“What happened? Why are you smiling like that?” I asked my husband early one morning as he walked into the living room where I was having my devotional time.

“Praise the Lord!” he said with a cheesy smile. “We have no water!”

We moved into this house last November, two weeks after we arrived in Thailand. It is a beautiful home, but it’s quite old and needs some work. Most of its issues have to do with water. We have had to do numerous repairs, like reinstalling the toilet, replacing the water pump (many times), resetting loose floor tiles, replacing sink faucets and sealing up a window leak. And every so often our water supply is interrupted.

I realize that, compared to many other missionaries, we live in relative luxury despite our unreliable water and electricity. Still I am sharing this because it’s my reality, and sometimes I allow it to frustrate me. However, the Lord uses situations like this to remind us of where our true happiness comes from and that He is always with us.

When these problems began popping up, we were brand-new in Thailand and had no idea how to even call a plumber. However, God has reminded us of the blessing of being part of a community in which people care for one another like family. If it wasn’t for our friends from the international church plant, we would have been helpless. (I pray that each of you may be this type of friend in your local church, eager to help those in need.) We have also made friends in our neighborhood who have been eager to help us in our time of vulnerability, and this has led to deeper connections and trust. (I pray that one day when we start our home church, these will be some of the first people who attend.) It turns out that being vulnerable and helpless is an effective evangelistic tool!

Frustration welled up inside me as Rene announced that our water was off again, but I decided not to stress about it. Instead of brooding about this new kink in my plans for preparing breakfast before our Thai class, I directed my attention back to what I was reading in Philippians 3. The first verse of the chapter made me chuckle. It was a timely message from God to me: “Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith.” It also reminded me of what Paul says in the following chapter: “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. . . . Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil 4:4-7, 11-13)

God, I thank You for reminding us in our times of discomfort or frustration that we can be thankful and have peace. I also thank You that even during these times we can make deep connections with those around us in our neighborhoods, work and church. Please help us to be good neighbors, too, and serve those around us. May we never be so busy that we miss an opportunity to be a blessing to others.

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