I never would have imagined

Do you remember where you were a year ago?  I do, though my days might be slightly off.  We were in the middle of traveling down to Mexico for our first family mission trip.  The 35 hours of driving were coming to an end and we were getting ready to cross the border into the Mexican Baja.  It was a trip that forever shifted our view.  Did we ever imagine that a year later, we would be again preparing for a mission trip, but this time for 2 years in Africa?

Sometimes, we can see the road ahead quite clearly (like driving to Moose Jaw on a clear day). Somewhere just above the horizon, the destination is waiting for you.  In other stages of life, you can barely see a few meters in front of you.  This was the highway close to midnight on Monday, as Nathan and I drove home from Calgary.  Dense fog engulfed the roads and the lights only illuminated a small area in front of the van. Stopping was not an option, so we kept going, confident that the road in front of us would take us where we needed to be.  In some areas, the fog would lift, giving us a breather from the intensity of driving in what felt like a wool blanket.  While I was aware and alert, I wasn't stressed (a huge answer to prayer for someone who doesn't like driving at night . . .at all).

Oh how this has paralleled our journey!  When we were getting ready for Mexico, that was a clear next step in our life.  We had spent years praying for and planning this trip, knowing that it would somehow challenge and change our family.  Before, during and after our November 2013 mission, there was no doubt we were exactly where we were to be.  After Christmas, however, the path became a little unclear, yet over the next few months, God continued to direct our paths, taking us on a journey we never imagined!

I distinctly remember one night in January where Kim was so upset and discouraged about his business.  For years, he had a dream of growing the eavestroughing business to support more than just our family.  Business was slow, competition fierce and there were just not the right employees who had a heart for doing a job well.  Now, not even a year later, the business has 4 men, jobs booked well into the year (thanks to the multiple hail storms) and Kim is experiencing the joy of training up some great successors.  Who would have anticipated this?

Only God knows how our life is mapped out.  We see the immediate and wonder what is around the next bend and often question whether God really knows what He is doing.  Trust me, He does!  The road you are on right now is not going to be road you stay on--when you surrender to letting God take the driver's seat.

              We can make our plans,

    but the Lord determines our steps.

Proverbs 16:9