Your God is striding ahead of you

As I sit here writing at ten o'clock tonight, the Idaho sky is just turning toward twilight, with a rim of orange on the horizon, fading into the smoky blue of the sky. It will be so weird to go from the Pacific Northwest, where it's light so late to the tropics so close to the equator that it gets light around 6 am and dark around 6pm. But when it's as hot as it is in Tarakan, you don't mind nighttime coming! At least we'll get to experience the longest day of the year in Idaho before we go. We are still waiting on our visas. We were accepted through the Indonesian Department of labor, but still getting pushed through the other departments. So, it should be within the next two weeks that we actually receive them, and then will be able to purchase tickets and set a departure date. So you can keep praying about that.

This past week was eventful. Dave was in Wichita, Kansas for Caravan training (the type of airplane he'll be flying in Indonesia). So the boys and I were on our own. We always miss Dave when he's gone. Nobody roughs up the boys like Papa. And Mama is usually ready for a break by the time he gets back! Praise the Lord, he had a good time of training, and really enjoyed his simulator instructor. It sure was a lot of information to pack in, though! I think he's glad to be home, too.

While he was gone, MAF had their annual family conference. That kept us busy from Wednesday evening on. The speaker this year was Dr. Charles Shepson, the father of Dave's co-worker Brian Shepson. Dr. Shepson is almost 82, but he's as spunky as ever. He has been a pastor and counselor for many years, and has published multiple books as well. He's a great story-teller and loves to recount story after story of God's faithfulness in his life. If you like stories you might like his books Quiet Miracles I and II, and soon to be III!

I did feel like God spoke to my heart on the last evening. (All of his messages were good - but this one stuck the most for me). He was speaking from Deuteronomy, and his last message was from Deuteronomy 31. It seems like this past year of Bible Study has all ended up centering on entering the promised land. So I don't think it was a coincidence that Dr. Shepson's messages also focused on Moses' charge to Joshua and the people of Israel as they prepared to enter the promised land. He was reading from the message from Deuteronomy 31: 6: "Be strong. Take courage. Don't be intimidated. Don't give them a second thought because God, your God, is striding ahead of you. He's right there with you. He won't let you down; He won't leave you." Wow. His first two points were that God strides ahead of us into the land, and that God is also right there with us, and he told story after story to illustrate these points.

Well, I felt like God was speaking to my heart, specifically about going back to Indonesia. What comfort to truly believe that God is striding ahead of us, and that He is right there with us through anything! How encouraging. And He does that for all of us!

Awhile back I mentioned that I had found some pictures of C.J. and Hannah from Indonesia. As I think about God striding ahead of us to go back to that land, I thought I'd share one of those pictures with you, although I can't figure out how to put it down here rather than up top! Sorry, I'm still learning this blog thing.

PRAYER POINTS: For God to work out the departure date that He wants for our family, and for wisdom to know how to organize our time to continue accomplishing all the tasks that need to be finished. Thank you!