Changes

        It is intriguing the way our Father works.  Many times He doesn't give us a view of the big things ahead.  We make plans but ultimately He directs our steps (Pr/19:21).  Last year I thought I knew what was ahead.  I was preparing to serve overseas long-term.  Yet over the course of this year, Gd has gently worked in other ways.  He has stepped in and opened up other things.  I'm learning through this to trust my Father and trust His character.  He has good things in store. 
        Another thing that I have learned this past year is the importance and value that Gd places on family.  Without realizing it, I started to buy into the world's mindset that marriage and family is of secondary importance to pursuing a career - even if it was a career in min.  As I considered what my role would look like in a cross-cultural context as a single lady, I realized some loopholes in my thinking.  I tried to imagine my role in min to ladies.  Most ladies spend a lot of their time serving their family and in the role of wife and mother.  For me to come and seek to serve them and share the good news, there would be a lot of things that I could not relate to them on as a single lady.  However, this does not mean that single ladies cannot serve in this way.  It has caused me to think about these things and consider where Gd is leading me.  Gd planned that most people would eventually marry.  It doesn't mean that if you don't marry, something is wrong.  For most people marriage is the 'norm.'  Over the course of this past year, this issue of singleness in min come to the surface in my heart.  Even though I longed to get married, I was willing to put opportunities to meet a young man aside and pursue min, if it was Gd's will.  Yet, somehow in my pr/yers about this I felt like Gd did not want me to close my heart off to this.  Instead He used circumstances and His truth to develop a deeper desire to one day marry, honor my future husband, and glorify Gd through family.  Gd created families.  It is a beautiful thing.  So, as I look at min and seek Gd about what is ahead, I do it with an open heart to whatever Gd brings.  I pr'y for my future husband, whoever he may be, and trust that Gd will bring us together in His time.  Until then I'm waiting and trusting in Gd.  He is faithful and is good.  He is who I hold onto as I live and seek to serve Him a day at a time.