Is Summer Over Yet?

I’ve almost survived the summer…almost. Since June 1 I’ve been to Annual Conference at Peoria, the Lakota Sioux reservation at Pine Ridge SD, helped with VBS, and Jr-High Alive church camp at Beulah Holiness Camp. Now I’ve spent one week of my vacation working on a church camp cabin (since camp is over it’s now ready to go!) and taking a deep breath before I head to Dayton OH for a time of spiritual renewal at Aldersgate 2011. …no wonder I’m worn out! However, I must confess that I work better when I’m worn out…like so many, it’s when I am out of strength that God’s strength takes over. Paul was exactly right when he stated, “⁹ But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. ¹⁰ That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor. 12:9-10). Now, I must confess that I am not at the same place Paul was when he said these things…I do not yet “delight” in weaknesses, insults, hardships, etc…but realizing they are for Christ’s sake…for the furthering of the Kingdom…I will accept them even if I do not readily “delight” in them. And my prayer is that someday, as Christ continues to work in and thru me, I will delight in every aspect of His will…until then, I am looking forward to a mighty move of the Spirit at Aldersgate and I’ll certainly be glad when school starts again!