Opportunities and Disappointments

Three days before we left for Ghana, we received a phone call from someone with the International Mission Board putting an opportunity before us to serve with the IMB in Europe.  The position was an urgent support position that would involve living in Budapest, Hungary and coordinating the medical care for all the IMB missionaries in the entire European continent.

While in Ghana, we talked and prayed through the details of the opportunity.  Soon after we returned home, we submitted our online applications (we each had to complete one) and met with the IMB personnel.  Later that evening, we received a call from the IMB in Richmond informing us that our application had been unanimously DENIED due to the age of our children.  Wow.

This would have been a 3 year position and we would not have been allowed to return to the states during that time.  Evan would have started college, then we would have gone to Richmond for 2 months orientation then around next January we would have moved to Europe.  We feel that we were obedient by submitting our application and moving forward in faith each step of the way.  Honestly, when we counted the cost (being separated from Evan through most of his college years; Allie spending the rest of her high school years away from her friends and starting college while we were in Europe; Natalie leaving her friends; leaving behind all our friends and family) we realized that it would not be easy, but we knew we could trust the LORD.  Cindy and I finally said, "LORD, we can't make this decision without You.  You must make it abundantly clear to us and we will follow You."  Well, it doesn't get more crystal clear than "NO".

We also were planning to return to Athens this summer to work with the refugees and serve the medical needs of the missionaries at the missionary conference that would be in Athens this year.  As we began to work through the details of that trip, we discovered that multiple teams were wanting to do the same thing.  In fact, they really didn't need us.  Even though we love the missionaries there and were looking forward to serving them and WITH them again, we decided it was not God's plan for us to go since we would just be a duplication.

So, now we are in the waiting room.  Waiting for God to speak clearly to us again.  It's awkwardly peaceful.  To feel that you have given God a blank check to spend your family's lives as He chooses, then to be stopped dead in your tracks feels uncomfortable and puzzling.  We are mourning the loss of the opportunity to serve Him in these ways, but at the same time, it's peaceful to be able to live day by day waiting for God's direction.   Knowing that whenever He speaks to us the timing will be perfect, and whatever He desires for us will be magnificent.

Thank you, Father for showing us that we can trust you whether on the front lines or in the waiting room.  


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