Emily: Posting this 2 days AFTER we arrived…. But better late than never.
Well, it is T-2 days until we take off on this adventure! I would like to say it has been an easy, stress-free experience, but the truth is…. It has been hard! My emotions have ridden high and low as we have had less than a month to sell or give away our belongings, pack, and get a family of 5 ready to move across the sea. With so many voices in my head, long to-do lists, and tight deadlines, it can be hard to hear Jesus over all the noise. Yet even when I overlook the voice of the Creator and Author of our story, for times when I look more like Cruella and less like Jesus, HE IS FAITHFUL to show up and speak into the noise that He will never leave us or forsake us and that we are called for such as time as this. These gentle and LOVING reminders have helped to strengthen my faith and encourage my heart and I wanted to share 3 awesome ways God has blessed us over the past few weeks. I hope this encourages you that God cares about all the little details and His provision and timing are good.
Blessing Number 1
We had breakfast with a sweet couple from our church a few weeks ago. They didn’t know where we were going, just that we felt God leading us on Mission and that we had applied and been accepted to YWAM. Stephen and I shared the story of how we felt that God had put on our hearts that this time would ‘be for our children and our children’s children.’ We wanted to put a stake in the ground and say “YES” to what God was asking us to be a part of as a family and so we had applied and been accepted to YWAM, Kona Hawaii as missionaries.
Our sweet friend got a look on her face and excused herself to go get something inside. She came back with the sweetest verse of encouragement and it was on a PINEAPPLE notepad, she said as soon as we started sharing that she knew this verse was supposed to be for us! This couple then proceeded to ask to buy our families plane tickets and cover us in prayer. What a beautiful encouragement to our hearts!
“Now to Him who is able to immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever.”
Blessing Number 2
We were driving home from town last week and a deer JUMPED into our windshield! Like full-on, out of nowhere, and hit us like a freight train. Glass shattered and pieces flew in our air vents, gear shift, covered our seats, and got on Stephen and I. The kids were totally fine and although we wore a good bit of glass, we didn’t have a scratch to our name. After a tow and a long shower, I called the insurance company. After a small conversation, they totaled the vehicle, arranged to pick it up the next day, settled our title, and paid us more than we would have gotten by selling it before we left! We are so thankful for God’s provision and for keeping us safe! If I am honest… I am especially glad I don’t have to detail it and get years of goldfish crackers and pretzel sticks out of the back seats!
Blessing Number 3
Our dogs have been a HUGE part of our life and they are family. Thinking about not being able to take them has been hard, especially hard on the kids. Ginger is really Titus’s dog and he even used his own money to help us buy her. He has been especially concerned about where she will go and IF we can possibly bring her over. We have gotten her rabies certificate and started the process in case we can take her, but the reality is, the housing at this time won’t allow for pets. Thinking I would have DAYS or WEEKS of trying to find the perfect fit- caused me a little bit of heartburn. However, God blew me away with the FIRST person I reached out to. Not only is this the breeder that we got Ginger from, but they have her mom and sister. Without ANY hesitation, the family promptly told us they would LOVE to have Ginger and they could send her ANY time we wanted her (provided we find housing for a dog), they said they will send pictures and videos, that if we need to keep her there the entire 2 years we are away that they would HAPPILY do it, AND that if for some reason we aren’t able to take her back… they would be her forever home. However they could bless us, they asked to. This beautiful open-ended invitation to love on her and our family just Blessed me so much that I cried! God was showing that He cared not only about our animals or my sanity, but OUR CHILDREN and their sweet hearts. Hearing Titus say “I will be okay now” was the sweetest gift this momma heart could hear.
Blessings on you dear friends and family! Please send us a text or message us on the website and tell us what God is doing in your life, or let us know of areas we can lift you up and pray for you! Much love, The Wards