A Shift
A Divine Prompt and a New Job Description
As the fall arrived, further discussion came regarding my employment at the church and what the future of that might look like. I was asked these questions. “You know what we do. What do we do good? What do we do bad? What would you do differently?”
I went back to all I knew to do. I fasted and I prayed. Waking at 5:00 am one morning, the Lord said “get your computer.” I sat in bed and typed a three page paper describing what “I” would do. What the job description would look like. By 6:00 am I sent it to my boss thinking “Well God, if that goes through, that is all you.”
I was offered a full time job starting in January of 2020 with the job description that I had submitted. Go God!
Missionary Care: A New Vision for Global Support
One of the biggest changes to the job would be to care for the missionaries who we are the sending church for. So no other missionary would say “we thought you had forgotten about us.” I would visit each of our missionaries every two to three years. In 2020 I would visit the seven missionaries who are on the continent of Africa.
I was given the go ahead, but asked to raise the funds as it was not a budgeted item for that year. Well God, if you want me to go, money will be no object. It was not.
Facing Eviction While Preparing for an African Mission Trip
I was also in the middle of this court thing with a court date scheduled in January 2020. I was scheduled to leave for Africa on February 27th, 2020. I would be gone for nearly a month. Would my house be there when I returned? Would I come home to an eviction notice? Locks changed? My stuff on the curb?
God said I would be there in October, my daughters’ birthday. Go to Africa. So, I invited people to participate in this epic journey. I set a goal of $5,000. I submitted my visa application to get into South Sudan sending my passport to Washington mid December (during the holidays). I was told that most are denied and that it usually takes two months to get your passport back. Eight days later, I had my approved visa and passport in my hands. People who knew were stunned. I didn’t know. I expected.
Funding rolled in even during the holidays. My prayer group prayed. I even had one family offer me a blank check for anything I needed that wasn’t raised or accounted for. I began communicating with seven missionaries - five of whom I had never met trying to schedule dates, arrivals and departures, sleeping arrangements and itinerary for each stop. I was out of my element. And I had a court date looming.
The travel agency booking the airfare made some recommendations and the trip was coming together. Another story of God’s goodness. First, all seven missionaries agreed to the dates, scheduled hospitality (six of the seven I stayed in the family home) and it was like God planned it all!
When I received my trip itinerary from the agency, my stopover was in France. There were options, but this was the best one pricewise. My bucket list has always been to see the Eiffel tower. I asked them to price a longer layover in France so I could visit the Eiffel tower that day. It actually saved $50.
A Miracle in the Courthouse: God’s Timing and Provision
Excitement would have to wait. It was court day. I had no defense. I wasn’t paying the mortgage. How could the judge do anything but evict me? I prayed. I went with the instructions of “do not talk”. Just answer the questions completely and in brevity. I was perfectly fine with that.
Like the first time, I was called into the judge’s chamber. He asked me a series of questions which I answered.
Judge: “Are you living in the house?”
Me: “Yes, sir.”
Judge: “Did you apply for a loan modification?”
Me: “I did, but they needed two months of income. I just started my job in January (two weeks ago).“
Judge: “Let’s postpone the hearing until March.”
Me: “I appreciate that. I will not be available in March as I will be in Africa for work the month of March.”
Judge: “What do you do?”
Me: “I am employed by a church and will be visiting and caring for our missionaries throughout the country.”
Judge: Looks at the prosecuting attorney and asks “Is it okay to postpone until April?”
Prosecuting Attorney: “After what I just heard, absolutely.”
Judge: “You will be notified of the date by mail.” (It was rescheduled for April 15, 2020.) “Enjoy your trip.”
The judge did not evict me and told me to enjoy my trip. God is good.
I walked into the courtroom that day standing on what the Lord had said. I would still be in my house in October but with no understanding of how that would happen. It was January. I could see April. I had faith for October.
As I walked to the elevator, I was trembling. This was all very scary to me. I had been reading in the Old Testament that morning and their response to God was to bow down with gratitude. I could do no less. Right there in the middle of the courthouse, I got down on my knees to thank God. I didn’t know what He was doing, but I was quickly becoming “all in.”
Final Preparations for the Journey of a Lifetime
With the court date behind me, I had a trip to finalize. I would go to Africa and be present with each family in each country. He did it again and I would honor that.
I continued making plans, gathering care packages for the missionaries desiring to take each of them some of their favorite things from America and gifts for each of the children. Luggage was packed. Paperwork was aligned. Details were checked. Prayer meetings were held.
God was just beginning to change everything.