10 years in the making. Part 7.

God's timing.

When you don't get married until your mid-thirties  you pretty much learn that timing is God's!  And His timing for our going was definitely His.

In July 2012 we were told that the process of "going" usually takes 18-24 months.  It was our desire, however, to leave in Summer 2013 if at all possible.  The training schedules and appointment services are listed on the company's blog so we knew what dates we were working for/against.  And if we were to leave in Summer then we would need to be approved in April by the trustees.  If not, then everything would be pushed back by three to four months.

So here we are in February reading an e-mail that said we wouldn't meet the deadline for April due to an educational test needed for Sofia.  It was kind of a bummer for us because we thought we had done all that was asked of us and our children.  This was a Wednesday morning.

Come Thursday morning, we received another e-mail.  Sofia was cleared and WE HAD BEEN JOB MATCHED!  Whoa!  What an emotional rollercoaster.  Now to wait until April 10 when the trustees would be voting on us.  On April 9 we prayed that we would only go if He was going before us. April 10 came and we were affirmed that God is going before us.

It wasn't but five minutes after Kevin had left for work that I received the phone call.  Tears were my answer.  I then called Kevin.  He actually had stopped by a store so he was sitting in his truck in the parking lot.  We wept together on the phone and then spent some time praying.  Oh our prayer was and is that we will NEVER FORGET what Christ has done for us as individuals.  May we NEVER FORGET our sinfulness and the penalty He paid on the cross. And may we NEVER FORGET the gift of salvation.  And that gift is for those among the nations.

On May 15 we were appointed as overseas workers.  At that appointment week we met many couples who had been in the process for the two years, some even three.  So to be there less than 12 months was truly God's doing.

What's next?
We will be going to training for two months in Virginia, then move to the Horn of Africa for two years of language and culture training.  From there we will God willing move to Central England to minister to the immigrants from the Horn of Africa.

Due to sensitivity I am not writing exactly where and who we will be working with.  But I do ask that you pray for us.  We will be working with a unengaged, unreached muslim people group.  There is such great need for the gospel to be shared.  We pray that God will work in us, and through us so His word will be heard, believed, and accepted.

We should arrive in the Horn about one week before our 10 year wedding anniversary.

God is GOOD!!!!!   HIS timing is perfect.