And so, onwards, to the start of the next stage of this amazing journey. The part where I actually get BACK to the United Kingdom and how that all happened.
I find it interesting that at times it seems like the "watched pot never boils" theory seems to come into effect with God and the way He works. I don't actually think it's true, but it sometimes feels like it might be. By springtime last year, I had not thought much about Scotland nor getting back there. I had in the previous four years experienced some major health challenges and the idea of moving overseas and away from my support network of family and close friends was remote at best, slightly frightening at worst.
I'm pretty sure the scriptures say something about God using crack-pots (or, you know, jars made of clay - potato/potato), however, and so on with the story.
After hearing nothing from God regarding Scotland for some time, last April the doors swung wide open in a way that only He could have done.
On Sunday morning, April 7th, I received a text from a close friend and prayer partner of mine who now lives in Alabama. She was the one that I travelled to Scotland with on the first trip. Her text read, "Hey, Bakes, do you want to go on a missions trip to Scotland at the end of June?" To which I - of course - replied, "Yes! Send me details!" I didn't hear back from her right away (I think she was actually in a church service at the time). Then later in the day, chatting with another close friend of mine, he asked, "Hey, Bakes, do you want to come to Scotland with my wife and I in July/August?" To which I - of course - replied, "Yes! Tell me more!"
And then all of a sudden it hit me.
God was speaking about Scotland. Clearly speaking. Here were two opportunities - genuine opportunities - to return to the country to which God has called me. I don't think the message could have been any more clear had God spoken audibly and said, "Bakes. Pay attention now." (I'm rather glad He didn't. That would have freaked me out....)
Later that same evening I received another message from my friend in Alabama. Her message stated that she wasn't able to go on the trip with me, but if I wanted to go she and her husband wanted to pay for myself and another person to go on the missions trip. What??? I hadn't even had time to tell the Lord that I couldn't afford to go before He had already answered that difficulty. Now I knew He was doing something.
It is possible to tell the really, REALLY long version of this story by going into great detail about the people that I looked to for council and the things they said, as well as even the amazing ways that God continued to point me in this direction. I will content myself here with saying that for the next week, each trusted person with whom I spoke confirmed that this was God's timing and God's directing. Even the books I was reading (oh yes, more than one!) seemed to hold messages from the Lord.
Finally, nearly a week after the 7th of April, I put down the book I had been reading to really ask the Lord if this was His work sending me back to Scotland. (Because apparently I am a bit of a Gideon and all the other signs weren't quite enough for me!) His response was clear: "Go. I have work for you to do there." And as if that weren't enough, when I finally picked up the book again to resume my reading (it was a book about repentance) the very paragraph that I resumed reading was all about the 1949 revivals on the Scottish island of Lewis. Of course it was.
OK, Lord, I get it. I'm going back.
To date, I had assumed that I was returning to Scotland for a visit. But I had no idea what was actually in store....
No comments:
Post a Comment