The Faithful Love of the Lord NEVER ENDS!

By Mary Klase

Living by faith has been and will always be a growth process for me…

I’m short-sighted when I think I’ve got it all figured out. Much of my recent growth takes place as a result of shock and pain, but God has brought me many blessings as a result. I suppose this is true for many of us.

As 2016 began we faced the trial of my husband being unexpectedly asked to step down as head pastor of the church where we had ministered for more than 12 years.  Disappointed & discouraged, though not devastated was the place where I lived for many months, but living by faith in the truth was where I wanted to be. I knew that God was all-knowing. I knew that God was in control. I knew that God was faithful. I knew that God was hope.  I knew that God was Truth and that He knew the truth, but my mind kept going back to wondering how men we trusted could have believed that it was time for us to be done ministering to the people we loved. I must admit, though hurt, my husband took the news well. I was stunned. It was hard to tell our children that the place that had played such a big part in their lives was no longer going to be their home. So many hard things, but so many sweet things too. God was with us! And God is still with us!

God is all-knowing…. God is in control… God is faithful…God is hope… God is truth! When I was faced with something that I could not control (and I didn’t think I was a control freak!) I felt bewildered, sad, and lost. Where would my husband work? He wasn’t sure he should still be in ministry and he had never been without a job. Where would we live? The house came with the ministry. Where would our kids call home? This place held so many sweet memories. Would their faith be shaken? How would I respond? But God is all-knowing…God is in control…God is faithful…God is hope…God is truth!

During those months I prayed, many scriptures that have continued to be dear to me and Jeremiah’s prayer became my prayer.

 Lamentations 3:22-25 (NLT) ~ “The​ faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in Him!’ The Lord is good to those who depend on Him, to those who search for Him.”

In the middle of a desperate time of discouragement the prophet Jeremiah came out with words of God’s faithful love! And I totally agree with Jeremiah! I praise God for His Word and prayer, both personally and with my husband. I have found that no matter what happens, if my husband and I are sharing what we are learning from the Bible and we are praying together we can face anything. God is hope…He had our future! We had no idea what was next, but He was already on it. We might not have been able to get a handle on it, but our faith was increasing as we trusted Him. We were depending on Him and he was proving Himself faithful!

God showed my husband what would be next for us and He showed us where to live. God had already been at work knitting our hearts to the needy city of Reading. He had been praying with a handful of other pastors for over two years about the need to start a new church in this city where so many churches had left over the last couple of decades. They were asking God to bring the right man for the job. A man was prayerfully considering the move to be the pastor of this new work, but decided he needed to step back from the opportunity. So after two years of prayer no one was in place to lead this new church. God is faithful! Dave was now free, and was asked to plant this church. After an extended time of prayer and fasting he was confident that God was moving him to lead a team of people, also with a heart for our city, to start a church and the result is Door of Hope Church was birthed! Our children continue to look to Him too and have also grown in different ways. We now live in Reading and love the people God has called us to!

It’s interesting that in pain God can draw people together in ways never imagined. As things came to an end for us, others were affected as well. None of us were quite sure where we would be next and how we would stay connected, but God gave an idea to us. A group of eight women started a group text to share verses, God-focused songs, and prayers of encouragement. We share needs in our families or struggles in our lives. Though we are not face to face often we share honestly and keep each other accountable for our time in the Word and keeping our eyes on Jesus. This group text has now been alive for 15 months. It’s not everyday and it’s not always everyone talking, but we all see it and know that we are praying for each other. We have laughed together, cried together, and held each other’s hands for strength and God has given us each of us new ministry. God is all-knowing…. God is in control… God is faithful…God is hope… God is truth!

Though being a pastor’s wife, a mom, a daughter, a sister, and a friend are so important to me and bring me great joy, it’s being reminded who I am in Jesus that gives me strength and hope. He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and I am His daughter. He never fails! This walk of faith in this life is filled with highs and lows, and even if I feel lonely on the ride sometimes, I am never alone. I’ve got the love and care of family and friends. But most of all my forever friend, Jesus, is with me and has my back. He is all-knowing…He is in control….He is faith…He is hope…He is truth!

Mary was born and raised in the Finger Lakes Region of New York, but learned to love the city too. She and her husband Dave have served Jesus together for more than 35 years. They are currently on a team planting Door of Hope Church in Reading, PA. Mary is mom to Rebekah, Daniel, Rachel & Justin. She loves spending time with family, friends, and the ocean!