Welcome back folks!
God continues to provide and guide me in getting ready for the Race. I met with human resources at my job on Tuesday to discuss what my options were for leaving for 11 months. Not surprisingly, DIRECTV cannot allow a leave of absence longer than 90 days. This was pretty much expected, as there aren't many companies that can do a leave of absence long enough for the Race. The good news is that everyone that knows about this trip at work have already shown me a lot of support, excitement and the willingness to fight to get me hired back on when I return. God has certainly given me favor with the people I work with. This is great and I will keep in touch with everyone at work in case things work out for me to return to DIRECTV. Since I told my department at work almost as soon as I knew I was accepted for the race, I am not precluded from returning to the company.
However, me trying to have a job at DIRECTV when I come back to the states is a human response to my situation. Once again, it is a desire to be comfortable and always be in control in my own life. I'm working hard to simply allow God to guide me in every step. God could take me on a completely different path by the time I return to the states. With God, you just never know, and that's not a bad thing. It's an exercise in trust and being willing to let God move and do things you never even expected or thought possible. We may not understand how He moves, why He moves or the opportunities He puts before us. For seemingly the first time in my life, I feel that I am perfectly willing to follow God, wherever He calls, even without having the answers or understanding the why.
While things at work are progressing well in preparation for me to leave, I have felt as though the enemy is increasing in his attempts to keep me from going. I must be doing something right. The enemy knows I'm a threat. For the last 2 months, which is about when my journey to go on the race started, I've been dealing with sinus issues, ear aches, tonsil and throat problems. Even today, I had to leave work early because I just didn't have any energy. I felt fatigued and achy and was even running a low fever. I feel beat down and frustrated. Over the last several weeks, I've been on 4-5 different anti-biotics, anti-virus and steroid medications. My tonsils are swollen, my ear continues to bother me and I fight to stay awake as I write this blog.
I've prayed to be healed, other people have prayed for me to be healed and it doesn't seem like anything is happening. Despite all this, I will not curse my God. I hold onto the FACT that God is good, and He is faithful. I know that it is not my God that has come against me, it is the enemy, the world, the devil. In my weakness, God is strong and I rest in His love, even now. One of the things that gives me hope is the reassurance that I am doing exactly what God wants me to do, that God will change the world through me. Why else would the enemy be coming against me so vehemently. He doesn't like the idea of me going out ino the world and bringing hope to the hopeless and love to the unloved.
As I wrap up this post, I simply ask that whoever reads this would keep me in your prayers. Pray that the enemy's attempts to stop me from doing the works God has called me to would be bound up. Pray that healing would be released to my body and that I would be made whole again. Pray that love and peace would overwhelm me and that my faith would not be shaken in these frustrating circumstances.
God Bless!
