Faith

I do hope no one was holding their breath or waiting on the edge of their seats for this follow-up blog, because that would have been quite uncomfortable since it has taken me so long to get back to it - for that I apologize.  

I left last time saying that the rest of our story was left up to faith... and this is what I mean.  

So I had waited 35+ years to meet a man that I wanted to marry and he shares his story with me about his life and health and I made the decision to keep pursuing the relationship I realized something.  I realized that God brought me through all He had to make me ready for this decision and this relationship.  

You see, when I was serving on staff at the church and doing ministry - teaching and mentoring and helping others grow in their faith, I thought my faith was strong.  And not that it wasn't - it just wasn't what it needed to be for this step in my life.  

I loved youth ministry and when that still small voice was telling me to "go" I wondered, why? - wasn't I already serving and doing what God wanted me to do?  But that voice wouldn't go away, so I answered and prepared to go overseas.

I would like to think that I would have been able to meet Steve and be able to handle his health and such had I not gone to Macedonia, but I am pretty sure I would not have been able to do that. Giving up my life in the U.S. and moving to a country I didn't know, to work with people I had never met, speaking a language I didn't know -- all pushed me, stretched me and caused my faith to grow in truly immeasurable ways.  Ways that enabled me to say "yes" to Steve with the confidence that God would be our Provider and Sustainer.  I was to go to Macedonia to serve and minister and to help others find God and grow in Him, and while these things may have happened the biggest changes happened in me.  The person that stepped on that plane in 2007 was not the same one that got off the plane in 2011, the work that God accomplished in me during those 4 years is beyond words, I still, to this day, can't wrap my mind around it.  He brought me to a point where He is the solution to all life's issues.... not in that trite Sunday School answer way, but in a real trust and faith that He truly can handle everything that happens and that I can rely on Him for everything and anything.  

Don't get me wrong - there is still a ton I need to learn, you know the "He's not finished with me yet" thing is very true, I am just truly thankful for where I am to be able to do life with Steve and watch Him continually be all we need.