A New Part of the Journey

Hello friends! It is hard to believe that my time in Nigeria is already half way done. So much has happened in the past 2 weeks and it has been a joy to be able to share pictures, thoughts and adventures with you! Today Ruby, John, Corrie and I are driving 3 hours south to Abuja to take Ruby to the airport. Please pray that we will have safe travels to the city and are able to return back to Jos without any delays or problems.

While I have been in Nigeria I have focused on sharing events and ministry details with you, but I have not spent too much time sharing what God is doing in my heart, so I would like to take a few moments to do just that! One of the reasons that I came to Nigeria was to see if this might be where God is leading me to teach after this next year in Mexico. Leading up to the trip, my constant prayer was that God would use this time to open my heart to the work that He is doing in Nigeria and make it very clear to me if this is where he wants me. For the past year I have been making plans and dreaming about moving to Africa to begin a new adventure. My plan was to come here, fall totally in love with it, feel complete confirmation that this is where I am supposed to be and then have a teaching position fall right into my lap! Am I an optimist and a planner? Maybe a little bit! :) Well, I can't believe that after a lifetime of God showing me he usually has a different plan in mind, I am still surprised each time that my plan does not pan out the way I anticipated. You see, I have come here, I have fallen in love with the children, the country, and the culture, I have a teaching position to apply for... but it didn't take me long to realize that this is not where the Lord is leading me next.

"Lord, what is going on here? I thought this was the plan! It was a good plan, I mean come on, I had it all figured out!" Haha and just when I think I have it figured out I realize that I really have no idea what is in store. I am beginning to wonder how long it will take me to really learn that the road God chooses for us is often not the road we except... but it is always so much better! Not always easy, but always good if we allow him to change us and grow us as we seek him from right where he has us.

So I don't know what is next for me, but as my supporters, friends, family and people that I care most about, I feel compelled to share that I have no idea what the future will hold! Haha and I will try to stop being surprised each time I learn that I can't tell the future! Whatever is next is going to be different than I would have ever imagined. It may not be an African Adventure, but I am confident that a grand adventure awaits, becuase each day is an adventure when we are seeking God from the location that he has us! Praise the Lord!