Life can change in an instant. If there is anything that I have learned over the past few years it’s just that. Nothing is guaranteed and the unexpected can happen. I find it interesting looking back over the few years that I can now pinpoint the exact moments my life turned and went a different direction.
The moment the doctor said to my mom, “it’s cancer.”
The moment we heard, “the cancer is back and we need to operate again.”
The moment I said to James’ mom, “I’ll wait patiently for James to move back to Ottawa because I’ll never live in Toronto.”
The moment I moved to Toronto.
The moment James got down on one knee and asked me to marry him.
The moment my mom’s doctor said, “I’m sorry there are no more options for treatment.”
The moment James shut down his business
The moment I looked into James eyes and said, “I do”
The moment my Granma and I hit the driver who turned left in front of us
The moment my mom took her last breathe
The moment our wheels hit the puddle on the highway and our car was left totalled
Each moment changed my life. Some moments were great, but other moments rocked my world to the point that I wasn’t sure I’d ever be able to stand again.
Sometimes it’s hard to see why God could possibly want us to go through certain circumstances, other times it’s not possible to be grateful enough.
Each moment in the past few years has been leading James and I down a path. Though, for a long time we didn’t know where that path led. We figured the next steps were to buy a house and start a family. We didn’t anticipate the path leading to an 11 month journey around the world.
A journey where we would leave our plans behind and walk faithfully into God’s plans.
A journey where we would give up everything except what we can fit in a backpack.
A journey where we would step outside of our comfort zones and live in community with 50 other 20 & 30 something year olds.
A journey where we would show the love of God to people all over the world.
That is where the path has led us though. On September 1, 2012 we will begin this 11 month journey to 12 countries. We’ll have the opportunity to work with contacts already established in Australia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, India, Nepal, Tanzania, Rwanda, Kenya, Ukraine and Romaina.
At the end of this journey I expect to look back and see many more moments that changed my life. I know this is just one more step in the perfect plan that God has. Even though I can’t see what moments are coming or how they will change my envisioned future, I know they will be moments necessary for His plan.
Sometimes this journey feels overwhelming, terrifying and impossible, but I know in my heart He will be walking right beside me each and every step of the way. Sometimes He will be guiding me, and sometimes He will be carrying me… just as He has through all of the moments of the past few years.
And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”
– Isaiah 6:8
