Jehovah-jireh: The Lord Will Provide
Truth is, I’ve been dreaming about a storm for weeks now. I’ve been prepping horses, going over provisions, not quite understanding what it meant, worried that a different type of storm was on its way. It has had me in prayer and contemplation. Weary of making plans and moving forward. keeping me in a holding pattern of anxiety, because of the unknown. Little did I know the Lord was already providing. I began making bread again, freezing it just in case I began collecting eggs more proactively, buying food provisions for the animals, as well as blankets and bedding. What I didn’t realise is how all the little preparations of obedience would set us up for success when the actual physical storm arrived. There was no panic, no worry or concern (for ourselves). We had all we needed and more, but it wasn’t because of anything I did, but because the Lord provided.
These last few days, our farm has looked like something out of Narnia, truly magical. The ice is both beautiful, damaging and protective, nature's process of preservation. The animals all have shelter, even though our barn is still not complete. The herd has integrated into one, a feat I didn’t see possible. They have all found their place and are operating together as one. The creek in our winter pasture has filled and is running as a steady stream providing water while their buckets have frozen. Even the pigs' pasture has developed a small steady stream. only a provision of the Lord.
The Lord has provided so much for us these past few days, and I can't begin to describe my awe and gratitude. Both nights we were without power, we cuddled up next to the fireplace with plenty of firewood right out our front door, provided by our neighbour's son the day before. We were prepared to sleep warm together, but we worried for our goats and chickens as the cold set in, both nights as we were drifting to sleep, the power cut back on for a few hours, enough to ensure our home could warm, and most of all, our goats' heat lamps cut on, to keep them warm as well as the chickens roosting beside them.
I truly enjoy when the Lord puts an intentional pause in our path, where the only thing we are focused on is simply doing the next thing: making a meal, keeping warm, feeding our animals, reading, napping, just being.
There were many provisions we couldn't have predicted or asked for, like the morning we were running low on eggs, only to find all our hens had laid under the heat lamp in the goat barn and covered them with shavings, preventing them from freezing. The Lord will provide!
On day two, our generator backfired first thing in the morning and wouldn’t start. Midday, we were worried about the goats not having heat overnight. Robbie went to Lowe's after hearing that a pallet of generators had just been delivered (thank you, truck drivers!). He got there, saw an open Generac sitting next to the register, asked what was wrong with it, and they had no idea. Sold it to him for $250 (a $700 savings). He brought it home, inspected it, and it cranked right up! Only God!
Thank you to the linemen who were out here at 10pm last night, inspecting our lines and flipping the switch on right in the nick of time. We still enjoyed a cosy night next to the fire, just in case. It's been fun testing our provisions and seeing all the big and little ways the Lord has provided for us. That has been the saying ringing through our home at each and every moment a new provision is revealed: "The Lord Will Provide." What a faith-building blessing for our children to witness!
Genesis 22:14- So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”
The Lord intervenes just in time, if only we could be still enough to trust his timing and his provisions. We will have a lot of clean up to do over the next few weeks, and I’m not entirely sure how this will affect horsemanship classes just yet, as our trails are surely covered by trees, but through it all, I know God sets the pace, he has a plan, and he will most surely provide. For now, we sit and wait on the Lord to show us our next steps. Grateful to have POWER!
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