Diving In...

Seven months ago today I was landing in Basel to visit BFA and see if this might be where the Lord was leading.  The Psalm for that day was Psalm 28 where it says, "My heart trusts in God and I am helped."  Those words brought me such comfort seven months ago and this morning I read the same Psalm while sitting in the Frankfurt airport and stand in awe of what the Lord has done and how He has helped me as I have trusted in Him.  And I am claiming that verse just as much now as I was then.  He has confirmed over and over that this is where He wants me for this year and has given me the courage to walk through the doors that He alone has opened.  And today as I arrive in Germany I can once again testify to the goodness of God.  I am so grateful to all those that are praying and have been praying.  I have been very aware of those prayers this week as I have finalized details, packed up, said goodbyes and landed in Germany.  While leaving home and saying goodbye is never fun He has truly strengthened me and made a way for not only me but my whole family. 

One of the ways that He has confimed this move was in the form of a phone call received twenty minutes before I walked out the door.  It was from Peter and Laurel (fellow BFA missionaries and family friends).  She was calling to tell me that they had changed my housing arrangements and instead of being in a separate town I was going to live two minutes from them and five minutes walking distance from the school.  While it would have worked out to live in another town this was a real love gift to me at that moment in time.  Without a car and with my roommates not coming until later in August it is a real blessing to be so close to the scohol and friends while I get settled in and adjust.  Jesus is so good.  He not only supplies our basic needs but spoils us with His sweet love gifts, sometimes at the moment that we need them most. 

A couple of weeks ago my Dad preached on diving into the full will of God and that is what I have felt like I am doing.  In Pilgrim's Regress, CS Lewis tells the story of John and his conversion.  He describes his conversion as a head first dive off a cliff.  Jesus asks us to dive - head first not feet first - fully trusting in the One who has asked us to dive.  He asks us to dive in head first so we are completely dependent on Him.  What a scary but wonderful place to be.  And He has been faithful - to provide friends to help me load and deliver my bags (as my dad is out of state preaching), to providing a kind ticket agent who was gracious about my extra bags, to giving me an uneventful trip overseas, to Peter and Laurel receiving me on the other side.  He has been good to me.   And while there are moments of being totally overwhelmed at all that is ahead of me I have only to look at all of His goodness and all of His love gifts and know that He will make a way. 

"Blessed be the LORD! For he has heard the voice of my cry for mercy.  The LORD is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him." (Psalm 28:6-7)

May He continue to make me brave enough to moment by moment dive into His full and good will.  Thank you for your part in all of this.  I would not be without you and I am humbled by and grateful for your part in my "dive."