CrossPoint Community News 02/16/2024

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

       It’s been a full week with Chinese New Year celebrations, Valentine’s Day, Ash Wednesday, and the Super Bowl, but this week I want to brag on God. God provided better than I could have planned, though not in ways that I expected.
       My daughter had oral surgery scheduled for Monday. It was the 3rd time it had been scheduled. I found out on Thursday, last week, that the surgery got bumped to Tuesday, at 8 am. On Friday, meteorologists began to forecast a classic nor’easter – 8 to 12 inches of snow for all of MA. They said the storm would start Monday night and go through Tuesday.
       I began to think through how we would be able to get to the hospital, especially if the snow started Monday night. I began to be irritated that this was the third time the surgery had been bumped. If it would’ve been Monday, we wouldn’t have to deal with the snow. The more I thought about it, the more unknowns there were: “Would the surgery even take place? What if the medical staff couldn’t get to the hospital? How long would the recovery take? How much more snow would be on the ground following the surgery and post-op recovery (it was outpatient)?” On Monday night, we had dinner with a friend and let them know that the snow was coming and that they should be ready for a big storm. During the meal, we got a call from the school saying that it was cancelled. My kids were happy, but I was still concerned about snow.
       But faithful brothers and sisters prayed. And God knew what he was doing.
       On Tuesday morning, after waking up at 3:45 am, I had a quick breakfast and watched an update forecast. They explained that the jet stream moved the storm further south. The snow wouldn’t start until later morning. And it wouldn’t be 8 to 12 inches, maybe just a dusting to an inch in our area.
       But because the schools had been closed, because of the forecasted nor’easter, the roads were clear. I drove the speed limit on the highways into Boston (normally I drive a little faster). We made it with plenty of time, and no snow. The surgery was successful. By the time we were discharged, the snow had just begun in Boston. But we were driving home, where there was less snow. In fact, it had stopped snowing by the time we made it home.
       God had worked out details that I hadn’t imagined. He cleared school for my daughter on the day of her surgery. He cleared the roads of cars due to the forecasted storm. He cleared the roads of snow so that I didn’t have to drive back on snow covered roads in treacherous conditions. He cleared the schedule for my wife and kids so that they could help prepare things at home for when we got back from surgery. He cleared away any cause of anxiety or care showing that He cared for me and my daughter. He cleared away the storm, moving it further south, since the wind and the waves obey him. He kept us from going on Monday (when we would’ve been tired after the Super Bowl) and provided for us completely on Tuesday (even having the grocery store be mostly empty so I could quickly pick up the needed foods for my daughter post-surgery). God knows, God plans, God provides, God cares. May God alone be praised!

Additionally, please continue to pray for the nations of Israel and Ukraine. Pray that the wars would end. Here is a suggested list of prayers if you are at a loss for words in how to pray: https://send.org/story/hh_pray_for_ukraine. And https://worldrelief.org/blog-prayer-for-israel-and-gaza/ Thank you for kneeling on behalf of the people of Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Gaza and taking a stand (or a knee in prayer) against the forces of darkness in this present age.