I know that it has been a while since I have last posted about this. It's been a very long and fulfilling semester. I finally have most of the questions answered. I finally called Dan Crosley to set up an appointment for when we can meet to talk about any insight that he has for me. Our conversation was very brief and so he had no idea about what I was striving for. He just knew that I was interested in going on a mission trip. There was two weeks between when I called and when I was going to be able to meet with him, so I emailed him my blog so that he would know the whole story before we met. It was finally the day that we were meeting. I met him at church before first service. We sat down, prayed for guidance, and began. All I was expecting from him was some advice and maybe some places that could be a possible place to go. He gave me so much more. He told me that he had called a family that lives in David, Panama and they would love to have me stay with them. I was completely speechless. All I could do was smile and say, "God is so amazing". I literally could not stop smiling! Not a little smirk. Those big huge grins that you get when you are filled with pure happiness. The grins that stretch your face farther than you thought it could go. The biggest weight that had been on my shoulders was just GONE.
Then Dan went on to explain that the family includes a daughter who had just graduated from college to be a teacher. The parents speak little bit of English, and she can speak English pretty well. I will probably be able to work in the Christian School to help teach and also help around the church. Did I mention that I'm going to college to be a teacher? Did I mention that children are my passion? Is all of this just a coincidence? Never. This is God and only God. This is how God shows he loves me. I've been told my whole life that God loves me so much more than I could ever imagine. I have read about his deep and infinite love. I have learned throughout my life that as I pray to God more and show him more and more how much I love him back, the more he blesses my life. God shows me that he loves me in so many ways, but he is finally doing more than just letting me feel his love. He is SHOWING me how much he loves me. He knows that I love speaking Spanish. He knows that I love children. He knows that I was born to be a teacher. He knows that I will need someone to talk to (in English) when I'm down there. He knows that I will need someone my age who will understand me as a young adult but also as a girl. I don't see this as a challenge anymore. I see this as an adventure.
Then there was the question of when I will be going. I was hoping to go from the beginning of May until the middle of June so that I wouldn't have to miss my family's yearly vacation. Then there was the question of how will I be traveling. Obviously, by flight. But the real question was if there was anyway for someone to travel with me so I wouldn't have to travel alone. This made me very uneasy as it did to my mom as well. These questions floated in the air until Juan (the father of the family that I will be staying with) came here for his own plans and my family and I were able to meet with him and Dan. I was very nervous about meeting him. I always get anxious about the unknown. Finally, we arrived in Dan's office to meet Juan. Dan had to translate the whole time for us, but I could follow along to most of what Juan was saying. Then Juan informed us that he would not be home during May, so he suggested that I travel down with the WRCC team when they go to David, Panama at the end of June, participate in the mission trip, and then go to Juan's house for the rest of the time. There was one big problem with that. My family's vacation was at the end of June. My family and I were doing everything that we could to avoid those ten days in June. But hearing the words that I would have someone to travel with brought so much peace over me that I couldn't have it any other way. In my heart, traveling down with the WRCC team just felt right. Plus the mission trip included going to a primitive village outside of David, construction, and VBS
It's never a coincidence. It's all God. Always was. Always is. Always will be. God has planned this very precisely and specifically for me. I have such a peace in my heart when I think about going now that the questions are all answered. Even when the questions were still clouding my mind and my brain was screaming that this is a crazy idea, my heart told me that everything was going to be okay. God won't let me down. Even if the plans don't go through, God has given me so much just through the process. Since I tested into the highest Spanish class that I could, I would be able to receive credit for the previous classes if I passed the class that I tested into. If I got an A in the class that I tested into, I would also get A's for all the classes that I skipped. Not only does this help for my goal to minor in Spanish, it also will help boost my GPA. I just checked my final grade for my Spanish class, and I got an A for the semester. Thank you, God. I also got A's in the rest of my classes and on my final. Thank you, God. Also, God is teaching me how to live on my own. Going to another country without my parents is very far out of my comfort zone. I have always been raised that I only had to do what I was comfortable with, so I always stayed inside of my own little comfort zone. I've had the same core friends for a long time. But God's showing me how there is so much more to life than "my own little world". Knowing that I'm about to do something very far out of what I'm used to, I have been and will keep preparing myself mentally for this trip. With God's help, I'm making myself more independent. It's not only best for this trip, but it's also a good way to change my life to prepare myself for college and for after college. I know that it's far away, but my first semester has already come and gone. God is also teaching me to cherish every moment that I have because it may be over one day. There are so many things that I do and do not miss about high school. When I look back, I wish I had done somethings differently and I also reminisce about all the good times that I had as well. It's reminding me to be strong, to not live to please the world, and to make the most of every moment. Thank you, God, for everything. I can never thank you enough. "All eyes are on you, Lord." This is all for You.
No comments:
Post a Comment