Something Beautiful

Well Friday was the day that Derrick was coming home.  I spent all day just thinking about how excited I was to see him. I left Louisville in the afternoon to Bowling Green to just hang out til I headed to Nashville for dinner with a friend.  All day I had a weird feeling because I had checked the flight status in Nashville and never saw an 11p.m. flight arriving in Nashville from Miami, but thought it was an oversight.  Around 8:30 I received a text saying that they would not be arriving home til tomorrow at 9:45 and Derrick would call me.  I was like "Oh ok, in the morning, I will just go sleep and go pick him up in the morning."  Nope, it was the next night!  I was bummed.  I continued to have contact with a friend in Haiti who was giving me flight updates and I was just sick to my stomach.  I was worried.  I was not trusting the Lord.  Frustrated I drove all the way home to Louisville that night.  

Saturday morning I was still in confusion as to when he would actually arrive home.  I just kept worrying and tried praying.  I'm Selfish. It wasn't til 4 that evening I received a text from Derrick saying they had arrived in Miami! PRAISE GOD.  I decided that I would be driving back to Nashville to do it all over again, but I told him I would meet him in Bowling Green.  He didn't know I would surprise him.  I crept in a corner at the Nashville airport while I waited for him to walk through that gate.  That was the longest 4 minutes of my life. My heart was pounding and I was literally shaking.  And FINALLY there he was, I slipped out of the corner and into his arms.  After all the waiting, he was home and the Lord was beginning to teach me even more.  

In baggage claim he handed me the journal I had sent with him.  In there I saw his heart.  I saw words that overflowed onto more words that just presented the Lord at work in his life which breathed light into mine. In the journal he spoke of the things he did and encountered while there.  He had some verses that stood out to him while on the trip.  One that really stood out to me was Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."  Derrick actually got to preach on this verse in Haiti and I don't think we can ever hear that enough...to TRUST with ALL of our hearts and he will make our PATHS STRAIGHT.  

Through all the driving back and forth I played one CD that was my recent Christian mix.  I was just looking at the song titles and they are as follows ( in this exact order): 

Can Anybody Hear Me

Only You

Something Beautiful

The Lost Get Found

Hope Now

Forgiven

God Gave Me You

Our God 

While I'm Waiting

While I was waiting the Lord was the only one that I could rely on.  It was something beautiful to hear about how the Gospel was proclaimed in Haiti.  They have a joy and love for the Lord always.  I wish I could say the same.  I have hope now that I am forgiven of my sins and daily I will sin against the Lord, but he forgives.  God gave me Derrick to make my relationship with the Lord stronger not for to be my fulfillment, but so that we may walk on this Earth with a purpose.  Our God is amazing and wonderful.  

This was Derrick's bud Ka-Ka.  

God Provides.

The morning Derrick left for Haiti he said, "You won't even notice I'm gone. The time will fly bye." 

I didn't believe him, but here we are 2 days til he comes home.  The time has literally flown bye.  I thought that I would be sitting at home twiddling my thumbs wondering what the heck I was going to do with my life this summer, but the Lord knew.  

Let's just say that I am a professional babysitter.  I have baby-sat / nanny every single day since he has been gone.  Most of the time I don't even know that I am needed til the day of and its so neat.  Its neat because the Lord is bringing people into my life that I have never met before.  He has provided opportunities that open up more opportunities that open up more opportunities. 

It's very cool because it is teaching me to save my money.  I am not always guaranteed money and so it has really challenged me to be a "good steward of my funds".  I have always struggled with that and clearly the Lord had his plan as to how I would one day be forced to learn.  

Another neat thing that has been a really rewarding experience is getting to invest in the high school girls this summer.  They have a desire to know God deeper and to build their relationship with them.  Tonight we talked about the Gospel and what it means to share it with others around us.  Challenging them as well as myself has been wonderful to see the Lord use them to work in me.  The girls are learning what it means to be a Godly woman and how to be beautiful because of Christ in them.  

"Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." Luke 9:23

Here are a couple new pictures of Derrick.  I praise God for these pictures.  They have definitely gotten me through not seeing him or talking to him. He is loving the children.  

Encouraged.

 

I love summer because it means spending more time in the word, reading encouraging books, and sitting at Panera on a Saturday morning for 2-3 hours to chat with friends.

This morning I enjoyed breakfast with some friends at Panera which is always very encouraging.  We shared just how the Lord is working in our lives.  We also shared some fun stories and talked about girly things.  It is just very delightful to see the Lord at work. 

"For where two or more come together in my name, there am I with them." Matthew 18:20

For now it was the afternoon and I spent it digging into this book "Radical" by David Platt.  It is a great book that talks about taking back your faith from the American Dream.  It encouraged me even more to share my faith with anyone and everyone I come into contact with.  This quote is from the book. 

  

"The gospel does not prompt you to mere reflection; the gospel requires a response."

I am encouraged for my continued growth with the Lord this summer and the opportunities that he keeps providing. 

Derrick is still in Haiti.  Praying for him.  There was another picture on the website.  I am not sure what this means, but I can't wait to learn when he comes home!  6 days :)

God really is too good to me.  Tonight I was still in excitement about the picture I got to see of Derrick last night.  I was showing my dear friend Hannah the picture and there happened to be another picture...

Aww I know, right?!   That's what we said...Well actually we screamed it in her kitchen.  I think nothing makes a girl melt more is seeing a man with children.  Look at this sweet girl sleeping on Derrick's shoulder.  I love this.  She finds comfort and security in his arms.  Words can not express how beautiful it has been being apart from Derrick.  

As I mentioned before, just a few days before Derrick had left I was frustrated because I hadn't heard from him one night.  I was angry and did not reflect an attitude of a Godly woman.  I was thinking about myself and "Why doesn't Derrick think about me? and What can he do for me? and How can he better serve me?" ...And now that I can't talk to him, I pray.  I pray for him.  

The Lord is the only thing holding us close and I find comfort in that.  

One more week.  :) 

"May the God of peace equip you with everything good for doing His will, through Jesus Christ, 

to whom be glory for ever and ever." Hebrews 13:20-21

Derrick is alive!

Yesterday I prayed that the Lord would let me know that Derrick arrived in Haiti safely.  I decided to check out the Northwest Haiti Christian Mission website to see if anything was up there and indeed there was a blog saying everyone had arrived safely. I was also DELIGHTED to see a picture of my handsome man smiling and enjoying life, as usual.  Missing him, but so excited to see how the Lord is using him.  Please keep praying.