Since my husband and I got married in January, I have been searching for a job. Finally, just a few weeks ago, my search ended! I was first offered a job at McDonald's, which I accepted, but after just one week of working there, I was offered a better job. Our landlord owns a gas station/market, and he graciously gave me a position there. I am now in my second week of working there, and thoroughly enjoy it.
There are many things that I could question, such as, "Why did it take almost 6 months to acquire a job?" I also had become quite accustomed to being a stay at home wife, and it was a little difficult to adjust to an outside work schedule again. I definitely look forward to the day when I can once again be a stay at home wife (and hopefully mother ;), but know this is God's will for the time being.
I don't often share too many details about my life publicly, but I hope this will encourage someone who may be struggling out there. You see, my husband and I have a great burden to reach the Deaf of Gabon, Africa with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and we would love to be there even right now. Yet God's plan and timing are perfect, and sometimes we must simply wait and trust Him. Sometimes, we must do things that are not necessarily in our plan, but things that are a part of His plan. To be a missionary or pastor's wife is certainly a great honor, responsibility, and calling. However, we cannot jump ahead of God's plan. I would love to be on the mission field right now, discipling ladies, teaching children, helping my husband in the ministry, but I cannot get ahead of God's plan and miss the blessings of today. Here, God is surely training me for future ministry and I must be patient and serve Him wholeheartedly in my present position.
And so I encourage you, don't get ahead of God. Open your eyes to the opportunities around you, (lost souls are everywhere), and live your life for God today. As you obey Him, He will open doors in His timing, and lead you in His perfect will. Give up your desires, your goals, and ambitions, and say, "Here am I, Lord, send me. Wherever You lead, I'll follow." Lastly, as you follow God and experience His blessing, be sure to give Him ALL the glory. We take the time to bring our requests for help and guidance to God, but how often do we then take the credit for things accomplished, instead of giving it to the One who allowed us to accomplish the tasks.
"Because He is, I am; because He will, I can;
All my hope is standing on His promises;
Because He gave, I give; because He died, I live;
I am, I am, because He is."
*If you have any prayer requests you would like to share, I would love to pray for you!!
Because of Him,
Amanda
HI Amanda,
ReplyDeleteI found your blog through the Tale of the Four Brides at Rebecca's blog. I'm a middle aged, wife of almost 14 years, mother,university professor. I am so enjoying reading about your story (and the other 3 brides). It brings back good memories of our time as newly weds! Really and truly, it only gets better!
Thank you so much for sharing your testimony here! Your job story here made me laugh and brought tears to my eyes all at the same time. The Lord works in mysterious ways and I have been so very blessed that His timing is perfect, even when we think it isn't!
I will continue to pray for you and Bruce and your heart for Africa. We have a heart for Africa too (my parents were Lutheran missionaries there - retired now) and know what a wonderful place it is and how important the ministry is there!
You asked if you could pray for us too. My husband is in his 3rd year of Seminary for our church and we have some difficult and possibly painful decisions to make in the next year or two. If you could pray for us that would be great! His name is John.
Blessings,
Lea
Hi Lea,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your note and for praying for us regarding Africa. In what part of Africa did your parents minister?
I will be praying for you and your husband as you make these decisions. It is so wonderful to know that He will always lead us as we follow Him!
God Bless,
Amanda
HI Amanda,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the prayers! It is such a comfort knowing that others are praying for us right now.
My parents ministered in Ethiopia and Tanzania. Large parts of the ministry of the Lutheran church are education and healthcare, and my parents worked with setting up education programs at the missions, particularly for the girls in the nomadic tribes. Fighting illiteracy and poor sanitation, which starts at home with the wives and mothers, has made a huge difference there and they are starting to see the rewards not just with health and well-being but with so many joining the church and placing their trust in the Lord. In some ways the nomadic tribes of eastern Africa are easier to minister to than some others because they believe in a single god (rather than the multiple gods of objects and places) and believe they are part of the lost tribes of Israel (and therefore they own all the cattle in that region!).
Anyway, even though I was born after my parents returned to the US, I grew up working with stateside efforts for the ministries - lots of fundraising, hosting missionaries, telling stories, and raising awareness. My parents still return to Africa every few years (2010 was their last visit, so they're due for another either this winter or next spring).
Now that we're embarking on our own ministry adventure I have a much greater appreciation for the sacrifices my parents made to be able to minister in another part of the world. Ministry is such difficult work at times but I am continually amaized at the Lord's guidance and grace. He always provides - tonight we were gifted with 12 ears of corn, enough pickling cucumbers that I can make pickles, and 4 VERY large carrots. I had been wondering about veggies for us right now and a perishoner at the church my husband is working at brought us this gift. We've had so many experiences like this, that even people we know who don't believe are starting to say, "hmmm..."
I think that if I didn't know that the Lord has us in His Almighty Hand and knows exactly what our next steps will be, I would crumble under the stress of it all!
Blessings and thank you again for the prayers,
Lea