Just last week, I drove up to FIRM and was struck by what God has done this last year at FIRM. Tears came to my eyes as I saw probably 40 children playing on the playground having the time of their lives! I saw a Summerset community slowly recovering from an incredible crisis as the apartments are almost completely remodeled. I walked into my office and realized that we now have many more faces (about twice as many) working on serving the refugee community in Fresno in a variety of ways. Much has been done and we should give praise and glory to God alone who has moved this all forward. We have trusted Him, asked Him and watched Him do all of this.
Sometimes, when God’s hand has done incredible work before our eyes, it is easy to sit back and reminisce on these great things. It is easy to think that God has poured out His favor and that there could not possibly be more that He is going to do. It is easy to feel as if we have received our portion of blessing from God and so we can “rest” for a time. Paul writes in Philippians 3:13-14, “Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” I believe that Paul is not only talking about the things in his past that were a struggle, but also those things that we miracles and blessings from God. God had used Paul to do some incredible feats and it would have been easy for Paul to think that God had already done enough. However, He had to keep pressing on and straining towards what God had intended for Him to continue to do what He was called to do in the future.
Friends, God is not done with what FIRM will do in the future. We have much more to do and I believe that the vision He has put before us is bigger than we all could have ever imagined. We will continue to press on and strain to advance the Kingdom of God here on Earth, as we love the refugee community in Fresno. We cannot just sit back and look at all God did! I am confident that if we are obedient and faithful to our mission, that we will continue to see God do miracle upon miracle at FIRM. I solicit your prayers and your support in the upcoming days and moments ahead, because the Lord knows we will need His body as we work to see His will be done here as it is in Heaven.
Peace and Love,
Zachary D. Darrah
Executive Director