There is one thing I have learned about God throughout my life. He has His timing and it’s usually not what we expect.
When I was younger the main point of the testimony I would share was that I thought God was telling me no, but it turned out He was just telling me to wait. As I’ve grown up I have seen it time and time again that God does things on His timing. He decided to send me to Big Rapids two years after I had already started college. He sent me here right after I went to Haiti. He had me preparing for a three month internship in Haiti for nine months, even though He knew I wouldn’t actually go. It’s crazy to think about all that He has done and how it works out in the end, even if at the time I can’t see past the struggle of waiting or of thinking He closed a door. Even when He did close that door it was all for His good. He changed me so much during that time of preparation and gave me that summer to continue in the growth.
Another moment when God chose His timing over mine was when my sister and I were going to Ecuador. I was already in Texas with her, at the base of the mission organization, and we needed a combined amount of over $2,000 still for our mission trip. This was less than a week until we were supposed to fly out! I was nervous but Kayla was not. We received a phone call from a phone call from a cousin asking us how much we needed. I grew up with parents who are teachers and this cousin also happens to be a teacher so I did not anticipate what was about to happen. We gave her the number for the office and went back to ministry training. That evening at dinner an intern from the organization walked up to our table and said congratulations you are fully funded! I am pretty sure I jumped to my feet and screamed jumping around. Not only was this an amazing experience to live through but has honestly spoken the truth of God’s faithfulness to several people who have felt the strain of financial support raising. God answers. Sometimes it’s later than anticipated. Sometimes it’s when we least expect it!
Now for how my current situation has me thinking about God’s timing:
As I’ve written in previous blogs and for those of you that have known me you know mission work has been something God placed on my heart a long time ago. This trip for me is a time to see what overseas missions can look like in many places. I don’t imagine myself having a 9-to-5 job when I return, except for possibly for a short amount of time while preparing for whatever else God shows me He wants me to do with my life. I know a minimalist lifestyle is in the future for me no matter where God sends me, even if it is stateside. The fewer doctors I have to visit the better in my mind. This thought is what lead me to pursuing the idea of Lasik eye surgery!
When the journey began I had no idea what would make me a candidate for the surgery. We just prayed leading up to my annual visit that it would be able to work out. Strangely enough we even prayed against the possibility of me having glaucoma. At my appointment a year ago my doctor told me the pressure in my eye was very high and that there was a possibility that I would be diagnosed with glaucoma, but because I was only 24 years old he didn’t want to jump to conclusions too quickly. We prayed against the glaucoma and I went to the eye doctor with two questions: was I a candidate for Lasik and was this possibility of glaucoma still there.
Upon my arrival after they did that thing where you look at the hot air balloon and a bright light flashes they checked the pressures of my eyes. They were at 20 and 21. We went back to the room and they checked my eyes and my eye doctor told me that in order to be a candidate for Lasik my prescription needs to have remained the same for at least a year. When I heard that my heart sank. My eyes have never stayed the same from year to year. We went through all the lenses, he asked me if one or two was better and so on. Then he said something that I had already decided in my mind that he wouldn’t say.
I was a perfect candidate for Lasik.
My eyes had not changed at all.
He also told me that there was no sign of glaucoma in the back of my eye but that they would check the pressure again now that my contacts were out.
You know how people sometimes say they have an “out of body experience” and feel like they’re looking from above at themselves? That’s how I felt.
Everything we prayed for had been answered. As it turned out things I didn’t even pray for were answered!
They checked my eyes again and the pressure had dropped to 10 and 11!! This showed me how big of an impact contacts had on my eyes and I was even more relieved to know I was a candidate for Lasik!
When I left the doctor I immediately called the surgeon they had referred me to and learned some valuable info and set up my consultation visit. At that visit I learned that this company considered my Lasik treatment a lifetime commitment. If years down the road my eyes got worse they would perform touch up procedures at no cost. I had feared getting Lasik because I knew it wasn’t always a permanent fix and in the back of my mind that always worried me. But here goes God sending me to the doctor that may have cost $1,000 more than another but would treat my eyes for life!
Seriously. This whole process has been so God ordained I can’t even wrap my head around it! And as I’ve sat in awe at all of this more has been revealed to me about how God is working through this time.
There has been a lot going on in my life, so it’s been tough to keep up on all of the things that are scheduled. For example, I am only a few days from my first financial deadline for the world race and due to just receiving Lasik I am no longer financially able to fill the the gap of what I still need to raise. I didn’t realize this was going to overlap but I’ve came to the realization that this must have been in God’s plan. I tend to rely on myself, but I am being forced to rely on God and that He will show up and show off through others in allowing me to reach this deadline.
Crazily enough I am also only 3 1/2 months from when I launch!! Today I am one week post surgery as well. After the surgery they told me it will take three months for my eyes to fully heal.
I’m hoping you’re able to follow all of this but pretty much God’s been revealing to me that I need to chill. He obviously has this figured out and has shown up in great ways before and will do so again! He knew what He was doing in timing out my most expensive World Race purchase but ordained it in a way that I will not have to worry about it again!
To sum this one up:
God is good.
Prayer request:
I have had a slight struggle with knowing I will be leaving this awesome town of Big Rapids. I’ve never really struggled in leaving places before other than in the moment of actually leaving because I know I might be coming back. But I think this time the reality is that I might not come back. Yes I will be here for weekends and to visit the people who have truly became a family to me, but I don’t know if I will ever live in this town again. Prayers for peace during this time and that I can truly live in the moment and continue to pour into this community until it is time for me to leave are greatly appreciated!
