Attempt #4 at the Bolivian embassy
What a crazy few days it has been! Last Thursday we packed up after one of our favorite months on the race and said goodbye to friends that had become family and headed for the border of Bolivia. When we arrived, it all sort of became a blur. There were white people everywhere as we met up with another team from the squad and tried to cross together. There was talk in Spanish about paperwork, money and an excess of Americans. There was a group of foreign exchange students also trying to cross with two Americans in tow who were assumed to be with us as well. Somehow after much confusion we heard that if we passed the USD that we had to the other team that they would be allowed to cross, but all of sudden that meant the seven from our team and two exchange students were “officially deported” and just like that we were shut out behind the big metal door and the entrance of Bolivia.
Sitting at the border waiting to board a bus back to Chile, we called our hosts from this past month and asked if they had any advice on what to do now that we found ourselves homeless. They immediately called their friends in the city we would be landing and got the okay for us to stay. Once there we were met with food, hot showers, and told to stay as long as we needed. Seven days and 4 visa attempts later, we finally resolved that Brushed with Glory and Josiah would not be going to Bolivia.
Many years ago, I used to be terrified that I would be outside of the will of the Lord. I wanted so badly to please Him and do everything He called me too. Then I read, “Just Do Something” by Kevin DeYoung and realized that sometimes we make the will of the Lord more complicated than it needs to be. It suggested seeking wise council, consulting scripture and if it’s not blatantly contradicted than go for it, but don’t just sit there. As I studied more over the years, I came across Psalm 37:4 (Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.) and I preached in Togo through this verse that God is not a genie in a bottle that will grant our wishes if we make God happy enough. If we are sanctified and growing our relationship with Him, then His desires will begin to become our desires. He will give us the desires of our heart because He cultivated them there with the intention of His will being done.
When we heard the words, “You are being deported” from Bolivia, our team’s immediate prayer would be that the Lord be glorified and we would walk obediently with in the perfect plan the Lord orchestrated. The experience of sitting in limbo for a week in Chile when we were being waited on in Bolivia has reminded me of another aspect of God’s will: At the end of the day, His plan is perfect and it is sovereign. We can pray, study scripture, seek council, grow close to Him and tell Him our desires, but ultimately He is Master and Lord of all. If our heart’s desire is to seek to honor and glorify Him, we cannot be outside of His will. He will give dreams, end seasons, and close borders if He has to in order to ensure His perfect plan is accomplished. We have a lot of power and authority on Earth, especially when we daily partner with the one seated in Heavenly places, but how much better is it to release control and be apart of the design of the ultimate Creator?
Sometimes we will get to use the tools and resources provided for us; scripture, community, discernment. Sometimes He will cause our plan to align with His as we understand more of His character and our desires. And sometimes He takes the wheel completely and we learn a thing or two about trust and patience. Whatever the path, rest in the fact dear on that our God is sovereign, He is a planner far past what I can dream up and He is writing the perfect story that will end with our good and His glory.
Our host family making the trip to see us after being deported:
