The Journey Back

Final Preparations

Posted on May 20, 2012 Updated on March 18, 2013

One week.  In one week we will begin this journey by traveling to Ohio where the kids will be spending some good quality time with Grandma Porter and Papa.  Two days later we’ll board a plane and begin and an adventure that is sure to impact our own hearts as much the hearts of those we are going to serve and share God’s love.  There is so much to do.  We still need to make some arrangements for mail, bills, international calling, our home, etc for the time we’ll be gone.  There are a hundred errands to run, things to purchase, documents that need attention, craft activities to plan, and books I want to read to better prepare myself for the culture we are entering.  Meals are becoming a challenge, as I am trying hard to make sure that we have little to no food left in the house that could go bad while we are gone.  Then there’s packing, for us and for the kids, for a total of 21 days.  To top it off, it is the last week of school and we both work in public education!  There is so much to do.

It is especially hard because while all those things are necessary, I don’t really care about them.  What I really want to do is just quiet myself and spend hours in prayer and God’s Word.  I want to connect with God on the sort of level that means that there can’t possibly be an opportunity to be His voice or His hands that I would miss.  When I think of two weeks in terms of being away from my kids, it seems like an eternity.  But when I think about what we are going to do – sharing the love of God with people who are missing His presence in their lives – it seems like a fleeting moment that might affect all of eternity for that person.

So please pray that if we must choose between the lengthy list of earthly tasks and time spent at the feet of God , we will choose wisely.  And if you drive by our house and the mail is overflowing, or you read in a later blog post that we failed to pack something we desperately need… forgive us.

Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
Colossians 3:2