Hey there,
It’s taken me awhile to write this one. Life has been a whirlwind, and I still have many questions for the Lord about what in the world happened these past few months. I feel like a snow globe where everything was shaken up real good, and now I am waiting for the little snowflakes to slowly descend and settle to the bottom. That’s the beautiful part though, right? Waiting and watching the beauty cascade right in front of your eyes.
Let’s rewind back to my last week in Guatemala. Our whole squad was back together, and we had a week of debrief with our leaders. I was so excited to be back with everyone and to be preparing for Honduras, country 2.
I started to feel super sick on Sunday night, so I went straight to the doctors on Monday to get some meds knowing I needed to get back to health quickly. I thought within a day or two I would be better and heading to Honduras with my team. And awesome enough, I woke up Tuesday feeling much better. I look back on this now as a blessing from the Lord. This was the day our entire squad was scheduled to go to Hobbitenango and hang out together. I got to enjoy the whole day and spend time with these friends one last time. That Tuesday evening my fever returned and I was exhausted. Over the next 2 days my symptoms worsened. At this point I had already felt the Lord leading me to go back home, and I was not supposed to go to Honduras. It was a tough decision to make and to obey the Lord’s leading. This was not how I thought my year would go. But I knew very clearly that He was walking with me, and I had some friends praying for clarity in my decision. He led me back to Colorado – just a tad sooner than expected ??
Before I left for my World Race trip, I found a sticker that I really wanted for my water bottle. It said, “You are exactly where God wants you to be.” I thought this would be a great reminder as I traveled the world, a different country each month, that this physical location was right where God had me. Whether things were going great or maybe it was a rough day, it would be a good reminder that my Father placed me in this specific spot for a reason. I didn’t end up buying the sticker. I had no more room left on my bottle and thought, eh, I don’t need it.
But some days I definitely do need that reminder. I think about where I would be if I was still where I had planned to be this year. Right now that would be month 4 – Nicaragua. And sometimes I begin to question the Lord, “Why am I not there?” And this sticker popped in my mind again the other day. Like a gentle reminder from Him that – I am exactly where God wants me to be. The verses I wanted to focus on this year were,
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.
For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
So shall My word be that goeth forth out of My mouth: it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.”
Isaiah 55:8 – 12
Today, I go out with joy. A rich joy I wouldn’t have experienced without these last couple of months. I am led forth into this next season with peace. I am full of peace, a peace that passes all understanding. Because right now there are some things I really don’t understand. And I just think it’s beautiful that every day I get to see the majestic Rocky Mountains and be reminded that even they sing to my Creator. The golden Aspen trees are clapping their hands to our Creator. Yes, Colorado is where I am supposed to be and He uses His creation to remind me of His Word. My little snow globe snowflakes that were all shaken up – will not return void. They will water. They will bring forth and bud. They will bring seed. They will bring bread. I am confident in my God and Who He is. He will not let it His plan return void. His plan will prosper.
So here’s my World Race experience:
I was able to spend 7 weeks with 30 awesome, joyful, loving, supportive brothers and sisters in Christ. I am so thankful for the time I had to get to know each of them. I am so thankful for the amazing things I experienced in Georgia during training and in the month I had in Guatemala. I am thankful for the beautiful people I met through this experience in the states and in Central America. I am thankful for the hard times. I am thankful for the discomfort, sicknesses and quarantine. Through each one my Savior showed me that He is enough. He is healer. He is provider. He is my Father and Friend. He is BELOVED. I am a different person now than the Sarah that left a few months ago.
And I want to encourage whoever needs it – Don’t lean on your own understanding. Don’t rely on what you see with your physical eyes. Trust Him. Trust Him completely. Trust Him fully. Trust Him with all of your heart. Rely on Him alone. He guides you. He leads you.
Here are some Bible verses that are encouraging me as I walk through this next season of life.
“A man’s heart deviseth his way: But the LORD directeth his steps.”
Proverbs 16:9
I can make plans for my future. Good plans. Plans to serve the Lord and others. But Jehovah chooses the steps I take to get there. How comforting to know He cares about the steps I take daily.
“And the LORD, He it is that doth go before thee; He will be with thee, He will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.”
Deuteronomy 31:8
“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness.”
Isaiah 41:10
There is peace and joy knowing I am exactly where my Father wants me. We won’t understand everything in life, but we can experience a peace that passes all understanding when we place our faith and trust in our Father as He walks us through the unknown.
Thank you for following along, supporting me and praying for me. I appreciate each one of you.
