Satan is active 
.
He has been inflicting challenge after challenge; pitching curve ball after curve ball!
The past few weeks have definitely been a challenge. Goodness..that really is an understatement 
. Not only has it been hard to think about the things that I will be leaving behind or postponing as my time of departure approaches; things such as relationships, job security, financial stability, future goals, my belongings, my friends, my beautiful cat, the comforts of our blessed lives, but it has been a significant struggle to prepare for this quickly approaching mission. I am sad to postpone some of these life events. I would love to be married, with my own house and a stable career, but those things have to wait. I would love to move up in my position and climb the nursing ladder, but instead my last day of work arrives in two weeks 
. It would be a delight to buy a new vehicle or go back to school to advance my degree, but instead I prepare to store my vehicle for a year (hopefully nothing goes wrong in that time) and delay my education until a later date. These “life points” are not where God wants me to be at this point in time. So, I stifle my itches and desires for these check points and focus on the place where God DOES want me…The World Race.
This is not any less stressful than the delaying of my previously mentioned desires 
. Preparing for the race as definitely been a stress filled, busy process. The amount of fundraising to be done has posed a challenge, the website has been down, people aren’t able to give like they wish they could, finances are tight, and there are not enough hours in the day or enough energy in my body to fundraise with the enthusiasm my heart has. Buying supplies has been expensive and effort-filled as a lot of the things I need I have to hunt for, find in other cities or order online from places I have never even heard of. My body and soul are tired, but I still invest in the beautiful people on my team and squad that God has blessed me with, all the while still investing in the wonderful friendships and relationship I have at home.
Satan has thrown many curve balls into my “already busy, chaotic” life . My perfectly adorable cat, my best friend, has been relatively sick the past few days and today at the kitty ER we found out she has an internal gastric bleed. Diagnostics and treatment cost a couple thousand dollars in total, which is not something that is plausible at the moment. So, I give my wonderful cat into the hands of the Lord and pray he heals her. If she’s not making positive progression within the next few weeks, we’ll have to look into putting her down, which makes me totally overwhelmed with emotion just thinking about 
. I also have a younger sister who isn’t making wise life choices and her 2 year old daughter is suffering the consequences of these decisions. Child protective services needs to get involved and it’s just a situation that is not healthy, but since I am leaving for a year my hands are tied for any interventions. There have also been a need to end particular relationships that weren’t very healthy or supported by God, which is a healthy thing in life but not always the easiest. I care deeply for some of these people but I love God more than I love them, so changes needed to be made to these friendships/relationships . My car has also been having issues and I haven’t been able to decide if I should spend the money to fix said issues before I leave or wait till I get back…..either time is going to take money so who knows which is better. As long as it’s working until my last day of work, I cannot complain. These are a few of my curve balls that Satan has thrown at me. The saddest part is that I didn’t even know I was up to bat, but thats just how life works sometimes.
All this to say that God is good, all the time 
! Although these challenges have been acutely potent the past couple weeks, they remind me that this is exactly where God wants me. Satan wouldn’t be rattling my cage the way he is if I weren’t doing what God wants. God wants us to go on the race; to spread his word, show his love. This is exactly what Satan doesn’t want so we get fast balls, curve balls and all sorts of other kinds of challenges thrown at us in an attempt to stop the Kingdom of God from flourishing. God is good. He is love 
. He is peace. One of my favorite verses, Philippians 4:13, states “I can do all things through him who gives me strength.” This verse screams potent truth in my life right now, during this limbo time between training camp and leaving for the race. The “life points” I desire will be accomplished; God has a better schedule than I do 
. My furry best friend is in God’s hands and will be healed. My car will survive it’s issues for now and will be fixed upon my return. My niece will be loved and put into a stable home. God has her in his hands and she is loved. Finances for the race will come; God will provide all that we need. Relationships will heal, people will heal and time will close open wounds.
Even in the midst of curve balls God keeps us strong. He reminds us that we are loved, we are forgiven, we are kept and never will he let us go. Curve ball after curve ball my soul cries out for the Lord and together we hit home run after home run .
God is good. God is love. God is peace. And we will share this truth throughout the Kingdom!
Batter’s up!
Thanks for reading,
Tabbi
