"More of the story" (Part 2)

Last post I shared the first part of the events leading up to our plans to move to the Philippines in September, 2007.......

So God hit me on the head and within a few days, He answered the prayer I'd had for four years. You see, after I stopped feeling sorry for myself about the baby issues, God placed within me a love and deep passion for pregnant ladies, and not just them, but moms in general....not an obsession, just a strange realization of their fears, their hopes of raising their children well and the joy in their patiently awaiting the birth. It struck me just how much God trusted them with the precious little life and how miraculous life was....then I went to Body Worlds at Science World and it hit me even more....I felt immense compassion (and I REALLY didn't have it before) for the mothers whose children are in our group home....how most of them endured horrible pregnancies with little support. How much different could the lives of our children be had their mothers had positive and supportive birthing experiences that taught them how to parent and successfully care for their little one in the most formative years of their lives!? I was humbled.

Then I met Naomi. An amazing lady who LOVES birth....not babies....BIRTH....babies coming out!! That's her passion. I found out through my mother-in-law that Naomi was looking into a missions-based midwifery school in the Philippines and showed me the website. I took a look at it at home and read every word....I cried. I was a mess and felt an incredible peace from the Holy Spirit that I was to look into this school.....and into Naomi.

I then found out that Naomi's husband, Chad, was an accomplished drummer and professional musician....AND he was playing drums on Tim's worship team that Sunday! Mmmm, I thought...I wonder what God is doing....

So Sunday rolled along and I had laid awake most of Friday and Saturday night thinking about the Philippines, praying that God would give me confirmations from others that this was His desire for me and I began to feel a deep-rooted sense of joy and excitement. At church I was distracted by our kids making a fuss and still all I could think about was "How is God gonna put this together?". I saw Naomi and just mentioned the Philippine dream and we both started to cry. There was an instant connection and we agreed that at some point we should talk about it further. Then church started and something in me just burst....tears began to fall harder and by the end of the service, I had TOTAL unexplained (other than God) peace that He was going before me to set things up. I HAD to tell someone....or pray about it with someone 'cuz at that point, I was feeling overwhelmed with the scope of it all. So I ran to Heidi, my dear nursing friend who has shared the sugar and lemons of life with me...she's also an amazing visionary woman of God.

So I shared with her all that was going on in my head....that I knew that God was calling us to go to the Philippines for two years so that I could serve as a missionary while getting a midwifery degree and training to open safe free birthing centers in the third world. We cried. She felt the same peace I had and prayed over the plans. We talked about how Impact Nations (the ministry Tim and I went to the Dominican with) could have a part in sending us, how God could open doors in India through Impact Nations to build birthing centers, and how God had finally answered my prayers with the very perfect timing. HIS timing.

Next, I had to talk to Tim....you're probably wondering, "Why didn't she talk to Tim about it sooner???" Well, this was Sunday and I had only been introduced to the school that Friday! And I was scared. I was (almost) certain that he'd say no or that I needed to just learn to be content where we were at.....so I booked a time for Monday to look over the budget with him and talk about "some things".......he was gracious enough to agree to go for coffee.....

So I we looked over the bills, the budget and our current marital status.....and then I shared "the plan"....."Tim....what if I went back to school....but in the Philippines....to a fully-accredited midwifery school.....to get a midwifery degree that would allow us to open safe birthing centers and orphanages all over the world?.....and you could work with Impact Nations and maybe teach music lessons to area children......we wouldn't be paid anything, but we could do some fundraising and save as much as we can in the next year.....??? *GULP* *SHEEPISH GRIN**

And you know what he said? Well, you'll have to wait until next post because this one's getting long....and there is so much more to the story....so if you want to read more, stay tuned! And remember that FEAR is just False Evidence Appearing Real..(my mommy told me that!)....may you take those leaps of faith this week without fear....Be blessed!

PS. The picture is one that Tim took a long, long time ago and didn't like it. I like it....I think it says a lot.