It is Finished!!!

The house is sold and I have moved out!!!!
A lot has happened, and I have been extremely busy, since the last time that I wrote.  Sorry for the lack of updates.  I hope I can summarize the Lord's work over the past month and a half.

I made some great memories through the holidays.  I spent Thanksgiving with great friends and spiritual family.  My Mom and Grandpa came to visit me around Christmas and we celebrated Christmas and spent the New Year together.  I even learned about their New Year's Eve traditions of grilled cheese sandwiches and Egg Nog!!!  It was the first time my Grandpa had visited my home in NY.  My Mom helped me get organized and get rid of a lot of things, while I was able to give her some clothes to take too!  We made several trips to Good Will and cleaned out the garage and basement!!  We did get to make some time to do a couple of fun things including going to Niagara Falls, getting our hair done and they got to see snow in the midst of a very wet and not very snowy winter!  It was amazing to see my Grandpa go in his wheeled walker over snow and ice down the icy Charlotte Beach Pier that I was apprehensive walking on!

Mom and Grandpa at Niagara Falls with little snow, right before it really started to come down!!!

Once they left, the Lord provided help from different people to help me in many ways.  It was so special to see the care of the Lord, and how He was providing through many brothers and sisters that would offer their help, lovingly and willingly in preparation for my house sale, clearing out possessions and even repairs for Moses (my Jeep), in preparation of the first journey.  I have truly been simplifying.  It is amazing how many things we think we can't live without, yet, they are really unnecessary.  I sold lots of things, gave away many things, threw away a lot of things and packed a lot less than I thought, although still a lot!  It was a blessing to see others being blessed by what they received or bought!

Another huge blessing was the storage location.  The Lord opened up a storage room at church where all the things that I don't need right this week are organized, safe and available to me.

January 21, the day of the move, was a whirlwind!!!  So many brothers and sisters came!  I rented a truck and so many came that everything was happening amazingly fast!  It was almost like the whole spinning motion carried me along (I know it was the Lord).  Many people moved things, wrapped things, organized things and cleaned.  Thank you all for everything you have done!  Words cannot express how overwhelmingly blessed and loved I have felt!!

I am now staying with Pastor Ray and Margie, who have adopted me into their home and are truly a blessing.  To keep in tradition with the first time I moved to Rochester, I moved into their home when they were out of town.  How amazingly trusting of them!!  I am adjusting to the new location and serving the Lord as He allows right where I am.  A friend needed to move her possessions in storage from Ithaca the weekend after I moved.  It was a blessing to be free from my own house responsibilities to be able to help her, especially after how much she had helped me too!

The big chapter of owning a house is now closed and finished. I don't know if it will be a chapter the Lord would have in the future again, but it certainly is not now.  Further preparation awaits me. Just as the Lord has helped and provided up to this point, He too will continue doing as He leads. I am excited as I seek Him for what is next and await His direction, while I continue being faithful where He has me, which right now, still includes my job at Xerox.

My first morning at Ray & Margie's was a Sunday morning and I read the following in my devotional (Tozer on Christian Leadership for 1/22):

"The Lord liveth, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be the God of the rock of my salvation."
- 2 Samuel 22:47

Oh God, be Thou exalted over my possessions. Nothing of earth's treasures shall seem dear unto me if only Thou art glorified in my life.  Be Thou exalted over my friendships. I am determined that Thou shalt be above all, though I must stand deserted and alone in the midst of the earth. Be Thou exalted above my comforts. Though it mean the loss of bodily comforts and the carrying of heavy crosses, I shall keep my vow made this day before Thee.  Be Thou exalted over my reputation. Make me ambitious to please Thee even if as a result I must sink into obscurity and my name be forgotten as a dream. Rise, O Lord, into Thy proper place of honor, above my ambitions, above my likes and dislikes, above my family, my health and even my life itself. Let me sink that Thou mayest rise above. Ride forth upon me as Thou didst ride into Jerusalem mounted upon the humble little beast, a colt, the foal of an ass, and let me hear the children cry to Thee, "Hosanna in the highest." 

Be Thou exalted in my life. Amen.

Glory in Infirmities?????

