For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.
Isaiah 55:8-9
A couple of weeks ago I was informed by International Teams that I won't be going to London next March. When I found out in October that this was a possibility, I was really upset that He would have called me out and then abandoned “the plan.” Obviously, His plan wasn't the plan I thought it was going to be – He decided to zig instead of zag. Initially I thought it would be resolved quickly but I've ended up waiting much longer than I anticipated. I was holding on to this possibility of going to London and finding out it's no longer an option is a relief. It makes it easier to move forward and honestly, I'm really glad to be out of that particular waiting room.
I’m not really a patient person so to say I enjoyed the wait would not be the truth. There were a number of times that I thought to myself how it would be easy to get my job back and just give up. I was getting tired of waiting, and the longer I waited the more difficult it was.
I am so glad I can say that the Holy Spirit enabled me to keep on. God continued to move in me and stretched me in ways I never would have imagined. What’s the most surprising is what God has done in me and helped me learn how to do as I've been waiting. I've had to learn to surrender to Him my desires, my fears, my perfectionist tendencies, and my need to be in control. I've also had to continue to trust Him and believe what He tells me even if I don't see the whole picture. I am able to say with 100% honesty that I am glad for the way God has chosen to work in this situation. I’m also glad that I can say that I'm thankful this door is closed if God wants to use me somewhere else.
Thank God His plan is so much greater than mine or what I imagine His to be! The day we found out London was a no-go, there was an agriculture placement for South Africa that came up with International Teams doing much of the same type of ministry work as I was going to be doing in London. What's probably the most hilarious part of all of this is that the work is in a township near…..wait for it….East London! Maybe I didn't hear God wrong at the beginning of this journey; maybe I just had the wrong country?
At any rate we are currently exploring this option. I am praying it pans out, but this is all in the Lord’s hands. His love is so great and it has been amazing to see Him moving and fitting some of the pieces together. He is creating a work of art, a masterpiece that I am so excited to see in greater completion. What blessings He has bestowed and I am excited to see how He continues to move!