Now, that we have received our visa approvals from Spain, have picked the visas up in Chicago, and have booked flights to depart on June 14th. The clutter from the last 6 months of waiting is being cleared, and the suitcases are once again being prepared for travel. I pray that packing this time goes more smoothly than the last time we packed up… packing, unpacking, repacking!
After Christmas and the “Chicago Shuffle” the first week of January, we started preparations to move. We had been living on the church property in the married housing for the Bible college students (where we had been since Jared started school in August of 2009). As we prepared to enter the mission field, Jared made the prayerful decision to sit out of the college, but we were still allowed to remain on campus paying a small amount of rent each month. As our first departure date of December 7, 2010 drew nearer, the side work that was coming in began to dwindle. (Also, the winter months are not as busy for handyman type work.) This decrease in work significantly decreased our income for living expenses while still here in the states. We had already cut our current living expenses to bare minimums back in August and September (selling our car, minimizing our cell phone expense, etc.) So, when we realized that our income was suffering we were prayerful about how to minimize the existing expenditures in our monthly budget. In answer to that prayer, our friends, who were already sending in monthly support checks, invited us to stay at their home until our departure. (Yes, they were made aware that we could be in their home for several months! Thanks and Praise to God for a blessed living arrangement for the last SIX months!) We have been extremely grateful and encouraged by their hospitality and the fellowship that has resulted from being in their home. We are family and leaving will be exceptionally tough.
As we prepared to move into our friends’ home, I started to pack the luggage that we had received for Christmas gifts. Also, I decided it would be a good idea to start weighing and make any changes that needed to be made at that time rather than later. Well, little did I know how many changes would have to be made.
Jared started looking up the weight restrictions on our luggage. He soon discovered that not only did our packed luggage weigh 10lbs overweight for each of the 12 pieces that I had packed , but, also, the luggage far exceeded the size limits for checked and carry-on bags!!! Frustrated, stressed, and overwhelmed. God came to minister to my heart. He is so faithful to meet us in our time of discouragement. “But those who wait on the Lord, shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31
All of our possessions fit into these 12 suitcases (2 checked luggage pieces and 1 carry-on for each of us). Now, we would have to get rid of more. We really felt God’s pull on our hearts. Are you REALLY willing to give up everything? Stuff is just stuff to Jared and I and getting rid of things was a little harder for the girls. (They soon found joy in the clearing away of stuff.) Yet, being called to rid ourselves of the last of the last, to put into storage or give away the few items we had decided to hang onto, this act really was God doing a heart check. We quickly realized His work again qualifying us for the call on our lives into the mission field…traveling light to be ready to go. “He commanded them to take nothing for the journey except a staff- no bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts- but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics.” Mark 6:8,9
As we each purged another 10-20lbs. of clothing, books, and stuff, Jared began doing internet searches and making phone calls to see about returning all of our gifted luggage and being able to get the correct luggage. God again provided all we needed from the receipts for return, the ability to return at the store front instead of online, and the availability of the exact number of luggage pieces and sizes that we needed at the store of our returns! God takes care of us even in the littlest details, nothing is unknown or missed by Him. God’s hand is always in our lives opening and closing doors for our benefit. “' ‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you,’ says the Lord, ‘thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.’ ” Jeremiah 29:11
Upon purchase of our new luggage, we packed our belongings up again and were finally able to make the move to our friend’s home. Moving back in January provided us the opportunity to rid ourselves of many of the items we use on a daily basis (like our dishes, pots, pans, laundry items, etc.) which is extremely helpful now that we are preparing to leave in 20 days. The things to do at this time are minimal with only a few home schooling items to wrap up for this school year, a couple minimal business type items, and the final repacking for our flights.
God has called us to go. In obedience we go as He has called and timed. We have found that the process of going is preparing our hearts, minds, and lifestyle for the mission field. We are traveling light praising God for the packing, unpacking and repacking not only our luggage but our baggage…less of us and more of Him!