There is really something about that phrase that completely has me thinking ...

There are four instances of "infirmities" in 2 Corinthians 11-12 ... the word really jumps out at me because I have been very sick for almost 4 weeks up until the beginning of last week, but particularly more the two weeks before.  Being sick and reading this word repeatedly has a way of signaling that the Lord wants to speak to me!

And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness."  Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities...For when I am weak, then I am strong.
-2 Cor. 12:9-10

About a day or two after reading this, dear friends that are serving the Lord in Mexico also shared this verse in their update!

My allergies, allergy-induced asthma, sinus pressure, coughing, ear pressure, chest pain, throat pain and headache were driving me nuts.  I had been going to the doctor and taking all kinds of medication in hopes of getting better.  I have also been doing Vicks, humidifier and many other alternatives, with no success.  I do know that a lot of people have been sick for weeks and pneumonia or bronchitis have been going around.  I was so frustrated that I couldn't get better and couldn't breathe that I ended up going on Prednisone, which I normally refuse, if at all possible.

I had been reading a devotional that really grabbed a hold of me.  The title for the reading was "Preparation".  The couple of lines that ministered to me were:
"What is in your hand? Would you attempt to do a work with a broken instrument? ... Preparation is your own responsibility.  Certainly I will help you in it, but I am not glorified through a vessel that is careless concerning its condition."

I have been spending so much time and effort into material preparations, yet I need to prepare myself.  One of the first scriptures that the Lord had given me was about preparations.  I need to prepare myself emotionally, spiritually and also physically.

The Lord has opened doors for me to go to a homeopathic medicine doctor.  I am exploring other alternatives to getting better physically with natural means after having been so medicated.  I am hopeful, but not yet certain.  I believe this is part of my responsibility and duty to be prepared.  We shall see what the Lord does through this.

So, while I look into preparing my body and trying to get better naturally, it is then that I came to 2 Corinthians 11-12.  Infirmities have a way to induce in me many feelings ... desire to "glory" or "boas" is not one of them.  I get frustrated, angry, agitated, depressed, lonely, impatient, etc.  As I am sick, I have the choice to draw closer to the Lord, find in the infirmity the reason for rejoicing and glorying, or to allow all the natural emotions to take over.  I can rejoice that when I am weak, then I am strong!  I can become the vessel where the Lord pours out His power!!!  I can take hold of His strength in my life when I am weak.  I can embrace my weakness and glory in my infirmity!

I am finally starting to feel better, so I hope that I have learned what He was trying to teach me. Don't get me wrong, I still don't like being sick, but it is a sweet reminder to embrace what He allows in my life.  Even when I don't like it, I can glory in it!

Domino Effect Kickoff

It seems like the dominos had been stacked in order for the sale of the house but that first domino (I mean house) needed a buyer ...

Well ... yesterday, I got a call from my realtor that a couple that are first time buyers (no contingency) have placed an offer on the first house and it got accepted!!!! So, officially, the first domino is getting knocked down!!!!!  Yay!!!  Excitement!!!  Intrepidation!!!  Fear???  Panic??? ha ha ha The Lord is in control!

Either way, it is real, it's coming!  The house sale is on its way!  Closing is tentatively set for January 22, 2012.  There is a lot to do between now and then.  God is faithful and He will complete it.

Please help me pray that things will continue their progress and I would be able to clear out the house with the time I have left.

The Guidance of the Lord is ...

Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths. 

Prov 3:5-6

This is such a familiar passage of Scripture!  Do we really read it?  Do we really believe it?  Do we consider it an encouraging passage that comes to mind when we think things aren't going right?  This morning in my devotions, the Lord brought me to Proverbs 3.  It's so easy to just skim over these verses.  I felt the Lord wanted my heart to meditate on these verses.  I began thinking of it in a fresh new way.  Trust ... all my heart ... lean ... acknowledge ... direct your paths. 

Suddenly action has kicked in again! The whistle blew and time in!  Action is in swing!  I blogged about the time out last Wednesday, then on Saturday, I had a new showing, then again this afternoon.  The anticipation was killing me and I was feeling anxious about the showing at 1:30pm.  I kept having to remember my scripture from the morning.  A dear friend reminded me "chill girl, He already knows the outcome". Trust in the Lord!  This was definitely the phrase that would settle my heart.

