Yes, I was exhausted (as you can see on the last flight out of O’Hare), but God granted safe passage home.

Taking care of mom (with my sister) during this past month of surgery, rehab and transition back to her home (ALF)- showed me how fragile I am.

Physically, as we age, there is so much to think about. Not just for those we provide care for- but for myself, in particular.

At what point do we have to recognize that our own oxygen mask was not applied first? I saw it, through the words of three people who care about me.

Ezra was fully qualified to take on the God-given challenge of bringing the exiles home (from Babylon) to rebuild the city and the temple in Jerusalem. He was given authority to re-establish the worship of God. According to Trust in the Bible.com, “Ezra’s leadership and dedication to the restoration of Jerusalem and the religious practices of the Jewish people were instrumental in shaping the future of Judaism. His contributions in rebuilding the temple, implementing religious reforms, and teaching and interpreting the law had a lasting impact on the Jewish faith.”

Would Ezra trust God to provide safe passage when the way seemed right? I too have had to continue my prayer of, “I believe”, for things I have no control over.

My question now is, am I over-stepping my own warning signs? Believe God first, but remember God gives you a community to complete the process. He is able to accomplish all His will and good pleasure (not just for those we serve but for ourselves as well). – Teresa #community #faith #recognizeHim

Ezra 8:21-9:15New Living Translation

²¹ And there by the Ahava Canal, I gave orders for all of us to fast and humble ourselves before our God. We prayed that he would give us a safe journey and protect us, our children, and our goods as we traveled. ²² For I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen^[a] to accompany us and protect us from enemies along the way. After all, we had told the king, “Our God’s hand of protection is on all who worship him, but his fierce anger rages against those who abandon him.” ²³ So we fasted and earnestly prayed that our God would take care of us, and he heard our prayer.