PACKING & PREPARATIONS

Well, almost a month since my last post -- I intend to make my postings more frequent once I am in Ukraine and having lots of new experiences!

What a journey I have been on these past few months, preparing to leave for my first 2-year-term overseas! I'm thankful for the experiences I had in travelling to Lithuania in 2008, and then to Ukraine last June, because they have prepared me somewhat for the process of packing...but it's still challenging!

I'm taking mostly just the basics as far as clothing, a few books, my laptop (of course!) and a few personal items. One suitcase is fully packed (after 4 times of unpacking and re-packing), and the second one is almost finished -- I'm finally starting to feel the excitement and the reality of my impending journey!!

I am so thankful for Esther Lang, a special friend in my church here in Ashcroft, BC -- she has made several trips to Ukraine, and her experiences and knowledge are a huge blessing to me! God knows exactly what we need and He is so good to put people into our lives who can help us along.

Emotionally and mentally, I think I'm as prepared as I can be at this time...there's so much that I just don't know -- and won't know until I get there -- and I realize I just have to keep taking my concerns and fears and thoughts to the Lord in prayer and leave them in His hands. I'm also very thankful for my good physical health and strength.

Financially, I have almost 100% of my support -- praise the Lord, my Jehovah Jireh, for His marvelous provision -- and I have a huge prayer support base, which I am so very thankful for!!

Spiritually, my times of reading/studying God's Word and prayer have become so meaningful as God meets me and reveals Himself to me, and I hope that I never lose sight of that.

Isaiah 48:17

This is what the Lord says—your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.

STEP BY STEP

Wow, God has brought circumstances together so quickly in the past few months! It hardly feels possible but, Lord willing, I will be leaving for Ukraine on August 27th!!

God has already laid out the path, and step by step He is revealing that to me. I continue to be amazed at how He is at work in my life, and I hope that never changes, because He is an awesome God!!

My visa application is filled out and pretty much ready to go; I'm just waiting to receive the LOI (Letter Of Invitation) that is on its way to me, and then I can send it off to be processed. The plane tickets have been purchased and paid for - hooray!! And I am slowly but surely making progress with the packing.

My financial support is still lacking a little bit -- I continue to pray daily that God will raise up the people He wants to partner with me in this ministry so that my support will be at 100% by the time I leave.

I have a wonderful team of prayer supporters all across Canada -- and words are inadequate to express just how thankful I am!!

This past week I just finished my Pre-Field Orientation at EFCCM Home Office - it was very challenging, but also very encouraging as we shared our journeys and learned and gained insights from a couple who have been missionaries for many years. I am looking forward to the next steps of the journey!!

"Oh God, You are my God, and I will ever praise You! Oh God, You are my God, and I will ever praise You! I will seek You in the morning, and I will learn to walk in Your ways, and step by step You'll lead me and I will follow You all of my days."

More Than I Can See

How often we think that "I know what I'm supposed to do and why I'm supposed to be here" and then God bursts our bubble in a gentle way and reminds us that He has a plan so much greater than we can see.

This is what happened for me the week of June 24-30 at Lake Of The Trees Bible Camp -- I went to help out for a week, to assist with admin duties and whatever needed to be done, and thought that would be my main job. And in a sense it was, but God was doing such a work of healing and revival in the hearts and lives of the staff that were there for staff training that some of those more routine things took a back seat.

About mid-week, God lovingly showed me that even though I was there to help with practical tasks (which I did), that He had also placed me there so that I could be an encouragement to the young people who were struggling with letting go of the pain in their past and learning how to trust God and walk in obedience with Him...

There was more going on than I was able to see at the time, and at the end of the week I was so overwhelmed with joy and peace that He had chosen to use me in that way -- far beyond what I had expected to take place!

I praise God for the moments that He opens my eyes to what He is doing, which is often more than I can see in the midst of everyday life.

I need to remember this -- as we all do -- because it's so easy to focus on what we can see, and we may miss some blessings and the little glimpses God gives us of His plan, which is so far beyond our vision and comprehension.

As I prepare to go to Ukraine, I know that there is more than I can see happening in the lives of the people here in Canada who are part of this ministry, as well as the people whose lives I will be part of in Ukraine...and I am excited about that, even if I never get the full picture!