Well, it was definitely the day of up and down news!  I really needed to remember to trust!  I also needed to lean not to my own understanding.  My understanding would go up and down along with the news and I needed to chose to lean on the Lord and forget the understanding that I kept gaining (and losing as bad news came).  After the showing on Saturday, I asked how it had gone, but all I got was "good, they liked it".  After the showing today, I asked how it went and the answer was "they liked it but they are worried about the Walmart".  The owners of the Walmart in the plaza next door want to turn it into a Super Walmart and for some reason, this is a highly debated topic that discourages people from buying my house.  My realtor proceeded to tell me that she thought that we may need to lower the price.  I was discouraged by the news, but I kept trying to remind myself to trust the Lord.  By the end of my work day, I got another text from my realtor asking at what time I would be home and that she wanted to review an offer with me!!!!  I came home not knowing what to expect and again reminding myself to trust the Lord and not lean to my own understanding.  I didn't know what the offer would be and if it would be good or not. 

Acknowledge Him in ALL my ways ...
The first 3 definitions in the dictionary are perfect!!!

1. to recognize the rights, authority, or status of ...
2. to disclose knowledge of or agreement with ...
3. to express gratitude or obligation for ...

I need to recognize that I am not my own, I am bought with a price, I am under His authority.  In prayer, tell Him of this recognition and, in sharing with other people, to also share about this recognition and submission with them.  Finally, express gratitude to the Lord for His work and confess that I owe Him all!  When I do this, I receive the promise that He will direct my paths!!!!

As I anticipated the offer, I was keeping these verses in mind, although I didn't dive into the definition until now, so it is more confirmation and reaffirmation to my heart now.  I sat with the realtor and we were going to walk through the offer.  She sweetly shared how she had been praying about the sale of my house and it was very encouraging and a blessing.  She began the process by sharing that the first christian couple that I blogged about were concerned about the Walmart and were pretty much backing off.  

Then she shared that in her dealings with another client of hers, they had placed an offer on a house that she later realized was the same people with whom I had my previous contingent offer (with the previous realtor).  They had also been burned by that deal and the relationship with that realtor.  It was quite unfortunate.  They didn't really want to talk about it at all, but after a while, they did talk to their new realtor, who gets along well with mine.  Anyway, now they had an offer on their house and they didn't have a house to buy.  They still liked my house and decided to come see it, albeit reluctantly.  They are the ones that came on Saturday, although I wasn't told until today.  Yesterday, they met with their realtor and drafted the offer that they sent to my realtor today!!!!!!!!!!!!!  As I evaluated the price and the offer, it was evident that it was fair, although lower than the previous agreement (although not terribly).  Their house also sold for a lot less than they had it listed for with the previous realtor.  As I thought about it, I was at peace.  I felt the Lord directing and making the path straight, going before me.  Accepting this offer was the third link in a chain of house deals that were in progress.  I realize that the Walmart is a reason to deter many buyers and I have peace about not being greedy (not that I should ever justify peace about being greedy).  The first house still needs to sell.  My realtor is now making the sale of that one a priority to get the rest going.  We are now praying the first house sells!

The Lord is bringing out other things from this Proverb to my heart, but that will have to wait for another blog entry ... suffice it to add that the Proverb goes on to say: "Honor the LORD with your possessions" ...

Sooooo ............  I signed the offer and if things continue with the current motion, I will be closing in January!  Please join me in prayer that the Lord would sell the first house in the chain, that I would continue walking in faith and His guidance would continue leading the way.  I am joyfully directed in Him and by Him!!!!

Time out!

I suddenly feel like time out was called and all the activity has stopped!  I was sick last week and quite sick through the weekend.  I was thankful that nothing was happening at my house other than me resting.  In the meantime, the realtor met with the couple I blogged about last time and they are worried about the Super Walmart that is in debate to be constructed close to my house.  So ... after all the turmoil and activity ... well, nothing is happening right now ...

I am trusting that He is in control of it all.  My heart needs to rest in it too.

