I want to be vulnerable and real on this blog. I don't want to put on a brave face and be over spiritual either. This is a place where I will record the highs and the lows; the tears and the laughter as we go on our way to America.
I would really like all of you to know where we are at and, if you would like to pray, then on these blogs you'll know what to pray for.
GOD, IN HIS GRACE, PREPARED US WAY IN ADVANCE:
I remember listening to a song sung by Steven Curtis Chapman when I was a teenager. Many of you will remember it...
"Saddle up your horses we've got a trail to blaze
Through
the wild blue yonder of God's amazing grace
Let's
follow our leader into the glorious unknown
This
is a life like no other - this is The Great Adventure
Come
on get ready for the ride of your life
Gonna
leave long faced religion in a cloud of dust behind
And
discover all the new horizons just waiting to be explored
This
is what we were created for"
I remember something coming alive in my heart whenever I heard this song. It was like the Holy Spirit was whispering to me, saying; "Its true, you were meant to live for so much more..." And my heart would leap..."But what adventures lie ahead for me Lord?"
If someone had come to me 2 years ago and said, "You are going to pack up your life here and in August 2013 you, Pete and the girls will board a plane to America where you will live for 2 years." I would have laughed.
God has been speaking to Pete and I for 2 years about a change that is coming. We didn't know how, or when or what (God likes to keep you guessing hey?) but we just knew that we had to give our hearts and our lives over to Him if we wanted The Great Adventure of following Him.
God in His grace and wisdom didn't reveal things too early, (otherwise we may have run away) but slowly and surely He worked in our lives, made us soft and gently wooed us by His Spirit. We had been praying and asking God for adventure and change for so long.
His word really is a lamp unto our feet, He showed us each step and, as we had the faith to take that step, He showed us the next one, and so on.
"THEY CAME TO THE EDGE, AND HE PUSHED THEM, AND THEY FLEW."
In April we both had thought of going to Bethel to study for a year. It was just a thought, but that seed of thought began to grow and grow. We began to realise that it is actually possible and "why not?!"
I began to picture us living in America, driving on the other side of the road, Amy and Katie speaking in little American accents...and I began to get really excited. I found myself clearing out old toys and clothes and not buying the new cushions for my couch that I had been eyeing out.
"God is this what You want for us?" ... Silence. (Don't you love that?)
Pete applied for the Bethel school and got accepted. We were told that we had 30 days to pay a deposit otherwise his space would be filled. Eeek!!
I don't like making decisions under pressure, neither does Pete. Especially really big decisions like this. Emotions got in the way, reasoning told me that its not "wise" to spend your life savings and come back to nothing. And as a mother, well that typical "motherly guilt" came to the party as well. Taking my girls away from their home, their grandparents and cousins was a huge issue for me.
But through all of this, there was a fire in my heart that started to burn, like a match that has been struck and I couldn't put it out. I knew that we had to do this. I knew it was time for us to be pushed off the cliff and it was time for us to fly.
SADDLE UP YOUR HORSES ...
We made the firm decision to go last month (May). We paid our deposit and we booked our flights. We gave notice to our landlord on our beloved little home and I gave notice to Amy's school. We told our friends and family and Pete resigned from his job.
WOW!! Talk about no turning back now!
This last month we have had days where we are so excited that we have actually danced together as a family in our lounge; and then there have been days where I have sobbed and sobbed at the thought of leaving our friends and family and leaving Africa (even if it is temporary).
It feels like God; the Master Gardener; is uprooting this little plant from its pot and planting it in a more spacious place where it can grow and thrive. The uprooting, however, is not easy.
My mom has been saying to me, "Lis, take a day at a time. Each day His grace is sufficient." and its so true.
Matthew 19v29 "And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for My Names sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life."
That is my promise and I will remember it. Thank you Father.
Pete and I have made a decision to enjoy every minute of this journey. Even the tough times and the homesickness. Man what a privilege to be able to live in America for a year or two!!
