The reality of what our lives will be in likely just a few short months has begun to sink in.  We had significant increase in support last week and when I checked my email just a few minutes ago we had a new pledge that accounts for another 1%.  The increase is almost dizzying and unbelievable.  And it makes me emotional!

I’m overwhelmed by the sacrifice and generosity of people who are joining us on this journey. I’m overwhelmed by God’s provision and the sources of His provision. I’m overwhelmed with everything that needs to happen between now and when we board a plane in, hopefully, a little over five months.  That’s just a lot of overwhelmed!

I’ve written before about the verses we have on the boys’ walls in their room. Two verses (Joshua 1:9 and Deuteronomy 31:8) have really been on my heart over the past week as so many things have been happening and I’ve been thinking about all the change we have coming.  I have no reason to doubt God.  I know that He is faithful, that He has gone ahead of us, and that He will be with us every step of the way.

God drew us to Himself at young ages so that by the time we move He would have been sanctifying us for many years, growing us, teaching us, and showing us how to depend on Him.  He sent us over and over to a variety of places when we were in high school, college, and during our marriage. He has prepared us for what we will encounter.

God is with us now. He knows what’s on our hearts. He sees the tears of joy, pain, frustration, etc. that have fallen throughout this process.  He’s seen us giddy with excitement over new pledges and with broken hearts for the people who need to be reached.

And He’s gone ahead of us.  He already knows where we’re going to live (hopefully a place with an oven and bathtub!). He knows who our friends are and who are kids’ friends are.  He knows where we’ll shop for groceries and which hawkers make food that we like. He knows how many monkeys we’ll see (I’m thinking about adding a “monkey counter” to the website so those of you at home can play along). He knows all the ins and outs.

That’s why I say I’m hemmed in.  Everywhere I go, in everything I do, He’s already been there, is there now, and will be there in the future.  So we continue on through this paradoxical time of our lives and wait to see God’s plan unfold.