Drawing near...

Draw Near to Me...

There is a song that I cant stop playing; and I haven't stopped playing it for months now. Its a song by Jeremy Riddle called "Draw Near." Track 9 on the Bethel Loft Sessions album. This song gets to me every time I listen to it, and I have to hold back the tears. 

God often speaks to me through music and He has an incredible way of moving my heart through lyrics or instrumentals. There is a certain part of this song that moved my heart months before we made a decision to go to California, and every time I heard this certain part of the song it felt like God was moving my heart and speaking the words to me....

"Ive made a place for you here. So come on, come on...

All things are possible here. So come on, come on..."

It was as if God was inviting me somewhere and, at the time, I didn't know where...

When I hear these words now my heart leaps :) 

Plans and Progression...

Our student visas have been granted and are ready for us to collect. We have just over 2 weeks left in South Africa and things are starting to speed up... 

We move out of our little home next week and after that we are driving to Johannesburg to spend a few days with my family. We then come back to Durban for the last few days before we fly out from King Shaka airport to Dubai. We have a 3 hour layover in Dubai before the monster flight of 16 hours to San Francisco. When we land in San Fran we will collapse for the night in a little hotel, and the next day we drive to Redding in a rental car. Whew! I feel exhausted just thinking about it!!

In all honesty this all feels totally surreal. Pete and I are running off our feet organising and packing and yet we feel completely at peace, happy and content. Yes, we have been stressed and overwhelmed, but on the other hand we have watched how everything has effortlessly fallen into place and we stand totally humbled. Our God is big and He looks after His children! 

I have had many moments of tears at what we will be missing - birthday parties, pregnancies and babies being born; family holidays. Just life's progression in general. But there is always good ol' Facebook, Skype and a whole list of other ways of communicating. It will feel like we are just down the road in so many ways :)

We have managed to secure a little apartment - with MUCH help from incredible, unmet friends in Redding :) So we will be able to drive from San Francisco into the drive way of our little home in Redding (thank you Jesus!) We have also been blessed with some furniture already. Amy will start school at the end of August and Pete starts school sometime in September.

Time is Drawing near...

...and we are ready!!! Ready for ALL that God has for us, the good and the challenging. Ready for the change, the adventure and the possibilities. NOTHING is impossible for God, and when He calls you to take a step, even if it is the scariest step of your life, you see how He carries you all the way.