Thank you Lord for this opportunity!
And so our journey begins here. We are busy packing up and selling a few odds and ends; sorting out admin like cell phone contracts and storage costs and registering Amy for Bethel Pre School. Our i20 visa forms haven't arrived in the blessed South African post yet, so this week we are sorting that out.
We have 9 weeks left and a LOT to do...
I will keep you posted.
Thanks for reading :)
I remember something coming alive in my heart whenever I heard this song. It was like the Holy Spirit was whispering to me, saying; "Its true, you were meant to live for so much more..." And my heart would leap..."But what adventures lie ahead for me Lord?"
If someone had come to me 2 years ago and said, "You are going to pack up your life here and in August 2013 you, Pete and the girls will board a plane to America where you will live for 2 years." I would have laughed.
God has been speaking to Pete and I for 2 years about a change that is coming. We didn't know how, or when or what (God likes to keep you guessing hey?) but we just knew that we had to give our hearts and our lives over to Him if we wanted The Great Adventure of following Him.
God in His grace and wisdom didn't reveal things too early, (otherwise we may have run away) but slowly and surely He worked in our lives, made us soft and gently wooed us by His Spirit. We had been praying and asking God for adventure and change for so long.
His word really is a lamp unto our feet, He showed us each step and, as we had the faith to take that step, He showed us the next one, and so on.
"THEY CAME TO THE EDGE, AND HE PUSHED THEM, AND THEY FLEW."
In April we both had thought of going to Bethel to study for a year. It was just a thought, but that seed of thought began to grow and grow. We began to realise that it is actually possible and "why not?!"
I began to picture us living in America, driving on the other side of the road, Amy and Katie speaking in little American accents...and I began to get really excited. I found myself clearing out old toys and clothes and not buying the new cushions for my couch that I had been eyeing out.
"God is this what You want for us?" ... Silence. (Don't you love that?)
Pete applied for the Bethel school and got accepted. We were told that we had 30 days to pay a deposit otherwise his space would be filled. Eeek!!
I don't like making decisions under pressure, neither does Pete. Especially really big decisions like this. Emotions got in the way, reasoning told me that its not "wise" to spend your life savings and come back to nothing. And as a mother, well that typical "motherly guilt" came to the party as well. Taking my girls away from their home, their grandparents and cousins was a huge issue for me.
But through all of this, there was a fire in my heart that started to burn, like a match that has been struck and I couldn't put it out. I knew that we had to do this. I knew it was time for us to be pushed off the cliff and it was time for us to fly.
SADDLE UP YOUR HORSES ...
We made the firm decision to go last month (May). We paid our deposit and we booked our flights. We gave notice to our landlord on our beloved little home and I gave notice to Amy's school. We told our friends and family and Pete resigned from his job.
WOW!! Talk about no turning back now!
This last month we have had days where we are so excited that we have actually danced together as a family in our lounge; and then there have been days where I have sobbed and sobbed at the thought of leaving our friends and family and leaving Africa (even if it is temporary).
It feels like God; the Master Gardener; is uprooting this little plant from its pot and planting it in a more spacious place where it can grow and thrive. The uprooting, however, is not easy.
My mom has been saying to me, "Lis, take a day at a time. Each day His grace is sufficient." and its so true.
Matthew 19v29 "And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for My Names sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life."
That is my promise and I will remember it. Thank you Father.
Pete and I have made a decision to enjoy every minute of this journey. Even the tough times and the homesickness. Man what a privilege to be able to live in America for a year or two!!
Thank you Lord for this opportunity!
And so our journey begins here. We are busy packing up and selling a few odds and ends; sorting out admin like cell phone contracts and storage costs and registering Amy for Bethel Pre School. Our i20 visa forms haven't arrived in the blessed South African post yet, so this week we are sorting that out.
We have 9 weeks left and a LOT to do...
I will keep you posted.
Thanks for reading :)
