I am amazed by how God has answered my prayers. Coming into this trip, I had some fears. My number one fear was about my relationship with Jose. Prior to leaving, I was encouraged by how much Jose had grown in his walk with God since the time I had met him. However, I felt that I was spiritually further along in my walk than him. I desired for him to be the spiritual head of the relationship and one day the spiritual head of our marriage and our household, but I knew that he was not there yet. My fear was that I would leave on this trip for 11 months and God would do incredible work in my life and I would grow in amazing abundance, but that spiritually I would leave Jose in the dust. I felt that trips of this nature perpetuate significant spiritual growth and that Jose being at home would not grow at the same pace that I would, let alone surpass me to become the spiritual leader that I desired in my relationship. But, not only has God shown me this year how unjustified were my fears, he has blessed me beyond what I could have imagined.
Charlotte, a woman from my church, met with me a few times before I left on this trip. The last time we met she asked how I was doing and how she could pray for me. I expressed to her the same fear I just mentioned. In response, she pointed out that my fear was not from God and then she shared a story of encouragement with me. She told me about a young woman she knew that was in a fairly new relationship, but who felt called to go to Kenya for one year. This woman also had concerns about how being abroad for a year would affect her relationship. But, God greatly blessed their time apart. Both individuals grew in their walk with the Lord and their relationship was strengthened and blessed because of their obedience to God’s calling. After sharing this story, Charlotte told me about how God would bless my relationship because of my obedience to him. She said that if my relationship with Jose was God-ordained as I told her it was, then God would bless Jose and our relationship as I am obedient to God’s calling to go on this mission trip. While I believed her, I had no idea how much truth was in what she shared with me.
Since my departure, God has done amazing things in my life. But what is more incredible to me is the transformation that I have seen in Jose. Since the beginning of this year, the following things have taken place:
- He joined the church
- He joined a new small group
- He has a group of Christian male accountability partners
- He went to Bolivia as a translator
- He preached for the first time (in Spanish!)
- He has begun to meet with Pastor Rich weekly for prayer, accountability, and mentoring
- He has become involved in the Bolivia partnership after returning home
- He has joined the prayer team at church
- He has enrolled and started with the Vineyard Leadership Institute (Bible classes)
- He has joined the sound team at church
I don’t have words to express the joy that receiving the emails of this news and information has brought my heart. God has done more than I could have dreamed or imagined. Jose has been transforming before my eyes. I know the list above does not even scratch the surface of the things that God has been doing. But, I am grateful for everything God has been doing in Jose’s life and mine. I know this year has been a year of preparation for Jose to be a spiritual leader, not just for me but for a church someday. I know this has been a year of growth and transformation that is only the beginning of what God will do after I come home. I am abundantly blessed. I can now see and understand the words of wisdom Charlotte shared with me before I left home. I can see the relevance and truth in them. I can see how our obedience to God does not go unseen by Him. I can see while we may not see our blessings in the moment that God does see our obedience and He does delight in us as we respond to what He calls us to.
