When it rains...

Dear friends, we know not how to respond to this week, except with humble thanksgiving. Our only response was to sing the song below, and read the Psalm 100 as we surveyed the blessings that the Lord showered upon us in the last week. We received groceries and generous gifts from our church "Grace" group, delivered in person by several families. We received an e-mail from a nurse midwife, offering her friendship and services through Leah's pregnancy. We received an envelope from our parents with funds towards our monthly expenses, in addition to an e-mail from a coworker also pledging monthly support towards our monthly expenses. The week ended with word that we all had been approved for state health insurance, and we were given an anonymous envelope with further funds, all of which when added together meet this month's expenses entirely!

Our prayer is one of thanksgiving to the Lord for His faithful provision for our tangible, physical, and spiritual needs. We rejoice as we receive such a downpour of generous love and mercy from so many surrounding our family. Our prayer is also for you to witness the Lord's provision in our lives, thank you for playing a part in that provision, and being used by the Lord!

We are confident in the Lord's provision for our needs, for His purpose in this plan that He has made possible for our family. We walk forward in faith, trust, and thanks!

Geoff, Leah, Abaigael, Keely, and Baby #3
The Dykstra Family

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Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth.
Serve the LORD with gladness;
Come before Him with joyful singing.
 
Know that the LORD Himself is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
 
Enter His gates with thanksgiving
And His courts with praise.
Give thanks to Him, bless His name.
 
For the LORD is good;
His lovingkindness is everlasting
And His faithfulness to all generations.

-Psalm 100

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Praise to the Lord, the Almighty

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise Him, for He is thy health and salvation!
All ye who hear, now to His temple draw near;
Praise Him in glad adoration.

Praise to the Lord, Who over all things so wondrously reigneth,
Shelters thee under His wings, yea, so gently sustaineth!
Hast thou not seen how thy desires ever have been
Granted in what He ordaineth?

Praise to the Lord, Who hath fearfully, wondrously, made thee;
Health hath vouchsafed and, when heedlessly falling, hath stayed thee.
What need or grief ever hath failed of relief?
Wings of His mercy did shade thee.

Praise to the Lord, Who doth prosper thy work and defend thee;
Surely His goodness and mercy here daily attend thee.
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do,
If with His love He befriend thee.

Praise to the Lord, Who, when tempests their warfare are waging,
Who, when the elements madly around thee are raging,
Biddeth them cease, turneth their fury to peace,
Whirlwinds and waters assuaging.

Praise to the Lord, Who, when darkness of sin is abounding,
Who, when the godless do triumph, all virtue confounding,
Sheddeth His light, chaseth the horrors of night,
Saints with His mercy surrounding.

Praise to the Lord, O let all that is in me adore Him!
All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him.
Let the Amen sound from His people again,
Gladly for aye we adore Him.

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