Seasons Change- Follow Me into the Next One :)

In month 6 of the Race I had to make one of the hardest decisions of my life… return to my career in teaching or follow my call to the Nations? After about a month in prayer, I emailed HR and my administration to let them know I was not ready to come back to the classroom. I needed more time. Well, the Lord sure made the choice clear when I received the following 2 sentence email response. 

“We no longer grant a second year leave of absence. Please let us know if you will be returning or resigning for the 2014-2015 school year.”

Are you kidding me? I thought. I’d spent the last decade doing what I thought was my career until I retired. 

In my heart I knew the answer. The following day, I resigned.

“What now?” I asked Papa. “Just wait.” He said.

And so I waited.

Month 10 my team was placed at a ministry site in the middle of the Kalahari Desert of Botswana, Africa. And it was cooold, I’m talking below freezing at night.

I received an email from a staff member at Adventures asking me to pray about a position available overseeing community, discipleship, and development at their Center for Global Action.

“Me? They want me? Do manage CGA?” I thought, “I’ve gotta pray about this.”

Wearing everything I owned, took 3 small plastic chairs, and laid down under the full Milky Way. Worshiping, thanking Him for this opportunity, I prayed for confirmation of this next step. All of a sudden the biggest, brightest, red fireball shot across the sky and disappeared overhead. There had been talk of a meteor shower later in the month and we had seen a ton of shooting starts, but this was like nothing I had ever witnessed.

“I’ll take that as a Yes.” I whispered, gathered the three chairs, and took them back inside the tiny church building where we’d been staying. I laid down in my tent, wide eyed and in awe of what I had just witnessed.

That’s when doubt crept in. I remember thinking, “Lord are you serious? I can’t do this, I’m not trained. I’ve only ever managed a room of 30 ten years olds.” “How am I going to pay my mortgage? Where am I going to live? I’ll have to raise support…. AGAIN!”

“Peace.” He said. “You are in Botwsana. In the desert. In a tent. And you’re fine.”

“I’m in Botswana, in the desert, in a tent… and I’m fine.” I repeated to myself.

And there you have it. No matter how many times He’s pursued me, no matter how many times He’s provided, my human nature kicks in and I keep having to remind myself, He’s gotten me this far, He’s not going to leave me now!

It’s been 3 months since that night in the desert and I’m writing this from the bedroom of my friend’s parent’s house here in Gainesville, GA. I’ve been at the office for 3 days and it feels like I’ve been here forever (in a good way 😉 Granted, I’m learning a completely new skill set, and preparing for the arrival of our 40 some Apprentices and Fellows on the 12^th, I feel like I was made for this.

Starting September 12^th, along with several others, will be managing the CGA community. The purpose of this discipleship program is to help launch young adults into their calling. Through various tracks and courses (one of which I will be teaching) we hope to prepare and empower these individuals to go out into the field and do what they were made for!

Please prayerfully consider continuing in financial partnership with me during this next season with Adventures in Missions.  

Thank you for your love and support!

Blessings!

amie b 🙂