"For though the mountains should depart and the hills be shaken or removed, yet My love and kindness shall not depart from you nor shall My covenant of peace be removed says the Lord who has compassion on you." (Is. 54:10) What a comfort in these days especially for us in S. California! Many of you asked about the earthquake. Well, it was quite a "ride" for me in my waterbed but aside from racing hearts and a few things falling, we were fine. And again, we were strongly reminded that our foundation and roots cannot be in the things of this earth. God is shaking all that can be shaken just as He said He would. And through this, He is calling His own to come into an intimate knowledge of Him, not just about Him. He is longing to find among His people those He can call His friends who can echo back to God, "No matter what happens, Lord, our love shall not depart from You".

I have thought a lot about this during these past months of increasing confinement. I am so thankful for my family who have lovingly been there for me. But Jenny has been the one "on call", spending her break times and lunch times with me. Part of meeting my needs has including back washing, commode emptying, lunch fixing and coming home to help with small emergencies when they arise. But that's just "background" stuff. We've become best friends and a special intimacy has developed as we've laughed and cried together and experienced that sweet joy that often comes only through sorrow. I've watched my "little" girl blossom in so many ways in a situation that could only be called a hardship. Some people have expressed concern that Jenny should have to bear such a burden and so did I before I realized the depths of blessing from God we are experiencing together. Yes, from this bed, I can declare I am a woman most blessed.

I realized just how much recently, when I had to call Jenny home to clean up after a bleeding spell. I was pretty low and could not hide it from her. But she was all aglow as she handed me a card she had written the night before. "I guess God knew you'd need this today", she said, her dark eyes sparkling. I was surprised to discover a thank you card inside which I will always cherish. Jenny gave me permission to share part of it with you. "You are my best friend in every way! Thank you for loving me so much and implanting God's vision and life into me! Spending time with you has revealed to me what 'real' life is. What you've got is real, mom!... As hard as these years have been, I will always think of them as the time I've been bonded so deeply to you and have become a woman of God. I wouldn't trade one minute with you for anything! I just wanted to encourage you today that what we have is so special and what God has done in you is absolutely priceless!" I looked long into those dark brown eyes that spilled over with love, joy, and tears. And there I saw God's redemption at work in our broken lives His love and kindness in the midst of our shaking. Although still in pain I could sincerely thank God for His faithfulness.

I believe what blossomed between Jenny and me in the midst of our fire is a picture of what God has waiting for us who have been chosen to live in these days of trouble. He ever looks for "friends" to express Himself to and through in fellowship and prayer those who love Him and want to share His heart and know His ways, not just get things from Him. It is to these He reveals His secrets, even the secrets of darkness which He calls treasures and hidden riches. (Is. 45:3) Do you want this? I do! How else can we have the
strength to remain His friends though the mountains depart and the hills be removed? How else can we experience what He meant in Is. 54:10 when He promised not to remove His covenant of peace from us?

Ps. 25:14 says, "Friendship with God is reserved for those who reverence Him. With them He shares the secrets of His promises." In the Amplified it says, "He will show them His covenant and reveal to them its deeper inner meaning." In Jn. 15:15 Jesus said, "I no longer call you slaves, for a master doesn't confide in His slaves; now you are My friends, proved by the fact that I have told you everything the Father told me." And in Mt. 13:11 Jesus told His disciples that only they were permitted to understand about the Kingdom of Heaven. "We know about these things because God has sent His Spirit to tell us and His Spirit searches out and shows us all of God's deepest secrets." (I Cor. 2:10) What an honor! What a privilege! And Dan. 11:32 says it is the people who know their God that shall prove themselves strong, stand firm and do exploits for God.

Beloved, are you suffering personally or troubled by the evil all around you? God is waiting to bring you into an intimacy that just doesn't happen in "fair weather". He reserves His richest treasures for darkness. Therefore, let us all take heart and pray that we may answer the Spirit's call and press on to know Him. May God make us men and women after His own heart with whom He can share His secrets and through whom He can do exploits. And may we find His covenant of peace sufficient as we wait for and with Him for His glory to be revealed in our day. We love you so much and appreciate your partnership with us. May God encourage and bless you.