We had an amazing privilege to listen to my wonderful wife, Karyne, speak and share how God has been working in her own life. It was very special to me because Karyne was sharing the moments in her life that I had a front row seat to, in the moment I saw with her the challenge and the obstacles in her way. Yet hearing how God was working inside of her, I praised the Lord. I don’t always get to see what is happening on the inside – but when she testifies of God molding, refining, and encouraging her I am filled with joy and am a proud, proud husband of a wife who truly seeks Jesus.
As Karyne was sharing her faith-in-action testimony of how God had to teach her to be hospitable, it brought back so many memories. I’ll be totally honest with you, I remember fighting with my wife so much! When we got married, I was a student with a backpack and she was a full-time working woman with a condo and a car. All of a sudden, I had my very own condo and I could host and invite all of our friends over. She was not pleased. At all.
I was not hosting just to party, I knew that God had given us a safe place for people to find refuge. It was a home where you could be yourself and be safe, it was God’s gift to us to steward, for His Name’s Sake. But although this was a conviction in my own life, it had not reached Karyne yet.
God is patient, not slow.
Over time, Karyne’s heart began to break. God started to knock on her heart to steward our home for His Name’s Sake. To my delight and surprise, she was not only part of a crazy journey, but in fact the catalyst for many of it. From housing Hendrik, to providing a home for my nephew Justin, to becoming care takers of my Aunty Maisie, even housing two women right now – God took a woman who wanted to close the doors to her home, to a woman whose doors are open to all who need refuge. It didn’t happen overnight or in a couple of years, it happened step by step. Karyne’s faith increased, step by step.
Karyne shares so much more in her message – please do take the time to listen to it here.
I just want to encourage the LifeSpring family, wherever you are in your journey of faith – you are right where God wants you to be. It is simply about taking the next step. Wherever and however the Lord leads you, be willing to take the next step (either in action or even in inaction): this is how we Increase Our Faith.