New, Scary, Amazing

     The last year of our family's lives have been all the things: new, scary, terrifying, fun, unsettling, but also amazing.  Everyone of us has transitioned in some way or another:

     The marriage of our daughter and gaining a new son.
     Moving to a smaller home in the country.
     Adding bees and chickens to our little settlement.
     Skin cancer diagnoses.
     Surgeries.
     Moving our elderly mom with Alzheimers in with us permanently.
     Starting an Airbnb.
     Having our grown children move in with us for several months while in
     transition to Sweden.
     Our son and his wife moving to Sweden.
     Hearing the call of God on Village to Village and moving forward with
     some huge unknowns.
     Hosting the largest event in five years though Village to Village in Moldova.
     Adding a child sponsorship program from Africa to our ministry.

     Every single one of these things have taken hard work, prayer and days with not much sleep.  Maybe the bees and chickens did not take a lot of prayer but my husband did ask me to circle the chicken house the other day and pray they will start laying eggs!  I laughed but then went out and did it because my husband is used to me doing odd things when trying to hear God's voice and at times those things happen.

    Over the last month I have been stuck in one place whether it's from the Bible, my devotionals or songs I am listening to.  Taking that one huge step towards whatever God is calling me to, allowing Him to know I believe that He can do what He has promised.  Even if that step seems out of place or crazy, we need to just do it!  He is big enough to stop us from falling off the cliff but if we never take the step, we may be missing the bridge that gets us to the other side of our hopes and dreams, healing, amazing relationships or lives being changed around the world.

     I think we all have moments that seem impossible even with God, but remember Abraham and Sarah, well advanced in years having a child?  Sarah laughed.  At God!  Genesis 18:14 says Is anything too hard for the Lord?  No.  He moves mountains, raises people from the dead, divides a sea so His people can walk through on dry ground.  He is even in the fire when Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego choose to do what is right rather then what is easy.  They came out unharmed and their lives where forever changed- but they had to take that first step.

     This does not mean God is a genie in a bottle and we get anything we ask.  But if we do not ask, if we do not move when He calls us to, if we do not circle those  things in prayer that we are passionate about, we will always miss out on the Blessing.

     I don't want to miss anything God has for me.  At this moment God has ask Village to Village to step out in faith over this next year.  As a board and staff we are very unsure of what that means but we are doing it because we do not want to miss out on the blessing God has for us and for those we serve, just because we were scared.  I'm excited to begin this journey and allow you to join us and see what could happen.

     I encourage you to move when you feel God's call on your life.  It could be a job, child, marriage, volunteer work (locally or abroad), a relationships with your neighbor or learning to live simply through your finances and time so others around the world can simply live.  Just move.  You won't be sorry.