As that time approaches, my nerves are starting to grow. I am starting to wonder if I made the right decision and if I really need to follow God's prompting at this time in my life. Am I really able to leave everything that I know-my family, my friends, my whole world-and move to Africa? What was I thinking? I have never even been to a third-world country! Why am I moving to one? Why don't I just get a normal job!?!?
But then I remember the story of Abraham... He didn't know God's plan in his life. He didn't know that God would use him and his descendants to save all people! He just got up and moved when and where God told him. His faith and his trust in God earned him a place in the Hall of Faith. Was he scared? Did he ever have doubts? I don't know, but I think the answer is probably yes. He was probably scared to leave his homeland. He probably felt like he was turning his back on his father's grave. He left his brothers and all his friends. I cannot imagine his pain at what God was asking him to do.
I am lucky enough to live in a time in which I will be able to connect with and talk to my family and my friends even though I will be living on the other side of the earth. I am able to share my joys and my struggles with them. I am able to send them letters pouring out my frustrations with the world. I am able to learn about the happenings at home. I am able to look at my newspaper or get on CNN.com to learn about what is going on at home.
I want to thank God for giving my this opportunity and for helping me find the strength and faith in order to actually do it. I want to thank whomever invented the internet (be it Al Gore or Sir Tim Berners-Lee... it was the latter for anyone wondering) for shrinking the world a little bit and for giving me the chance to talk to my family from across the world. I want my parents to know that I will be forever grateful that they did not tell me that I could not go. For all of the people that have supported me in prayer or financially: I know that I would not be boarding a plane next Sunday without you. Thanks. Finally, I am thankful to all of the people that attended my Thanksgiving Dinner on Saturday. Lauren and I knew that we would be missing this great and encouraging holiday during our time in Burkina. We wanted to share this time with you. Thanks for encouraging us and loving us enough to eat Lauren's dinner rolls...
As you can see there is plenty for me to be thankful for...
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