Trying to stay calm ... not that easy!!!!!!!

Wow! Between the last blog entry and this one so much has happened!!  I have been super busy at home.  For a variety of reasons and with a miriad of logistic craziness, I have swapped out fridge and stove, cleaned out the basement and a lot of the garage, cleaned out my bathroom from an extra rack, patched a wall, bought mums for the front of the house, had the bushes trimmed and even had one dead bush removed ... as if that isn't enough, many small things too.  The Lord has helped me with time management and also sending physical help when I have needed it.  Thanks to all of you who have been helped, you have been a huge blessing!!!!  Below is the photo of the listing.

I am having more action on my house than I had before!  My realtor even told me that of all her listings, mine is the one that is getting the most calls!!!! 

The house went on the market last Thursday (yes, only 1 week ago).  I had 1 showing last Friday and 1 on Saturday.  I had 3 showings on Tuesday and I have 2 more Thursday (today) along with a "broker's caravan" preview where all the brokers from the firm visit a series of houses they mutually are listing so that they know what options are available for their customers within the firm.  One couple that came last Friday seemed interested and their realtor called back saying that they might put in an offer. 

Today, I got a call from my realtor after our first showing this morning.  It was a very interesting showing to put it mildly!!!!  The couple called my realtor yesterday asking to see the house.  They are believers and introduced themselves as Christians outright on the call.  They said they weren't planning on moving right now, but felt the Lord directed them to my house.  They have a house to sell and they don't have it on the market (normally not a good sign).  They came this morning to see the house and they loved it!  They loved my realtor so much (even over the phone) that they also brought with them the papers for their house so that my realtor would be able to review them and work with them to list their house.  They are getting together on Saturday to draft an offer for mine and list theirs!!!  As they looked at the house, they looked at the book shelves and commented that we have the same books!!!!  When my realtor told them that I was selling because I wanted to go into the mission field, the wife pretty much got teary eyed!!!

I am trying not to count my eggs before they are hatched or assume I know what God is doing ... but I am quite excited about the possibilities.  I am still praying intently about this and I am hoping and waiting on the Lord.  Of course, this waiting is not an inactive waiting ... I am busy beyond words!!!

As if that is not enough, things at work have been crazy, so my sleep has been compromised and, now with the season change, I am struggling with allergy induced asthma and potentially the beginning of a cold.  I am praying that it doesn't get worse.

As I go through all of this, I contemplate with excitement the commitment and possibilities.  There is no turning back, there is no looking back.  I am certainly waaaay past the point of no return.  Do I want to turn back?  No!!!!!  Do I get a bit scared when I think if the magnitude?  Of course!  I recently read the quote below and it is so deep and rich with meaning that it is resonating within me.

A missionary is someone who is bound by marriage

to the stated mission and purpose of his Lord and Master.

-Oswald Chambers

Time to Get Moving!!!!

Wow it has been a long time since I have posted a blog!!!  I have been longing and desiring for a long time to go into missions.  The Lord has been iterating and re-iterating His calling to my heart and I am desiring it more than ever ... but is that really enough? 

I have a friend that has the following quote as his Skype status: "Vision without action is a day dream, action without vision is a nightmare."  Not sure where that came from, but as I start to write, that phrase came to mind and I had to steal it for the blog.  I guess I find myself more in the first part, but I could easily fall into the second since I don't really know where the Lord is calling me to go long term ... but that is a different topic.

Since I have returned from Mexico, my heart has been stirred to return.  I can't say that the Lord wants me there permanently.  What I can say is that my heart is knit with people there.  I long to fellowship with them, serve along side with them and spend time seeking the Lord and exploring if that is what the Lord would have for me.  I hear news of what is happening there both physically and spiritually and I long to be part of it or be there for them.  I would love to go for at least 3 months to see what the Lord would have and if it is a viable place of service for me, or maybe it is preparatory for a different place.  I am hoping that I would be able to find my place and not feel like a visitor.  Even cute little Obed has said he misses me and he even told me he loved me over Skype!!!!  I got to talk with him and his sister Aaliyah and it is so sweet to know that they love me just from the two weeks there ... and I love them back!  Little things like that have a way of drawing the heart!!!!  They are kids of a good friend, Pastor Dan's daughter (pastor at the Ranch).  I wanted to include a photo so that you could see how cute they are. :)

