Without going into too much detail, we have, or at least me as Mark is still in Cameroon, have had an amazing 3 days! I discovered that our cave, or cellar, had been broken into on Wednesday. They stole all our suitcases, 7 in total,(4 large, 3 small that were in the large suitcases), a load of my summer clothes for Senegal/outreach, Mark's backpack with holdalls in it, Mark's bike and my sun lounger that I hadn't even sat in yet! I will probably remember other stuff too. Anyway, they didn't take the boy's bikes.
What was difficult for me was that there are 2 doors that are locked and only neighbours have the key. Anyway, I learnt yesterday morning that our insurance won't pay out as we only had a padlock on the door into our cellar. We've been praying about joining Globe UK and doing the school and the necessary finances, especially as we need to see our current support level increase in order for us to stay here. Only on Tuesday night Mark and I had decided that we were definetely going to go ahead, even if we don't have the school fees. So, to learn that we weren't covered was a kick in the teeth, but also a great learning moment with God about where my trust had really been - in the insurance company. I repented over the boiling kettle, (I was making a much needed coffee), and began to think about how now, we were going to replace suitcases and buy Mark a new bike and pay for the school, and to still do the school knowing that we don't have enough support.
This last year in France has been an incredibly hard time for us, and there have been moments when I could easily have given up and gone back to the UK, and Mark has given me the opportunity to choose to as well, but I know he knows that he knows God wants him here.
What was difficult for me was that there are 2 doors that are locked and only neighbours have the key. Anyway, I learnt yesterday morning that our insurance won't pay out as we only had a padlock on the door into our cellar. We've been praying about joining Globe UK and doing the school and the necessary finances, especially as we need to see our current support level increase in order for us to stay here. Only on Tuesday night Mark and I had decided that we were definetely going to go ahead, even if we don't have the school fees. So, to learn that we weren't covered was a kick in the teeth, but also a great learning moment with God about where my trust had really been - in the insurance company. I repented over the boiling kettle, (I was making a much needed coffee), and began to think about how now, we were going to replace suitcases and buy Mark a new bike and pay for the school, and to still do the school knowing that we don't have enough support.
This last year in France has been an incredibly hard time for us, and there have been moments when I could easily have given up and gone back to the UK, and Mark has given me the opportunity to choose to as well, but I know he knows that he knows God wants him here.
One of the things I have been struggling with and I have been praying about for the last 14 months is for God to tell me I am supposed to be here. I'm here because I am Mark's wife, and I have peace that God wants us here, but God hadn't actually said to me we are supposed to be here. It's been a big deal for me bacause I am used to hearing God speak very plainly and spefically, and I haven't been able to on this. He's given me lots of Scriptiures about being here, what I am here for, but for me it's not been the same as hearing Him. I know it has been a growing and a trust and a test thing, but it has been a very painful process.
As I made my coffee I began to question whether this was an indication that we should be leaving, and laughed and said to God "I can't leave even if I wanted to. I haven't got any suitcases." and I heard His voice for the first time in a long, long time. He said, " I allowed the suitcases to be taken to show you you are here to stay."
I took my coffee to the computer and opened our email account. One of the emails was from the man in our church who oversees our finances. He was writing to tell me a cheque had arrived in the mail that morning for £1,000. Only God can do that. That is how perfect He is. And I have the privilige of knowing Him, of serving Him, of being totally loved by Him. Who wouldn't want that?
As I made my coffee I began to question whether this was an indication that we should be leaving, and laughed and said to God "I can't leave even if I wanted to. I haven't got any suitcases." and I heard His voice for the first time in a long, long time. He said, " I allowed the suitcases to be taken to show you you are here to stay."
I took my coffee to the computer and opened our email account. One of the emails was from the man in our church who oversees our finances. He was writing to tell me a cheque had arrived in the mail that morning for £1,000. Only God can do that. That is how perfect He is. And I have the privilige of knowing Him, of serving Him, of being totally loved by Him. Who wouldn't want that?
