Today I was scrubbing the toilet at work (that tends to happen when you're a housecleaner) and I began to reflect on this past year or two and how God has brought us to where we are thus far. The Lord has worked in the details so purposefully and intricately. If you'd like, take some time to reflect with me and be amazed by how God has brought us up to this moment....
Oct. 4, 2008- Ben and I are married. We settle into our townhouse in Cleveland TN to finish school.
January, 2009- We are both laid off from our jobs with no notice, no severance, nada. Effective immediately. As in the next day we woke up jobless. God uses this to build our trust in HIM for provision.
February-March 2009- We try and hold things together, but were miserable at our jobs and feeling the longing to do missions even more. Feeling stuck
April 2009- The Lord opens up the doors for us to move to Hendersonville, TN. (Thank you Cori Johnston for jobs at Daycamp and Mom, Dad, Uncle Allan, and Aunt Nancy for providing a place for us to live!). The Lord begins to teach us how to throw/give away things we don't need.
August 2009- I (Tara) begin to browse the internet one day and come across YWAM London's website. You know...just dreaming....about how amazing it would be to go back and minister to the people of London.
August 2009- Couldn't get YWAM London off my mind so I sent Marta an email asking if maybe we could come shadow them one day. Got an email surprisingly fast saying that they'd love it if we came to shadow them. Tentatively made plans to fly to London and shadow them in April 2010. Laughing in the back of my mind of it ever actually happening. Being able to afford it...
September 2009- Join a community group with Robin and Jim Mefford. Learned alot about being intentional and open and honest with relationships.
December 2009- Start seriously thinking about raising and saving money to somehow get ourselves over to London to shadow YWAM. I send my passport in to get my maiden name changed to Tioaquen
February 2010- The Lord began to break me, mold me, and heal me from major emotional moodswings and issues. Found out that I wasn't really crazy and it was my medication making me insane. Got off the medication on faith
March 2010- got our tax return back. With the financial help of others (Amy and Eric Redmond being one gracious couple) we stepped out on faith and bought our plane ticket and made arrangements to stay in London.
Early April 2010- literally a week or two before we leave, the Lord used Ed and Nancy Rawlings to absolutely bless our socks off. We had enough money at this time for everything but food. We figured we would just bring granola bars. But Ed and Nancy were led to give us enough money to be able to eat way better than granola bars. :) Will never forget it. Those of you who know me know that food is an issue with me.
April 2010- We go to London unsure of the outcome. Not positive why we were even going. It was suppossed to be just a vision trip. Meet YWAM London staff. Both Ben and I feel the Lord tell us to apply from YWAM London DTS. It all seems too good to be true. But it isn't. Its just Gods awesome plan. We get stuck in London for an additional 5 days because some volcano decides to erupt and cause ash in the air. All airports and flights closed. So surreal. But I didn't care. The Lord was just teaching us to trust.
May 2010- Have a garage sale for missions and made 1,200!!!!
June 2010- get acceptance letter from YWAM. Begin fundraising
June 2010- decide that I want to rip our Visa application into a million pieces because it was the most frustrating experience I've had in my life....but we made it through.
July 2010- A lady rolls down her window and tells me God told her to give me a $100 bill.
We speak at churches in VA and a lady gives us a $1,000 donation and many make pledges to support us.
August 2010- Alissa Saylor tells us she is giving us the profit of her Christmas cards (she's an amazing photographer)
We are able to get out of our apartment lease without paying a dime (it was going to be $4,000)
We have another garage sale and make $300
We begin to sell things we own and have made at least $400 so far
And today, September 2nd, BEN'S VISA WAS ISSUED AND WILL BE HERE TOMORROW!
So as you can see, so much has happened this past year. The Lord has done so much and has known how this would all play out all along. I have been elated, I have been depressed, I have been scared, I have been angry (mainly at the visa. grrrr), I have been unsure, I have been sure, I have been postive, I have been negative. I'm so glad God is always the same.....and I can't wait to see how the rest of this journey unfolds
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