Setbacks and Blessings

Choosing obedience is never the easy path. I knew my West Africa adventure had more to do with being obedient rather than a job opportunity, but I'm feeling the pinch and discomfort of that decision this week.

Apparently, preparing to relocate to a new country is an expensive process. I'll be very honest and say that my credit card bill this month is the largest I have ever seen. Between doctor's appointments, supplies, passport fees, and vaccinations, my personal savings is all but gone. I didn't stress about it, however, because these expenses are all necessary, and I trust the Lord to provide for me. But sometimes it's hard to see, even with the help of the Almighty, how I'm going to dig myself out of this one.

I still can't move forward with my visa without some key documents from the school's superintendent. Unfortunately, their email servers have been down for almost 2 weeks. [Normally, I would post the link to the school here, but, alas, the website's down, too.] The visa is absolutely essential, so I stayed up Sunday night to call the school. I called at 2:30am, 3:30, 4:30 and 9, and the line was unavailable every time.

Routine setbacks spark doubt. Yesterday was a doubt-filled day. I wondered if I could make it to Nigeria on time. I questioned the legitimacy of the entire offer. I wondered if the money I've spent will even be worth it. Combine these doubts with the ever-present questions I have about moving to a new country and beginning an entirely new profession, and I was pretty depressed last night.

But my God is a God who provides.

Right before I went to bed, I opened my mail. There was a royalty check from Disney, for satellite TV and Pay-Per-View airings of The Parent Trap. The amount was almost exactly the amount of my credit card bill--in fact, it was a shocking $30 more. The Lord orchestrated that film opportunity for me as a 10-year-old and it was beyond my understanding then. Almost 12 years later, He's still using it to bless me. It's funny to me that I am continually surprised by God's provision. I should be used to it by now.

Lesson for the week: Obedience allows God to bless us.