Patience

Hello Friends!

Well, if this were an actual conversation, I would start with the idle chit-chat about the crazy weather we've been having or how nice it is for things to settle down after the holidays. But since I am the only one talking here (sorry for the readers) I will just get right down the meat of it. I like being real.

We have 25 students enrolled in classes. There has been a lot of interest and people are continuously stopping in to find out what we are about and planning to enroll their children or grand-children. All of the enrolled students are having a total blast! Our teachers are fantastic and unique and all the parents wish they could join in on the classes (which they can in our Adult program!)

We should be overwhelmed by the bills that we know are coming the first of February and the income of the school, which does not match up. But God is not a God of numbers... He is a God of Power! And so we are laying our trust in a trustworthy Lord and surrendering it all to Him.

This is not to say that we are just sitting back in our easy chairs with our cup of coffee, saying "Ok Lord, I will just wait for you to do it and be amazed." We are doing everything that we can think of (and that money allows) to get students in the door---not so that we can have their tuition----that is ridiculous! We know that God will provide through whatever means necessary, not just tuition.

We want students to come through those doors and feel something different in SSA. We want them to experience the presence of God and to learn what it means to worship him through the arts. We want to make sure that every student in that place knows the name of Jesus and how worthy He is of everything that we have and of all of our praise!

And yes, we are not spiritual robots, so it is necessary to remind ourselves constantly of the promises of God and remember that He is never late---He is always right on time. I go in constant circles from anxiety to trust... anxiety to trust... TRUST.

Above all, I feel the Lord is teaching me patience. He has been so amazingly patient with me throughout my life. And therefore, if I truly want to be like Jesus, I must learn to be patient. I am a fan of the quote from the movie "The Devil Wears Prada", where Meryl Streep chastises her assistant for moving too slowly and says, "By all means, move at a glacial pace... You know how that thrills me." Likewise, I am not very excited by the speed at which the Lord is moving right now, but thankfully I am not the one who calls the shots here. I am going to patiently wait for the Lord because He has got it all worked out from the beginning of time until the end... Praise God!

So, I sincerely ask you to pray for us---that we would have patience. Also, please pray that we would continually surrender the company and the school to the One who created them. We cannot hope to teach the students at Surrendered School of the Arts what it means "to surrender" if we have not already learned the lesson ourselves.

I just love Him. Isn't He great???!!!

Sincerely,
Cathleen