Thank You Lord

january 31st. 2010.

It has been a week since I arrived and what has unfolded since my plane landed has been beyond what I had hoped for my entire time here. There have been so many answered prayers, times of tears and abundant laughter, and epiphany's of Word's spoken over me from years gone by. This seems to be a place where His Words of the present and Words of the past are meeting together to unfold my future, His plans for me now. I would have never have guessed it would happen in this way. But His ways are beyond our's, right?!

So, for a city draped in snow to the salty ocean breeze each day....Thank You Lord.

...for many an 'angel' along the days travels that have guided us to just the right spot, without us even being able to even speak turkish,
...for hours upon hours of sweet, sweet conversations in Dari with friends from my heart home in Afghanistan to those of it's neighbor,

Thank You Lord.

...for Words that You continue to speak even though I'm stubborn to listen many times,
...for a team here that has been caring and patient to understand my life's journey these past couple years or so,

Thank You Lord.

...for soft beds and warm showers and beautiful views that my healing body still needs,
...to veggies that are in abundance that don't make you sick,

Thank You Lord.

...for a little peace, a little joy, a little rest, a little love, and a little rest...in this place,
...and for many a friend, far away speaking into my life and even nearby to share it with.

THANK YOU LORD.

And although my heart still longs to return long term to Afghanistan at this point, it also knows He WILL bring goodness and good news to those my heart still grieves to be near to. For them, for us all...His Love endures.

So from a land that I never thought I would be considering moving to...Thank YOU for your support. To the nurses that have dreamed with me about 'returning' overseas to those that have prayed me to this very place...

Thank YOU. We never journey alone, He is with us, but you have been right there with Him.

5 days and some tears!

On Christmas Eve, I had a moment. Surrounded by family laughing, talking, and opening meaningful presents....I realized something very precious. That the few small gifts I had received were given to me so that I could carry them over-seas. It hit me: I was finally in a place and well enough where I was planning on returning once again to the part of the world I love!! And
with this realization I feel into a pile of (grateful) tears. My mind raced over the last several years, the treatments, the sickness, allll the scans and tests that began with fear and ended sometimes with tears or finally relief with another clear scan result. And the last part of this sentence was just repeated 3 times recently!

Thinking back on that time makes my heart ache and rejoice all in one. It's SO hard to grasp the differences between this Christmas and that of 2007. And all the intense trails and joy experienced interwoven between those years. Hmmm...sometimes pictures help.

then....Some words that come to mind; agony. kindness. love. pain. terrified. anxious. alone. surrounded. far away. disconnected. warmth. tenderness. sorrow. depletion. joy. elated. friendship. sisterhood. survivor. community.

now....
Here I am embarking on a new journey and near future in Turkey (how's that for faith speaking!). I will spend the next 4 weeks (end Jan through end Feb) getting to know my potential new team. To pray and see how this vision for Afghanistan and Turkey can be woven together by threads from Heaven as we chat and pray together. I am continuing to see how He has been preparing me for these steps ahead through my experiences and what I have learned thus far. So here’s to faith. Stepping out into what is not entirely known and trusting Him to set a course that will impact people lives forever in many ways in Turkey and Afghanistan. And most importantly, in ways that cause them to know deep in their hearts of their value, worth and His great love He has for them!
some of the beautiful mosques in Turkey

During my stay there, I will be asking all the questions that I initially asked when I first moved to Afghanistan. Getting a better understanding of what work might look like there. And most of all...hearing from God there. Hearing what He wants me to put my hand to with the limited number of years I have to live on this great blue spinning ball.

Thanks for walking with me. Hand in hand. I am grateful for your friendship in this journey in more ways than I can express.
ps. 5 DAYS TO GO!!!