First off I'd like to say that my sister Maria is doing awesome. She is in great hands with God and her doctor. Everything has just been amazing with her. She has had 2 brain surgeries and a radiation treatment so far and she isn't in any pain and hasn't really complained at all. I am seriously so amazed and really awed by God in how He is clearly watching over and taking such good care of her. She has been covered head to toe in the prayers of so many people who love her and by those who have only heard about her but are committed to praying for her and my family. I am just thrilled!!!
I have had much to think about since I've been home in Orlando. You know, being alone with your thoughts for a long time isn't necessarily a good thing......at least in my case. I wish my mind would just rest all ready. I have really been struggling with feeling embarrassed and like a failure........like I've really messed up my life. I've been pretty confused and restless. Everyday that I spent in MA was hard. I would wake up each day feeling like I had made a huge mistake. I tried to work through it....looked for jobs...went on some interviews.......asked God to help me like Boston......but it really didn't get better. I honestly did want to go home and I really wondered if God really sent me to Boston. I started praying and asking God about going home......and then I got the news about my sister.......and then I was home.
So I wrestle with my thoughts and feelings. I wanted to go home but I didn't want her sickness to be my "out". I am happy to be home though.....glad to be able to help my sister and my family. It's been nice to see some of my friends again too. One of my friends said that he was "really impressed at how the Lord had prepared and sent me back to Orlando for such a time as this" and that "I'm not sure why the Lord had you go to Boston except to free you up from things here locally so that you'd be in a better position to serve your family"....... and went on to say that "It's evident that you are the spiritual anchor for Maria and your family". I do not see myself as a spiritual anchor but I do have a relationship with God and I'm trying to walk with Him daily.
I am struggling with deep regret. I regret leaving my job at GCM and moving to Boston. I know that I felt so sure about Boston and everyone was so excited and I believed at one point that God did send me there. Sometimes I get really excited about things and I want to run with it.....but maybe it wasn't the right time.....maybe I was only supposed to go for the length of time I was there.....maybe God wanted to break me away from everything familiar in order to break through some fears and prepare me for something else.....who knows. God knows that I want the Boston church plant to happen but maybe I'm not supposed to actually be a part of it...like actually living there. Maybe my role was just to let the church plant team know how I've been praying for it to happen and to get them on board and excited about it....maybe I was just supposed to be a point person for them. Maybe I'm just supposed to support them in prayer.
One thing that has really encouraged me is that I had the courage to leave Orlando. I went through a long process and allowed God to work in my life and break through fears and moved in spite of my fears of the unknown. That takes a lot!!!!! A friend told me that like 95% (or something like that) of the people in this world don't make any changes or try things because of fear and that I am so courageous because I still went and didn't cower in that fear. So here I am back home. I'm glad to be here to help support my family. I'm starting over again but that's OK. I'm in a good place right now and things could've been much worse.
I really need to count my blessings. The Lord has never abandoned me. I would love to go back to work for GCM if they have anything available but we'll see what happens. I am going back to church and small group and I'll probably be checking out a lifegroup soon. I really need Christian community and satan would just love for me to sit in depression and convince me that people think that I failed and are disappointed with me. That's a big load of crap and I know it.
One thing that I've been really impressed with are two verses that God is reminding me of......
2 Cor 2:12-16
Now when I went to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ and found that the Lord had opened a door for me, I still had no peace of mind, because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said good-bye to them and went on to Macedonia. But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life.
Romans 8:28
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
God opened up a door for Paul to go to Troas and he went but had no peace of mind because he couldn't find his brother Titus. So he left and went to Macedonia. But even though he left the place that God had opened a door for him to go.......God
STILL led him in triumphal procession in Christ!!! Even in Macedonia God used him to spread everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of God and to be the aroma to Christ. I also see that no matter what happens....whatever circumstance I'm in....God always has my back....He always has my best interest in hand.....He will
ALWAYS work it out for my good. Why?
BECAUSE HE LOVES ME! There doesn't have to be any other reason than that. He loves me. There is nothing too big or hard for Him. There's nothing that He can't handle. He is a mighty God and I don't have to be a big woop-dee-doo person for Him or do some amazing thing for Him. He just wants me.....just as I am and right where I'm at.
That is freeing.
