Expectations Aside

huge trees that have shed their leaves...

Huge, huge, huge help for me this time around.

As a person that has done this again and again... and mind you, from raising monthly supporters, to saying goodbye to family members for the last time (maybe) -- this whole being on the other side of the planet thing, isnt always so easy.

One of the big things that has helped me...

In a literal sense, when Jesus sent out the 12 he was like "don't bring anything with you" and being in right relationship with his Father, he knew... he knew what would hinder them...

He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt. (Luke 9:3)

Wow. Right?

Looking over our bags, and things... we have gone through our stuff, again and again these last few months.. reducing our belongings to nothing.. its a bit weirder, the older you get, the things you have to find a new home for.. bytheway.. blender anyone? Special Ikea Toilet paper holder? haha...

Most of that 'stuff' was easy save a few things in my bags I am still being challenged with being too precious with... (interesting note: the more you have the more difficult it seems to be)

found on Pinterest.com

BUT most of all, what we got in prayer a good month before we left... the hardest thing we take with us --- That we absolutely must give to God, specifically over this season.

expectation.

Wow.

Believe it or not, can be brutal.

And this coming from a person who has carried alot of unnecessary anxiety over the last season.. (ask anyone who has been remotely close ... I hold myself to an unhealthy standard at times in relationships..)

So here we are...  Our expectations...

• People we missed saying goodbye to - between lack of time, and the unexpected.. incredibly heartbreaking at times to think about..
• Things I had counted on giving to specific people and oddly enough I have a hard time forgiving myself for not finding the time to do. You know that cast-iron skillet to the person who you promised you would give it to because you knew they would love it. Or that decorative item to my mother in law... or that cool shirt to a younger brother-like friend.
• Giving Prayer Cards to that specific person or this specific person. Thinking 'Please dont forget about us...'
• Expectations when getting here. That we would have internet right away, a phone right away...friends whos faces we mistakingly remembered were still here, knowing full well they are not. Grieving again those goodbyes we never really got before due to circumstances at the time. Did I mention I forgot how incredibly cold it gets for winter here - yes it is currently winter. (opposite seasons to the United States). 

On the other end.... Expectations of others to us... 

• I'm sorry, we just didn't have the ability to meet with you (quoted from either us or them)
• Finding out too late, Matts grandpa passed... and we were not able to go to the funeral... as we would exchange that, with seeing my mom right after a difficult surgery where she had little to no other support not even family... and just days before we leave the country...
• Expected to remember or forget things... names, ministries, life changes..
  Awe man.. thats been a difficult one, cause people don't know how their expectations are coming across. And a majority of time, it's my own disappointment with my lack or ability to communicate well.

The biggest, most difficult expectations, are the ones we have on ourselves..

If you are reading this, and can totally relate -- as a missionary especially -- I would encourage you to read http://www.alifeoverseas.com/goodbye-making-a-hard-word-easier/ posted long after we arrived. I would say we processed alot of this well.

So all and all. I don't just take those "expectations" and throw them out the window. I take them to God in prayer. 

Search me, God, and know my heart;

    test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive way in me,

    and lead me in the way everlasting.  Psalm 139:23-24

I have to say, "Am I giving myself grace here?" or "Am I giving others grace?"

As Gods example of grace fills the void of the unexpected, and the discomfort of heartbreak --- that is where we can set our expectations aside.

As for others expectations of me? Well, that can end up being a post all by itself. In summery though... What does God think of me, and if there are ways I have disappointed others - if I have prayed and asked God, if there was anything else I could have done.. I need to walk away if the answer is no. If not, I need to apologize or make it right in whatever way.

We will have challenges, us humans, no matter what stage in life, what season -- or between-seasons part of this journey we are in... Expectations aside...

Todays 'history in our life'

a little bit of sunshine for these cloudy winter days

Day 3-5

Team time!

So the media team (my team) that serves the base, had ‘team time’. A chill potluck. Matt was invited, too, and that was nice. To bring you into what this is like,… its kinda like it’s own community or small group… yes, we work together, but we also serve and pray together… 

If you have ever had a potluck before, you know that you really never know what you are gonna get.

Since we have only been here for  a matter of days.. we were not expected to bring anything except our smiling jet-lagged faces..
We had quite the variety considering where we all came from.. a Costa Rican, Canadian, French a couple South Koreans, German, Me and Matt,…. So around the YWAM Base they gathered what they could and made from those a large array of decidedly healthy items… (By choice this time - low sugar - , not just cultural.)

These were the high lights
Roasted Brussel sprouts with sweet potatoes and bacon bits
Salad with all kinds of unexpected things I cannot recall right now. 
Homemade Kale chips
Kimchi (Korean dish)

Blueberry Pancakes and Banana Bread for dessert.

Fun memory of the last couple of days -- When meeting Karen, from Costa Rica, we responded with glee when we found out she was from Costa Rica.. "I don't think we have ever met a Costa Rican before!" She responded quickly and confidently  "Well, then, I am history in your life."Those are the moments - serving with so many different nationalities.. and peoples and cultures... I absolutely love it.. #glimpsesofheaven

Time travelers

We made it! Praise God.

Having left the morning of the 6^th and arriving midday on the 8^th we saw 55 hours of travel, across 12 time zones, having crossed the international dateline (which means we are time travelers – haha- ), 4 layovers, 5 security check points, one entire read through of Romans, and if you hadn’t got the news… Matt and I got my Visa, less than 2 days from our first plane ride.

Mixed in with all the 'land sickness', caused by the constant change of altitude, and jetlag - it has been an emotional rollercoaster to say the least. As the last couple of weeks in the States we did our ‘goodbye tour’ where we saw as many of our close family, and friends that we could possibly fit in…
neither of us were able to sleep fully on the planes… while anticipating all the changes in front of us…

On the other side we were met by the cold Australian winter (low 50 F) which included pea-sized hail and heavy rain – so not the Australia we remember, as there are alot of things we do not remember – but we were also greeted with warm hugs and smiles from 5 fellow YWAMers that came to the airport to pick us up.  Some familiar faces, some not, from each of our ministries, and a good Aussie friend of ours that has kept up with us now and then via skype.

We are still awed by Gods faithfulness… as ‘this’ moment we have been praying into, trusting God for, and anticipating for years  ----  but I am sure we will settle in too eventually, knowing so-so much on the YWAM base has changed – and will fill you in on as time passes.

We took our bags to a little studio apartment, not much different by size of the one we were in in Louisville… our voices still echoing off the familiar concrete walls..  In the kitchenette was  a pre-packed saved lunch for us, in the bedroom a mattress, and several basic amenities in the space…  provided by the YWAM Base; bread, butter, oranges and apples, toilet paper, temporary sheets and pillows…  and some given and borrowed from caring friends around the base… like coffee (yeah good friends right!?), and extra blankets..

We will have pictures of our journey available soon… as we took MANY… of course.

Stay tuned, keep us updated, on the literal things that are going on - on your side of the world,… and please please keep us in your prayers.

AGAIN… THANK YOU for being a part of this, Thank you for partnering with us in every way you have,…