The way he works

God is good. He can take your life and turn it upside down. After that you grow and become more like him. Six months ago, I realized that I don’t want to be in the classroom. This was a big breakthrough for me because I always thought that I wanted to be a school teacher. I still wanted to work with kids and help them overcome stuff but I didn’t want to do that in classroom setting. I got busy with life and didn’t think about what else I may want to do for a few months. Three months ago, I started to look into what I wanted to do with my life. John is in school right now, but will be finishing in December, so I started to look to the future and figure out what my next step should be. I quickly came to the conclusion that occupational theory, OT, was the right choice for me. It fit my passion for children and my interest in science. I was praying during this time for God to show me what I suppose to do, but I was not taking the time to listen for him. I shared my new found conclusion with my small group and asked them to pray for me and about the decision. I was so excited that I finally figured out what I wanted to do that I still was not listening for God. While this was all happening, our church started a series called When God Shows Up. I was at a point where I thought I had figured out what I was supposed to do, praying for God to help me figure out the how and where, but still not listening for God. One service was a turning point for me. One night, I go on Saturday nights, Rick O. asked us to pray for the Holy Spirit to come and speak to us. I was hit with a word, transformation, and a picture of a butterfly repeating over and over again. For those of you that know don’t me, I don’t like to speak out, be in the spot light and the whole idea of God speaking thorough me in a scare at best. When Rick asked us a share for we got any words I didn’t share. I was frozen. Not sure where to go next. After the service, I felt that I had to go up. So, I slowly walked up not sure of myself or what to say. I told Rick what had come to me with a shaky voice. He said that what I heard was from God and it was what he needed to hear for the church. I still was not sure about everything, but I had felt different then I had ever before. Some was starting within me; God was slowly turning me upside down. Man, when God starts it feels like you are going to the top of the world tallest rollercoaster. The nervousness, excitement, and anticipation build-up and we feel like you are going to explode. After that first time of recognizing and acknowledging God voice, my head was rarely quiet. I had opened the flood gates and God had been standing by ready to inundate me with his words and heart. John left for Mexico May 31st and I think God was waiting to really pour himself into me. I went to a class called Ministry of Jesus. It was about how to pray for others. I felt a strong need to go to the class. When I got there I quickly figured out that I was the only person there that was not going on a mission trip this summer. I laughed a little about that because why was I there. Why did God lay it on my heart to go? I continued to practice listen for God more and more in my everyday life. Every week I had a new revelation from God and every Saturday the service would be related. During this time, I started looking at Master’s programs trying to figure out what I suppose to do. I found a program and it instantly felt right, a combination program in social work and international development. God speaks as feelings, as pictures, we can hear him in our mind, through other people, and sometimes he can speak to our heart. Everyday God was replacing more of my heart for his. Last week, I went to a regional leadership conference called Activate. I know that I do not have a leadership role at church, but again God told me that I needed to be there and I have found out that there is no use not doing what God tells you to do. I went to the night sessions and God was right I needed to be there. Every night he spoke to me through people there and directly to me. Every session reflected things that God had already placed in my heart. Brenda, my small group leader, was there and for that I am grateful. We grew closer to God together and she was a great listener and helped me see God’s plan. I believe that John and I are not supposed to live in the USA. We are supposed to help advance God’s kingdom all over the world. I feel that I am called to protect God’s children. I am not sure about much else right now, but I know that God will take of us and that he is in charge of the why, how, where, when and what. If I try to follow what I believe is God’s heart then I will be blessed in all I do. Looking back at my life, I now recognize how God has prepared us separately and together. I see how we both have very different views on life and what is important then most anyone I know. I am now at a place of excitement and anticipation. God continues to hit me of the head and I laugh at his humor and with joy at recognition of him.

TEN days to go!

Hi Everyone!!
Just a quick note to let you all that we will be back on American soil in TEN days. I can't believe it. I have very mixed emotions right now. I am excited to be going home and finish my service here in Bulgaria, two years where have you gone, but there is a lot of things here that I will miss. We are use it living here, it is our home. The pace of life is slower and there are not so many choices, soon enough that will change. We are trying to figure out what to pack and clean our apartment for our replacements, new volunteers. Man, it is amazing how much we have after two years.
News on after we come home:
John has been excepted into Colorado State University, new Global Social and Sustainable Enterprise, GSSE, program. This program is a mixture of Business and International Development. It is a great fit to his interest and we are both excited. He will receive his MSBA after 1 1/2 years. So, a month after get back we will be heading to Fort Collins. I am actively looking for a preschool teaching position.
So that is it for now.