I would still love to go to Bulgaria to visit my friends there in the Lord's timing and I am not sure where the Lord wants me long term.  I also have missionary friends in China that I would love to see again and they would like me to visit.  One step at a time and one place at a time ... There are many advantages to going to the Ranch in Mexico as a first place.  I won't have a language barrier (which is huge), so it will be a nice way to "get my feet wet" and seek the Lord apart from distractions.  It would be great to go for 2 weeks for vacation, but it seems insufficient.  I was sick a lot while there, so I kind of need more than 2 weeks to allow my body to adjust.  My friends tell me that I need to be a long term missionary! 

With the desire to go to Mexico and thinking of logistics, I was dreading multiple options.  I couldn't quite agree with the thoughts of leaving my guitar again, especially for a longer term as I really missed it for ministry and personal purposes, or of traveling on the bus with my guitar and risking damage or loss, or incurring the extra costs of flying into Mexico for twice the price if I were to go often.  After many thoughts and prayers, I kept coming back to the idea of getting an SUV that could handle the trip, the extra luggage and the rough roads to the Bible Studies near the Ranch.  As I thought about this more, I ended up searching for options and found an amazing deal for a 2000 Jeep Cherokee in impecable condition with 129K miles!!!  It is from out of state and a bit old, but great for service ... so, we have named it Moses (coming from a far land to move the people to where the Lord was calling them to go).  I must admit that this car is sooooo not me!!!!  The funny thing is that it is perfect for me!  It is perfect for Mexico!  It is kind of funny ha-ha that after driving it for a couple of days and going back to driving my Acura that I have driven for over 6 years now, I feel guilty because my TSX feels too luxurious!!!!  I guess the Lord is preparing my heart in many ways.  Even during the searching process and when I got it, I have received many lessons from the Lord to my heart as part of this.  It is just what never knew I needed!!!!!

I have had the house up for sale on craigslist and with a sign out front "For Sale by Owner" all summer long. I have had multiple people come and see it, some even seemed promising, but nothing has come of it.  I felt so "burned" by my last realtor experience that I felt overwhelmed at the thought of trying to pick a different one that I could trust, that would sell the house agressively and that would look out for my interest.  With my house situation, I can't really take action regarding going to the mission field, at least not long term, so going to Mexico has been a day dream.  My only possible next action is to sell the house ... this has been the next thing for the longest time ... I have been fearful and I have felt burned by my previous experience, but I must trust the Lord and not be driven by fear.

Well, today I met a new realtor ... she was amazing!  A dear friend recommended her and I have taken the the step to meet her.  I feel so comfortable with her and with all the information that she brought and shared.  Even with decisions in price that may not be what I originally wanted or hoped, yet I feel at ease.  She seems very knowledgable, experienced and with the kind of focus and ethic that makes me feel I can trust her.  Yes, it was the first meeting, and we will meet again to finalize the listing on Monday and get it on the market officially again, but I have a peace about it.  Of course, I keep praying!!!!  I have "homework" (literally) that she wants me to do to before we list, but it isn't impossible.  The reminder to be praying every step of the way is essential ... and now is no exception.  Because I had it listed it before and I had it for sale by owner for a while, it is an uphill battle, but nothing is impossible to the Lord and if it is His will, He will bring it to pass.  If this endeavor does not result in a sale, then I continue trusting His timing and guidance.

Is it time to move yet?  Well, not literally move out of the house yet, but definitely it is time to get moving forward and get everything done with all dilligence to finalize it all (or be ready to embark on a new beginning), so ... it is time to get moving!!!!

As far as the price, although I would like to be able to sell for more money, the Lord was gently reminding me of the scripture:

"As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich;

as having nothing, and yet possessing all things."

- 2 Cor. 6:10

Please keep praying with me in all this process.  Let's look forward to what God will do!!!!!!  My prayer and my promise continues to be:

In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion ...

Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort

- Psalm 71:1,3