His Thoughts and His Ways

I can hardly believe Michael and I have been in Guatemala for almost two weeks now! I’ve been meaning to write this post for three weeks… well better late than never. First off, I want to praise the Lord. These past few months I have seen him working on our behalf so tangibly I don’t even have words to express my thanksgiving and praise. I have learned that as I surrender my will to his I allow him to surprise me with wonderful gifts I didn’t even know I wanted.

I have been in love with this particular scripture recently. 

“ For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are My ways your ways, “ declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.”

Isaiah 55:8-9

Letting go of control and allowing God to work…
           Throughout the month of September the Lord continually brought Isaiah 55 to my mind as I struggled with being completely at a loss of how to continue raising support. Michael and I had called and meet with everyone we knew and we were still a little ways off from being fully supported. God was asking for me to surrender my desire for control. I had to surrender trying to make things happen my way and in my timing. As I slowly surrendered my will and my timing to His I found my daily feelings of frustration, dissatisfaction, and defeat being replaced with peace, hope, and anticipation. God works in unexpected ways just like Isaiah 55 says, and somehow by October 1st Michael and found ourselves fully supported and awaiting permission for Hope of Life to purchase our plane tickets and officially move.

A challenge to change my perspective…
           As October began, I found myself so excited to set off on our adventure that I began to become upset by the speed bumps inhibiting us from leaving right away. Even worse, I hated the fact that I had zero control over when we could leave for Guatemala. In my annoyance I found Isaiah 55 running through my head over and over again. The Lord was challenging me to not only trust his ways and his timing but to embrace the season of life I was currently in and to praise him for all the good things around me rather being discontent. And as my perspective changed our “speed bumps” began to disappear.

Realizing I was living a dream life…
As I looked around, I realized that for the first time in years I had absolutely no obligations. I had no job, no school, no bills, no house to clean, no support raising to do… and best of all, Michael and I where staying with my family, which is my happy place. I found myself free to hang out with my siblings, go for walks with my mom, help cook (I love cooking), participate in family devotions and take naps whenever I needed (and between being pregnant and having neck/head pain that was pretty much every day:). Wow! What a unique and special season of life to be in. I had a blast taking my little brothers out to get doughnuts, thrift shopping with my sister, playing cards for hours with the older boys and dad. I had the opportunity to paint which is something l love to do but haven’t been able to do much of in the last 2 year. I had the blessing of going on many prayer walks on the nature tail behind the house where I grew up, a trail I have grown to love and treasure. And best of all, I got to walk and talk to my mom almost every day.

An unexpected gift…
Not only that but I spontaneously flew to Florida to visit my big sis. I got to experience a snippet of her life. I cheered for her during her CrossFit competition, listened to her harp concert, visited her bible study, attended her work party, and tanned with her on the beach. Best of all we had real heart to heart conversations and watched the sunrise every morning! 

While I was in Florida I also got to see my mother in-law, who told everyone we passed by I was carrying her grand-baby:) We did the Holy Land Experience together. It was breathtaking, convicting, and totally refreshing. It was a really special trip.

It’s never too early for Thanksgiving Dinner…
         Michael and I were able to return to Lynchburg one last time. Some of our closest friends cooked us an early Thanksgiving dinner because thanksgiving is’t a celebrated holiday in Guatemala. I LOVE thanksgiving food, so this will always be a special memory. We also visited our home fellowship one last time, they prayed over us once more and I received several words that night. Our final trip to Lynchburg will be one that I treasure.

What is discovered in hindsight…
In the beginning of October I felt so impatient, by the end of October I was overcome with thankfulness. October was a season of unexpected rest, and relationship building. I didn’t know how much I needed that little season of rest but God did and he gave it to me as a gift. I was praying that we would be able to leave for Guatemala immediately. But God knew what was best for me, He didn’t say “no” he simply said,

“ For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are my ways your ways. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Isaiah 55:8-9

Inspiration for you…        

I encourage you to contemplate how does Is. 55:8-9 help you to see and believe God is working in your life right now? 
Is there something God is asking you to stop trying to control?
 How can you embrace the season life you are currently in? 
May you find surprises and unexpected gifts from God as you challenge yourself with these questions.