has now been repaired! God blessed me with incredible mechanics at a shop that is well known here in Romania. The repairs included replacing the timing cover and distributor cap to stop the oil leaks, a new water pump to stop the coolant leak, two new lower control arms because the old ones were almost completely rusted, some modifications to the exhaust, and a new gas tank(one that doesn’t leak). With the modifications and a new tank, I will no longer have to worry about the car blowing up!
What has made this process go mostly stress-free is reminding myself that this car ultimately belongs to God and that I am simply a steward of it. I feel very fortunate to have seen this need and was willing to give generously. With a properly working car, I will be better able to serve the needs of the church.
Degetul Mare(Romanian for “thumb”)
My thumb has healed more quickly than I thought after the incident with an axe. If I were to lose a thumb, my mom would have killed me(with love and care, of course). According to the doctor, I was fortunate that it did not hit bone and that it would heal properly with the right attention. I have been able to use my thumb normally with more gratitude than before. I thank God for quick healing and normal function.
I Wish I Wood
It’s been slow and boring work cutting wood this season.
If I sound like a broken record when it comes to cutting wood, it’s because it is.
We have used more than we had planned this season, so I am behind on cutting, often cutting when there is none to be ready to be burned.
But progress has been steady, and this batch of wood seems to be burning more slowly.
Back To Back Retreats
As I write this, I am in Arieseni at the church’s family retreat as of Thursday. On Monday, I was attending our Oxigen’s youth retreat in the mountains near Cluj. I was a time to relax and enjoy each other’s company with a change of scenery and plenty of snow for snowball fights. We ate a lot and barely slept, but all of our hearts were filled with joy by just being together.
Eu Vorbesc Ok(I speak ok)
I have felt very blessed to have an incredible teacher who is teaching me Romanian, taking lessons online twice a week. She has been patient, friendly, and encouraging as she helps me navigate the notorious, seemingly endless rules and exceptions of the Romanian language. I prayed God would bring the right teacher into my life, and she is certainly an answered prayer that came at the right time. Romanian is complicated for anyone to learn, especially someone like me who has only ever spoken English. Knowing how some of the grammar works and gradually building my vocabulary, I feel confident to speak with friends and strangers. Romanians know their language is unique and niche; they notice and appreciate the effort to speak to them in their language. Even though I do forget words in the moment and say things that don’t make sense, my friends are gracious to me and encourage me to keep trying. They are just as shocked and impressed as I am when I say something in Romanian as simple as the obvious. Romanian is a beautiful language. It takes patience and practice to harness its features. I can see that the prayers of many are being answered in real time as I learn and speak more.
In other news, I will be turning 27 years old on Sunday, March 1st. My 20’s are going scary fast, and sometimes when I think about how fast I am getting older, it does not seem real. At this time of my life, I am reflecting on how God has brought me to places like the familiar places of California and Oregon, airports in Germany, gas stations in Slovakia, orphanages in Ukraine, mountains in Poland, and countless cities and villages with castles and churches throughout the beautiful country of Romania.
Prayer Requests For This Month:
A blessed birthday
A continuous stream of income, especially now that I will have to pay taxes soon
Continued strength for cutting wood and enduring the cold weather
Continued progress in learning Romanian
For God to faithfully reveal what the future holds, whether it involves Romania or not
Hopefully you can see why Spring has come early…
Thanking you greatly for reading this, praying for me, and supporting me as I continue on this journey of being a part of God’s Handiwork in Romania.
Blessed to write this post,
Yours Truly,
Noah Reynolds