I think that God is always present in my life.  It is me that is not always present to His presence.  So really this post should be called, “How was I present to the presence of God in my life today?” (well yesterday, this post actually going to be about yesterday)

I went walking in the mountains yesterday.  I had actually wanted to go for a swim but when I got there they were emptying the pool out so I decided to run up the hill instead.  It probably was a bit of a risky thing to do but I felt like some exercise.  I made it to the top and sat under the cross up there and looked over Chulucanas and contemplated God’s presence in this town.  I then walked down the hill.  I noticed the purple flowers and as most of you know the colour purple always makes me aware of God’s presence in my life.

Then when I was almost down the bottom, two guys started running up the hill towards me.  At first I thought they were just running like me but when they put up their hands to indicate I should stop I realised what was really happening.  They were robbing me.  I quickly handed my bag over.  There was nothing of particular value, a towel, some sunscreen, my goggles. sunglasses, my purse with about $20 in it and my keys.  The only thing I was really worried about were the goggles as I can’t get them here but with only four weeks to go I wasn’t going to fight for them.  Then one of the guys pulled out a screwdriver and started indicating I lift up my shirt.  Of course at this stage I stated backing away and begging them to just take the bag and go but he told me again to lift up shirt.  I am not sure I have ever been so scared in my life so I did it.  The guy with the screwdriver advanced closer but soon realised I had nothing else and started running away.  I realised they were looking for a money belt and nothing else but my heart was still pumping fast and I have never been so relieved to see them disappear in a taxi who was waiting for them at the bottom of the hill.

I made my way down the bottom of the hill and stopped a taxi myself.  I was crying by this stage and told the driver I couldn’t pay as I had just been robbed but if he could just take me away from there I would be very grateful.  He dropped at the end of my street and I walked home.  When I got home Martin wasn’t home and I sat out the front wondering what had happened to God’s presence.

However, as I sat there waiting for Martin with nothing else to do but reflect on what happened I remembered many of the other struggles in my life, the hurts and disappointments that God had carried me through.  The fact that I had been robbed did not mean God was not there.  He was there holding me together in my fear, he was there in the taxi driver who drove me home, and He has been there as I have tried to pray for those young guys.  I haven’t quite pulled it off yet but He is present in my attempts.

Then last night again we had to take Nina to the hospital again.  It was the same cough she had last time and we just wanted to get her nebulised as we had last before to help her be able to breathe.  Knowing what it was certainly makes it less stressful but being at a hospital at 1am in the morning, holding a mask over my crying daughter’s face is never what you call pleasant.  But God was there.  He taught me a valuable lesson when my beautiful girl was born.  That lesson is, He is just as present in my defeats as He is my victories, probably more so.