Oh boy do I have an update for you all!
So, as you may have heard, there’s this virus thing going around. Don’t know if you’re aware of it…
Okay yes I’m being goofy. But honestly, we were barely aware of any world news while we were out in wifi-less areas sharing the gospel, until a few weeks ago, when we were given two pieces of enormous news. “For one,” we were told, “there is a deadly disease spreading worldwide, and it has reached both the country we have just traveled to – Costa Rica – and the country where all of your families live.” Huh, okay, wow. Big news.“ And second of all… we are deciding to send you home because of this virus, ending your experience with the World Race two months early.”
Now, if you think my immediate response was devastation…
You are actually…incorrect. And oh boy, I’m so excited to tell you why.
First of all, wow, I just genuinely have nothing to fear. I trust that my God is bigger than any force on earth. He is brighter than any darkness. And He is in control. He is Provider, Protector, and Healer. In Him we have confident hope. The whole word of God promises these things. Here is a scripture that is UGH, just so reassuring for this specific situation:
PSALM 91
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say[a] to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”
For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with his pinions,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
You will not fear the terror of the night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.
A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
You will only look with your eyes
and see the recompense of the wicked.
Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place—
the Most High, who is my refuge[b]—
no evil shall be allowed to befall you,
no plague come near your tent.
For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways.
On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.
You will tread on the lion and the adder;
the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.
“Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;
I will protect him, because he knows my name.
When he calls to me, I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”
So. First piece of news? Didn’t scare me. And the second, well, here’s where I actually got to see the Lord’s faithfulness firsthand.
The Lord had been preparing me to leave Costa Rica and The World Race for weeks – without me even knowing – and preparing for me the most wonderful life back home (literally better than anything I ever could’ve asked or imagined!). Directly upon arriving to Costa Rica, I had gotten sick. My physical health quickly affected my emotional health, and after a few days, I fell into a mild – and very short – depression. So, as you can imagine, I was not enjoying our first tastes of Costa Rica. I couldn’t imagine spending a full three months in this place where my spirit felt so drained.
Two weeks went by in Costa Rica, and then we received the news. In all honesty, my heart’s first reaction was relief. I was ready. Ready to take this amazing experience and translate it to my life back home. And soon, that relief turned to excitement – I was going to get to go home and be with the people I love! For two whole extra months! What a blessing, especially after spending seven months missing them.
And now I’d just like to tell you how kind my God is: since being home, that excitement I felt has been met by the most wonderful reality. Guys, I genuinely can’t express how joyful this season at home is proving to be! The Lord has answered e v e r y s i n g l e p r a y e r. He has brought me closer to Him than ever before; by His grace and love alone, He has drawn my heart to desire Him above all (which is kind of the biggest answered prayer of my entire life). Each day I get to wake up and spend time in the Bible and in His presence, and then He walks with me through every moment of the day (making sure to provide me with many car dance parties and wacko moments of me being an idiot and us laughing together), and then He leads me to rest in His presence and just listen to His voice. He leads me to beautiful opportunities every single day to share His goodness with the people around me, and I literally can’t help but talk about Him – if you’ve been around me in the two weeks I’ve been home, you’ve proooobably experienced this.
He also just, no big deal, completely rejuvenated every area of my life. From things as small as my wardrobe, to things as big as my whole IDENTITY, I have been remade. I am a new creation in Christ Jesus, and my joy is actually uncontainable. Not kidding. I will be sitting by myself in my car and just start laughing uncontrollably, because there’s not enough room in my heart for this joy and it has nowhere else to go but out. I feel a freedom I’ve never experienced, to be exactly who I am in the confidence that I am loved by my magnificent Creator and Father. And I’m discovering… this wonderful life that I’m experiencing? This is just life walking close to Jesus! It’s mind-blowing! And what blows my mind even more is that He promises MORE for me. He is infinite, and His gifts never run out. He always has more joy to give me! More peace! And there is always more to discover about who He is. And oh BOY is that good news. I hope you all get to taste and see this good news for yourselves, because wow, experiencing life like this is an absolute game changer. Somehow, life with Him keeps getting better. And all I can even do at this point is praise Him, for He has been so, so good to me.
Loving you close once again (yay!),
Claire
