Random Rain

What keeps happening in my life as I prepare to leave the country to move to New Zealand and begin a new life there? Random rain. My emotions seem to be wrapped up in tears. One moment, I am so excited that God would ask us to start a church in New Zealand, that I cry with joy...the next moment, I feel overwhelmed with all we need to do and all the trust we need to know that God will provide the finances, that I cry...

Random rain has become a normal part of life for me and, I guess, my family. God is the creator of emotions. He knows what I am going through. I suppose He doesn't mind a few extra raindrops from time to time.

I am trying to learn to embrace these extra raindrops. It is all part of the journey I suppose. Who doesn't need a little extra rain in their lives?

People ask what it feels like to "become a missionary". I feel honored, sad, excited, overwhelmed and joyful all at once. I feel honored that God would ask us to move all the way around the world to share Him with others. I feel sad to know I won't be able drive to a Birthday party when I want to. I feel excited that I will be moving to an amazing city to meet new people.  I feel overwhelmed as we are now totally dependent on God to provide. Rain begins to fall as all of these emotions fill my life.

We need about $50,000 more to be able to fly over to New Zealand to begin to start meeting people and sharing the hope of Christ. I feel the rain coming when I stop to think about how big that amount is to us. Then, when someone walks up and invests $1000 or commits online to supporting us each month, the rain begins again as I see God's hand moving through other people.

I sit and think of all the people God has for us to meet in New Zealand. The rain wells up in me as I pray for these people that we have never met, those who are sitting in darkness and praying for light. Some moments I feel like I can't wait even a few more months to meet these people from all over the world. Then, again, drops of rain...

Auckland, New Zealand, where we will be moving, has many people from many countries living there. While Dennis and I visited back in March, we met a couple who work with Campus Crusade on the campus of the University of Auckland. They told us of praying for revival. They talked about praying that God would send people to help them. They explained how they meet with students from all over the world who come to Auckland for their education. They talk to them over coffee and tell them about Jesus. They show them that there is One who can bring light to their darkness. Then, they looked up into our eyes and said, "but we do not have a church to send them to". Remembering their faces as they said this to us brings more rain drops that just don't stop falling sometimes.

Please pray for me - and my family - as we continue on this journey of trust. It is so amazing to watch what God can do! It also brings rain. Random rain. I am beginning to enjoy the rain as God is clearing out my heart of things I hold onto. Selling possessions brings a fresh rain of freedom. Praying for those we will meet brings the rain of hope. Telling others what God can do brings rain of trust and expectation. Sharing with you brings a rain of comfort knowing that others are praying with us on this journey. Random rain...I encourage you to try it, although, you may have to step out in faith in some area of your life to be able to see it falling more frequently. Jesus did not say that following Him would be easy, but He said He would be with us...maybe even in the rain.




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