Encourage One Another

Yesterday I woke up with a strong feeling of hope and a vision of returning home. During our trip I've had faith that God will deliver us and send us home but not very much daily hope. I took this sudden hope as a sign that perhaps we would get the US approval yesterday. Nadeem and I spent the whole day praying, singing praise songs, confessing our feelings of doubt and hopelessness, and fighting the evil that threatened to steal our hope at every turn. The whole day was a battle. By evening I was exhausted.
This morning I woke up feeling so weary. I checked messages to find that we have not yet received our approval. Now it's Election Day, and the offices are closed. Now we have to wait until two more days before we can hear any news. Then the embassy here is closed on Friday and Saturday. More waiting. It's becoming so hard to wake up in the mornings and realize that we have an entire day before us to sit and wait and do nothing. Yesterday we were back in the apartment again for the whole day. There's no easy way to get out. Transportation is an issue. Traveling with Kalina is an issue. Walking in the busy, dirty streets is an issue. Having somewhere to go is an issue.
In the middle of feeling that I can't go on, I checked my email and found the greatest amount of encouraging messages that I've received in one day since arriving here. This was clearly a gift from God. Why today did a multitude of people suddenly decide to write all at the same time? I know that God prompted all of you separately to send the word of encouragement right now when I needed it so badly.
Sometimes I see God in the sunlight falling on the lake as we're strolling Kalina. Sometimes I see Him in a package that arrives just in the nick of time. Sometimes I see Him in victory in court or in Kalina's bright smile. Today I see Him through all of you. Thank you, Friends and Family! Thank You, God!
"Encourage one another daily." -Hebrews 3:13
"Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord-that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful." -I Peter 5:11