Øne year ago today I was sitting in the Mayo hospital in Eau Claire with Todd as he recovered from his appendix surgery. We were still waiting to here whether or not he had cancer.  The week before I had to go in for my ultra sound and mammogram for lumps they had found the week before.  After my appointments they had to schedule biopsies and that was the Friday after Todds surgery.  I too was waiting for cancer results.  I walked the banks of the Chippewa River just worshipping God to my music.  As I stood near the water, off a little trail, and just lifted my hands and sang to My Savior.  The song, “The Stand” by Hillsong.

You stood before creation
Eternity within Your hand
You spoke the earth into motion
My soul now to stand

You stood before my failure
Carried the Cross for my shame
My sin weighed upon Your shoulders
My soul now to stand

So what can I say?
What can I do?
But offer this heart O God
Completely to You

So I’ll walk upon salvation
Your Spirit alive in me
This life to declare Your promise
My soul now to stand

So what can I say?
What can I do?
But offer this heart O God
Completely to You

So what can I say?
What can I do?
But offer this heart O God
Completely to You

So Ill stand with arms high and heart abandoned
In awe of the One who gave it all
So Ill stand, my soul Lord to You surrendered
All I am is Yours

So Ill stand with arms high and heart abandoned
In awe of the One who gave it all
So Ill stand, my soul Lord to You surrendered
All I am is Yours

So what can I say?
What can I do?
But offer this heart O God
Completely to You!

I never would have guessed that one year later I would be just four and a half months out from leaving this country to go to Africa for a year with my family.  God is a God of great things, but also a God that stretches our faith.  There is a great verse that says, “but just as it is written, “THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD, AND which HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN, ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.” 1st Corinthians 2:9.

He also says, in Isaiah 55:8-11

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD.

9“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts than your thoughts.

10“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
And do not return there without watering the earth
And making it bear and sprout,
And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater;

11So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth;
It will not return to Me empty,
Without accomplishing what I desire,
And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.

We are trusting in His direction as He calls us out like He did to Abraham.  We will follow Him because we can trust in His goodness.  He spoke over a year ago to us that He wanted us to go for one year to serve Him and see what His plans were for us.  We said okay.  Now we are walking by Faith not by sight..2 Corinthians 5:7.

Thank you for being such a special part of our journey and for your prayers!

We are excited as God fulfills His word in Deuteronomy 3:24 “‘O Lord GOD, You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and Your strong hand; for what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do such works and mighty acts as Yours?”  He truly is just always beginning to show us how wonderful He is.  Just when we think we have some idea of how Great He is He shows up in a new way that makes us feel like we are truly still just beginning to know how awesome He is!

God Bless.

Todd and Jen and the Kiddos