Jeremiah 29:11-13 - "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord. "Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."
Since arriving in Arizona in the middle of January, Lars and I have been earnestly seeking God and His plan for our lives.
It began as a gentle nudging, just a thought in the back of both of our minds, about a year ago. A question, really: "Is God telling us that He wants us to go to Arizona?"
If you read my previous post about Moses, then you'll remember that I tend to have conversations with God in which I express my fears and hesitations to Him. For a long time, I convinced myself that God couldn't be calling us to Arizona. Not me. I'm the kid who always got homesick. Never could spend an entire night at a friend's house. Cried for four days at Camp Barakel in 6th grade. Surely He wouldn't ask me to go that far away from my mom and dad.
"My grace is sufficient."
That's the simple answer. The answer I have felt so strongly in my mind for the past couple of months as Lars and I have prayed and thought about this. And that's why we've reached the conclusion that God is calling us to Arizona for a time. We're committing to spending the next year at Youth Haven in Arizona, and after that we'll see where God is leading.
It has been so awesome to see glimpses of His plan coming together. So many little things have taken place, like pieces of a puzzle beginning to come together. We can start to see the image, but as God continues to fit the pieces in their proper places, a grand picture will come into full view. Then we will look back and realize that He used us to make it all happen.
I don't know what God has in store for us or the Youth Haven ministry out here, but I do believe that whatever His plan is, it will be great. No, it's not Africa, Papua New Guinea, or another foreign country. But it is a mission field. Just like Youth Haven in Michigan is a mission field, reaching out to boys and girls who may not ever hear about Jesus if we don't share it with them.
I'm excited about the future for the Arizona Ranch ministry and for our family. I know I'll miss my family and friends, but I am honored that God would choose to use us to accomplish His plan.
It's almost as if I can hear Him saying, "Just wait until you see what I'm going to do." It's going to be amazing!
2 comments:
God is so cool to lead you so clearly isn't He? I'm excited for you, Lars and the boys as you have this new adventure with God. We'll be praying back here.
Thanks so much, Pam! I appreciate your prayers.
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