Preparing for Departure

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Aboard an airplane, bound for any destination, the words "prepare the cabin for departure" are heard overhead. You buckle your seatbelt. Take a deep breath. You look out the window. You place your belongings out of the way, removing clutter from the surrounding area. You prepare yourself for the beautifully exhilarating, jolting moment where you will find yourself suddenly airborne.

Similarly, in life we experience seasons of preparation. Imagine yourself as the cabin of the airplane. How do you need to intentionally prepare your heart for what is inevitably coming "next" in your life? What clutter do you need to remove from your life to be ready to clearly embrace the next season? Are there safety measures you need to take before you go? Look out the window to see where you are; to see how far you've come, and to familiarize yourself with the current weather. So often we look to the future without being thankful for the past, and without recognizing the present moment as a gift. 

"...the present moment is the point at which time touches eternity." 

          - C.S. Lewis, Screwtape Letters

Remember, today is a gift. Every breath you breathe is a gift of love; a gift of grace from your heavenly Father. The season you are in will undoubtedly give you tools to carry into whatever adventure will next come your way. However, if you fail to embrace the present moment as a gift, you will lose touch with the experience of touching eternity while still experiencing reality. You will live in a fantasy of the unknown, a figment of the imagination, and will lose the tangible sense of God's presence: a beautiful gift that God offers us in the present moment. 

Today, I find myself in a season of preparation. Lord-willing, I will be hearing the words "prepare the cabin for departure" in 20 days as I leave for Kenya. As I prepare, I pray for everyone who is in a preparatory season, but also for those in seasons of action. I pray Psalm 143:8, which says, "let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul." 

 ___________________


Here are some ways you can join me in praying through praise and petition during these next 20 days: 

1. Praise God for His faithfulness to lead, direct, provide, and sustain. Praise God for the universal church, for the ability to talk to Him directly through prayer, and for the mission He has called his people to!

2. Praise God for granting me a visa to Kenya! Praise God for also providing quite a few Bibles for me to bring to Kenya, and pray that God would continue to provide His Word to bring to people across the nations, specifically in Kenya. #spreadtheword

3. Pray that the constantly changing COVID-19 situation and requirements would remain either unchanged or be less strict, and that our whole team would be protected from sickness. Pray that all COVID-19 tests would be negative, and that there would be no issues traveling to and from Kenya. 

4. Pray that missions would not be kept overseas, but that every part of the journey would be used by the mission team for God's glory and for the increase of His kingdom. 

5. Pray for this season of preparation, that God would prepare and equip my heart as I anticipate taking a big step of faith - leaving for Kenya, and then moving to Michigan to start my new nursing job. Praise God for granting me a job, and for the timing of being able to go to Kenya before starting my two-year contract!

6. Pray for my family, as it isn't just hard for me to leave them, but for them to let me go. I always find myself not wanting to leave, but ever ready to go. The balance is admittedly hard - I love the family God has blessed me with, but know that God has also called me to spread the word. Praise God for "my people," and pray His blessing over them as they experience change, too. 

7. Pray that God would be preparing the hearts of everyone we will encounter in Kenya to hear and respond to the good news of Jesus.

8. Pray that our team will have a supportive, loving community atmosphere; one where we will build meaningful friendships, encourage one another, and love serving together.

___________________


"Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground!" - Psalm 143:10






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