Joy comes in the morning

You may know that this verse starts with "Weeping may remain for a night... but joy comes in the morning" Psalm 30:5. Someone once said to me that the rhythm of day and night means that for those who struggle through the night, the day is always coming, and for those who struggle through the day, the night is always coming. There is something refreshing in that for me. No matter how difficult the day is, it will always end. No matter how turbulent the night, that will always end too. And even if weeping remains for a night, God promises us that joy comes in the morning.

Many of you know that this has been an extremely difficult year for me and my family and we are grateful beyond anything that words can adequately express for your journeying with us through the valley and for the ways that you have continued to stand with us and uphold us.

This is a path that I've never walked before, and I don't entirely know what it looks like, but let me tell you that I have not lost my peace over these recent weeks and months. It's unexplainable (must be Jesus!), but we have felt so at peace knowing that He is sovereign and good and holding our lives in His hands in spite of the sadness.

And now I am back in Nepal and over the last few days there have been devastating floods in this nation, and right on my doorstep (literally, the flood on Friday night/Saturday morning was centimetres away from coming into our house). Many, many have lost their lives, many more have lost their homes and their livelihoods. And for me, sitting here as a nation is grieving, while I myself am also grieving, and holding both of those together is really interesting and challenging. However I am also still able to declare that God is good and He is sovereign and He loves us and has good in store for me and my family, for my community and the people of Nepal.

I took this video from the car on Saturday morning:

I have been listening to a song on repeat that a friend wrote which declares that God is the mountain mover, the miracle worker, the healer etc and the One who is more than able, but regardless as to whether He comes through or not, I will still trust Him and I will still love Him for all of my days. God I know You can change this situation, but my faith is in You, it's not in the outcome and whichever way things go, You always have my heart. It's a bit like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego who were faced with the fiery furnace and declared that God is able to save "but even if He does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods.."(Daniel 3:18). Or like Habakkuk, declaring that even though the fig tree doesn't bud and there are no grapes on the vines etc YET I will rejoice in the Lord." (Habakkuk 3:17-19)

So this is me.. the chaos is all out there but I can be still and know that He is God and that even though weeping may remain for a night, joy comes in the morning.

Please pray for me and my family, for KISC (we still very much need new staff and new leaders), and for the people of Nepal who have been devastated by the flood.

Thank you. And feel free to message me privately with any thoughts or questions - I would love to hear from you!

With so much love

Hannah

If you feel led to support me financially so that I can continue serving in Nepal through teaching as a volunteer as well as in many other ways, the information you need is here:

Hannah's Stewardship Account

 or  Miss H L Stewart, account number: 00398628 Sort code: 11-08-62