WHEN GOD MOVES.......I MOVE!

With most stories, there are unexpected developments that capture the reader’s attention.  Likewise, in the update that follows, there have been some unexpected, God orchestrated, developments in the story that He continues to unfold in my life.  Many of you have been faithfully following the blog updates and are aware of the incident two months ago of my car being stolen.  As many of you know, the car was recovered!  Praise the Lord for that! The next chapter in the continuation of the story gets even better as God has used the events of the stolen car to answer a deep heart desire prayer.  Hopefully that peaks your interest to want to read more of how God is moving!  :)

For those of you who prefer to skip to the end of the book to see how the story ends, here is a timeline  from the beginning of the stolen car incident up to the present.  The story is far from over, so you will have to keep reading my blog updates to hear what happens next!

June 14th - Woke up to find the car had  been stolen

June 19th - Car was recovered and positively identified

June 25th - Car again in my possession

July 6th - Phone call about new living situation (huh???)

July 20th - Car picked up and taken to garage for all repairs

July 28th - picked up repaired car

August 10th - Move into new home (huh??? how does this relate?)

Some of you want to know how the "August 10th- move into new home relates to the rest of the entries.  See detailed story below!  

June 25th - Car again in my possession

Getting the car back didn't mean it was ready to drive.  New license plates and some minor repairs needed to be done beforehand.  The process of requesting and receiving new license plates took longer than one might expect, but I'm leaning how to exercise patience and flexibility in these experiences.   What I can say, is that inspite of the inconvenience, the Lord was orchestrating something that would blow my mind!

 Orchestrating far more than what I had asked for!  Stay with me now as I set the context.......  In my last blog entry, you saw the day and life of ALC staff during summer camp.  We finished summer camp a week ago but for 6 weeks it was full speed ahead from 8a.m. until 5p.m.  Naturally, this left zero time during business hours to run around to find needed parts and a mechanic available to do the repairs. Saturdays were my only option but I still found it challenging to get things done between my animal feeding responsibilities and other things going on throughout the summer.  However, in the midst of these delays, a phone call came........This is where it gets good!  :)

July 6th - phone call about new living situation

This doesn't look like me.... and you're right, it's not the real me!  But the phone call was real.....like a dream come true!  I was about to get the answer to all of my waiting for the car situation but with an added bonus!  Listen to this! A church acquaintance of Mark Wallace, another ALC staff member, had inquired about whether he knew of anyone in need of a roommate.  Mark mentioned that I (Jen) had desired to live offsite for quite some time but that financially some things would have to come together in order for that to happen.  He proceeded to notify me of their conversation and gave me her contact information.  Before I had a chance to call her, she called first!

Pause for a moment while I give some context......

This woman, Priscilla Cartright, was widowed 10 years ago, and since then had been living in a home with her 29 year old daughter.  Just this past January Priscilla remarried, leaving her daughter to live alone in the house.  After 6 months, Candy (daughter), expressed wanting a to share the place with a housemate.  As I talked with Priscilla on the phone that day and heard her story and I shared mine, it became quite evident that the Lord was answering both of our prayers.  They were praying for a roommate for her daughter, and   I had been desiring to live offsite for several months but had resolved that the accommodations here at the camp were more than sufficient.  Honestly, without supernatural provision, paying rent and the bills somewhere else wasn't financially possible.

So I agreed to meet the family and see the house.  It's located about 20 minutes away from the centre.  We visited a bit and talked about whether personality and lifestyle would be a good fit.  During our conversation, I learned that Priscilla and her husband are very familiar with the Adventure Learning Centre from the early days when our founder Randy Grebe began the ministry.  They have generously donated resources and funds to the ministry and her daughter Candy had even served as an employee for a season as well.  Priscilla then stated that knowing my situation as a missionary to the island serving as a volunteer at Adventure Learning Centre that she and her husband would let me live  in the home rent and utility free.........excuse me, what did you say????   Yes....you heard that right!  And let me tell you, when I heard that.......

my mouth dropped wide open!  How can it be that the Lord is giving this to me???....I desired it months ago......I wanted it real bad........too much......but it just wasn't possible.  All I could do was pray about it and let it go.....it seemed impossible.   BUT that's where I was wrong!   All things are possible with God.  Is there anything too hard for the Lord?   But the Lord had brought it to me on a silver platter.  I wasn't looking for this.  This picture illustrates how I felt in that moment.  I think of Randy Grebe and the story he tells of when the ALC camp property was being offered to him.  He would tell the story best, but I remember him saying "Let me pray about it, turning to close his eyes for a second in prayer and then opening them wide with the response "Thank you Lord!"

So you might be asking.....what does this have to do with the recovered and repaired car???  Remember what I said earlier about my summer camp schedule?  Only God could orchestrate something like this.  While discussing this new living situation,  Priscilla's husband Wayde found out that my car had recently been stolen, and was waiting to be repaired.  It turns out, Wayde owns a number of car businesses on the island, and after the second time meeting him, he offered to have my car picked up, taken to the car business service centre where they made assessments for the needed repairs, acquired the parts, installed the alarm system, and gave me a free loaner car until it was finished.  And did I mention, he only charged me for the cost of the parts and the alarm system and didn't charge me for labor???

And so, we have come to the present.  This coming week, August 10, 2015, I will be moving into my new home.  I have had a couple of weeks to process it all but even as I write this, I am overwhelmed by God and was moved to tears during church today about "How good it is to be loved by you (God)".  He has turned an unfortunate situation around for good.  This past week I had the opportunity to travel to one of the other island's of the Bahamas for a time of rest before settling in for the rest of the month to finish up some projects.  While away, I was able to spend time in God's creation where I am most refreshed.

I walked through a wetland where the mangrove trees towered above me and

enjoyed a  peaceful drive at 60 miles per hour with no cars, or beeping every other second

to visit the Lucayan National Park.

I was thank ful to stay with and rec-connect with the "Dean" family(Calvin not pictured) who moved from Nassau to to Freeport, Grand Bahamas a year ago.

Though I wouldn't describe myself as a big reader, when I am in rest mode, and the book is good, I can read it straight through!  And I did just that!   Calvin Dean, the father of the family pictured above wrote this book during a difficult time in his life.  I found it to be very applicable to life and the circumstances that we find ourselves in.  I was especially encouraged with the the example of Joseph and the way that he dealt with the valleys and pits to the mountain tops and palace places.  Joseph's story was far from glamorous but each stage of his life was meant for a purpose to train him and prepare him for what God had purposed for him later.  I am believing more and more the same for my life.  I can look back upon years past and put my finger on perhaps the "why" for God bringing me through that season.  He allows all things for good.  And so.....the story of our life.....its all for good!

Praise:

1. Successful finish to the 6 weeks of summer camp.  More than 400 campers came this summer.  Pray for seeds planted to grow.
2. Thank ful for our summer staff.  Pray for them as they return to their college studies this fall.
3. Thank ful for time  away last week to regroup and rest.
4. Thank ful for provision of a new living situation and finances to help with car repairs

Prayer:

1. Pray for my move this week and for quick and smooth transition to living in a new environment and adjusting to a new housemate.
2. Pray for ability to focus and be productive to finish curriculum projects that need to be completed before staff training.
3. Pray for incoming new staff and for staff training beginning August 31st
4. Pray for the leadership team  as we meet and discuss the operations of the ministry.
5. Pray for the board of directors as they seek an executive director to oversee both camp and centre