A real day off

We knew God wanted us to take the first couple days in Sihanouk Ville off to fully rest & fully rehydrate, but it was very difficult to fully obey. We kept feeling like we should be doing something else. Constantly surrounded by need, it's hard not to jump in with some kind of relief. So, we spent the majority of our first day in our room just trying to be still & reminding each other that it is God's plan for us & it is good for us & those we'll be ministering to later in the week.

I was ashamed of my sin & hated my struggle. All I could do was confess my failing, ask partners to pray & trust God's mercy. Whoda' thought anyone would need God's grace to relax & have fun?

Bless God, His mercies are new every morning! This morning I slept in. If you know me, you know that's rare even when I'm in the States. Surprised to see the sun already up, I got dressed straightaway & headed for the beach hoping to have a little time with God before the tourists dragged their hangovers into the streets. He ministered to my soul in the awesome beauty of His creation & in the last few chapters of Psalms.

Isaac & I determined to have a relaxing, refreshing, fun day. We headed out the front of the hotel to meet a tuk-tuk driver we've been using. We told him we wanted to eat & to enjoy the day. We left the rest to him.

We've had a GREAT time today! Ly (Lie) is a Godsend, to be sure. He took us to places whites don't go. Quiet places. Beautiful places. Fun places. He even took us to his own home! Ly is very much in love with his family & they adore him even more. They were very hospitable. In fact, the whole neighborhood was friendly....or at least curious. Whites don't get to that section of town, so we were quite a draw. They were, as usual, especially fascinated by Isaac because he is so "fiat" (that's fat, which to Khmer indicates any kind of big).

We have finally seen compassion in Cambodia! It came from a poor tuk-tuk driver who recognized weariness & did something about it.

Ain't God funny? He's the best. Or, as Psalm 148 says, "Let them praise the name of the LORD for His name alone is exalted."