“You just got engaged? And you are leaving for 6 months!
Isn’t that going to be hard?” Is what rang out among the people, so many had disbelief
in what I was about to embark on. I mentioned in a previous post about a movie I
once saw as a child The other side of
Heaven it was about a missionary who left the love of his life and went
away to serve in the mission field, they had no communication at all for years
though. I was amazed about their commitment to one another in that time. When I
left South Africa my communication with Matthew was nil and I became very
anxious about it, but then my lovely team leader Lindsey gave me extraordinary
advice. When I think about him, pray for him, when I want to talk to him, write
to him, and pray for peace. And so the process began. And a peace and calmness
succumbed my body.
“May
the Lord of peace himself give at all times and in every way. The Lord will be
with all of you.”
2
Thessalonians 3:16
As the
words began to immerse onto the page my mind began to become more honed in to
my surroundings. I laughed and enjoyed the people more. My relationships grew
more, and I was really able to see why I was called there. Before I was
dragging my feet in a way and holding onto a little bit of home. But God did
not stop there oh no! He kept on surprising me, through little things. When I
talked to Matthew without me saying anything he told me he to had a sense of
peace, which made my heart sing for joy. God is amazing in all the things he
does!
“Nothing
is impossible, the word itself says ‘I’m possible’!”
Audrey
Hepburn
It is true what Audrey states in the quote,
nothing is impossible. I tried to live that way while I was gone. People said
that was going to be impossible for us to go for weeks without talking to each
other, I mean even days and I am not saying it was easy but we made it work.
His way of loving me and talking to me, was by writing 2 different songs for me
that melted my heart. When I would get down I would sit there and listen to the
songs and just pray for him, and everything God was doing in his life. What
baffles me is HOW MUCH GOD GREW US INDIVIDUALLY! My walk with Christ grew
immensely! I had always heard of people talking about ‘meditating on the word’
well I had NO idea what that meant. I just thought it meant reading the bible
every day. And so I did and it was a check list and I was set. Wrong God showed
me! While I was over in Africa, the pace is slower you are on ‘Africa time’ and
so I began to read the word but then think about it more. Really think about
what was going on in the chapters I was reading. The concepts and I would
discuss then with others, and I began to hear Gods voice more. Now it wasn’t
because he was silent before it was because I was listening more now. CRAZY!
When I caught up with Matthew God was doing amazing things with his walk and
changing his character too! Preparing him to be the spiritual leader in the
household when we get married, but also just a leader in general. It is crazy
how God works in our lives when we take a step back and give everything over to
him.
Love is patient, love is kind. It
does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude,
it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love
does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always
protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never
fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues,
they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Loving another person requires
sacrifice, commitment, honesty, openness, respect, and care. The list can go
on. This is one of my favorite verses to go back. Not just for Matthew, and me
but for others too. But a good friend of mine, Mary Kate, told me some
wonderful advice one day. One of her favorite things to do is to replace the
word love for God and read the passage through. It changes the perspective, but
it amazes me every time. God is so good to those who follow him. I am so
blessed to have 2 amazing men in my life! My heavenly father who will never
leave nor forsake me, and my wonderful fiancé who is my best friend and I get
to spend the rest of my life with. This experience I got to go through, was phenomenal,
completely life changing. Africa changed my life completely and I was so
blessed to have Matthew there to support me along the way. 
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