Always on time

I like taking pictures of Marc with all his equipment. Does that make me weird? This is him on top of the mountain near Hitler's Eagle's Nest.

The church and part of the castle at Berchtesgaden, Germany. There is something really awe-inspiring about walking around centuries-old buildings and thinking about the events and people who strolled in the same places. I have always been a history buff, but after living in Europe for three years, I am definitely even more interested in history.

Though the fig tree should not blossom and there be no fruit on the vines, though the yield of the olive should fail and the fields produce no food, though the flock should be cut off from the fold and there be no cattle in the stalls, yet I will exult in the LORD, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. Habakkuk 3:17-18

It is a dingy, gray morning here in Prague, but I am not thinking about that today. I am enjoying my second cup of coffee, the quiet that envelops the apartment when everyone else is asleep, and the thought of my beloved Gators stomping all over the Georgia Bulldogs this afternoon. Florida-Georgia is always fun, though it does, in truth, make me homesick. They show all those shots of Jacksonville on tv every year, and I always want nothing more than just to be there. But this year, I'm not. This year, I'm in Prague, Czech Republic. Who knows where I'll be next year? Wherever I am, I can promise you that I will drop everything to cheer on my Gators, especially against Georgia. (In all fairness, I actually really appreciate Georgia's coach, Mark Richter, and his outspoken Christianity.)

It's been a rough week here. Do you ever feel like your life is spiraling into the blues, and you can see it, but you just can't stop it? That's the kind of week it's been here, not just for me, but I think for all of us. I have to be honest--we clearly felt that God was moving us to Prague from Moscow. Clearly. No doubt about it. But since we've been here, it seems like nothing will go right. Not ministry--that's going well. But in terms of our personal life, it has been a hard four months, with bad news seeming to come from every corner. Every time we turn around, something goes wrong. (Case in point--7 weeks to get our new internet installed, and several charges we didn't expect.) It started when we'd been here for a week and the desk fell on Marc's mouth, an issue that still isn't resolved and which still causes Marc a good amount of pain. Marc's trip to Russia the last two weeks was the hardest, most difficult trip he's ever taken. Illness, financial struggling, loneliness...it has not been easy to be here. Add to that a homesickness, both for the States and for Moscow, and weeks of nothing but gray skies, and it's a recipe for sadness. On top of that, we're still unclear as to what our next step should be, adding frustration and impatience to everything else. Not a good week.

But He is Lord. And He answers when I call, every single time. Has He made any of this go away? No. But to be honest, I haven't asked him to change anything...just to show me how He is at work. I don't need to see the big picture, but I need enough light to get to the next step. And I need enough of His grace and mercy and lovingkindness to keep walking on this path that He has designed for me. He is always faithful to give that to me. Sometimes, it is through my family. Nobody makes me laugh harder than my children and husband, my sisters and parents. Sometimes, it is through the kindness of people on the field. The school I have been subbing for offered to pay for Hannah to attend their retreat this weekend, something we simply could not afford. Often, it is friends on the field. A chance meeting at the park that turns into a long conversation, a call from my closest friends, pictures of a ladies night in Moscow where I was missed, even the smack talk of colleagues who, for unknown reasons, are Gator-haters...these all bring encouragement. And sometimes, as we face the uncertainty that surrounds us, it is people from home. Maybe it's a package with goodies we can't get here. Maybe it's a check slipped into my Daddy's hand at church to be deposited "for the kids." Maybe it's a Sunday School class asking what we'd like for Christmas. Whatever it is, it is always done at precisely the moment we most need it. Inevitably, when I am most discouraged, God provides encouragement through people who are willing to be used by Him. His goodness is amazing.

And so, this morning, I am not thinking about the gray outside. I am not thinking about the bad news of the economic downturn and what that means for us. I am not worrying about money or college choices or friends for my kids. I am simply basking in the glow of a God who loves me more than I can imagine, a God who is always right on time. Wherever you are in the world, I pray that you know how much He loves you, and I challenge you to trust Him no matter what your circumstances may be. And I also hope you are going to spend the day getting ready for gametime, when your team, the mighty Gators of the University of Florida, will completely stomp (and chomp) the Bulldogs of the University of Georgia. Go Gators!! Blessings to you and yours!

His,
Kellye