Transitoning

     It never ceases to amaze me that God designed my childhood as training for my adulthood.  That’s the way He is, using yesterday to train us for today and today to train us for tomorrow. I never want to stop being in training. Until my final breath my prayer will be, “Lord, keep teaching me!”
     After the four year period of ‘just us girls’ my mom remarried to the man I have called Dad since I was 9.  It was definitely a transition.  We went from mom and three daughters to dad, mom, 4 daughters, 1 son, 2 already-out-of-the-house sons, 1 daughter-in-law and a baby on the way.   Somethings were easy to adjust to, somethings not as much.
     My Dad was/is quite controlling and hard.  He likes things his way and he expected us to bend to that immediately.  Without talk, without discussion he moved in and it was set in stone that everything was his way.  Don’t get me wrong, I love my dad. In fact, a good bit of my controlling nature was probably learned from him. My stubbornness, well....that one I think I was born with!
     I am finding that God seems to remind me of childhood moments long forgotten when I am in the same phase as an adult.  For the last several years He has been orchestrating my life to resemble my childhood.  I guess He is ready for me to deal with the past and grow up!  
     As we are going through transition with our team, God has reminded me of that transition with my family.  He has shown me that I have to communicate.  I have to respect others opinions and the way they work. I have to lay aside ‘my-way’.
     In the near future our team  will consist of 5 very opinionated women and 3 guys.  John told me when that happens he is going to ask Mike if the guys can have their own team meetings!  I know we won’t always agree, we’ll definitely want to always share our opinions and I am sure hurt feelings are coming.  My prayer is that we will always remember that this is God’s ministry and His way. That we will talk, respect, extend grace and love one another.  “ By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:35ESV
     I feel so blessed that God has sent us here to Honduras.  I love and respect our team mates and there is no where else I would rather be than right here serving alongside them! Well...dancing while the Father sings over me does trump living in Honduras...but for now, until I can dance with Jesus, Honduras is where I want to be!