“Rough patch in life” 

The needs of people cannot always be scheduled into a neat convenient schedule, can it now? In the past few days I’ve experienced calls from people, visits from people who are in a bad way, and want help right away. Now, I know that their lack of preparation, their lack of planning has put them into this “rough patch in life”, however, God can use those “rough patch in life” times, right?! The believer is to be ready to talk to the Lord in prayer, search His heart regarding the matter and then act on His leading. There are so many opportunities to serve Him that come to our attention. Here is a sampling from this week at CBC, of some “rough patch in life” moments I have had the joy to pray over: three calls for emergency food help, two calls for help with utilities, one call for counsel regarding a depressed family member, two missionaries called with request to present their burdens to the mission field, one minister called for counsel about a problem, three calls for prayer over health related needs and one anxious grandson asking to go sledding in the snow with him (not that “rough patch in life” unless you are two and half years old and you gotta get out side before the snow goes away moment). To be used to serve the Lord, to pray to make a difference for the cause of Christ maybe to help some one as the Holy Spirit leads, in a “rough patch in life” time, mirrors His life. “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he hearth us.” I John 5:14