Unexpected Happenings

These last few weeks have been a whirlwind of decisions and changes in plans. What I thought this year would look like is turning out to be completely different than reality. Not bad, but unexpected. I've gotten pretty used to a lot of unknown in my life, but I have times where I don't handle it as well. These last few weeks definitely fall into the category of not handling it as well, but I'm coming back around to a better perspective of everything. I know that God has a plan, that it's good, and His timing is perfect. One day at a time I remind myself to trust instead of worry. So here's what's been unfolding...

I had originally hoped to extend my contract at work through the end of May like I did last year, but found out a couple of weeks ago that they weren't offering extensions. It actually happened that by that time, I had already made the decision not to extend because I really feel like I need to go back to San Antonio and spend some time with my family. Within 24 hours of those decisions I received an invitation to be part of a surgical team to South Sudan in May, which I accepted. The team is through Samaritan's Purse (the same organization as Children's Heart Project), and we will be doing cleft lip repairs for a week. This trip will take place during my time in Texas, and then I plan to come back to Colorado Springs at the end of May. So in 48 hours, my vision of the next 2 months changed drastically.

I don't really know a lot after that. The trip to Honduras is in July, and Mongolia will be in September. Both of these trips are on the table right now. My budget is a lot different than I thought it was going to be since I'm not working the extra 2 months I thought I would. Those paychecks would have paid for both trips completely. God knows where I need to be and when, and He has always provided what's needed. It would break my heart to have to pick one trip or not go on either. Please pray that I would have wisdom and direction about where I need to be.

Recently we had a guest speaker at our church and she talked about gifts in unexpected packaging. It's certainly not the first time I've heard this preached, but it came at the right time for me. I needed a reminder that even though this wasn't what I had planned at all, God's plan is certainly better than mine. So although I won't be working the extra 2 months I was hoping too and I am unsure about my trips to Honduras and Mongolia, I do get priceless time with my family and the privilege of being on a surgical team to the South Sudan, along with whatever else God has planned that I don't know about.

I suppose that's it for now. I am really excited about spending several weeks with my family, and my sister and I are planning to get away for a few days while I'm there. I have actually never been on vacation so I am super excited about this :).

Whenever I find out more I will pass it along. Even though it's been a bit challenging to have lots of things change at once, I am looking forward to whatever God has in store for the coming months.