Unexpected

God knows my needs before I ask Him. He knows what is best for me and has a plan for providing. He has provided for us so many times, in so many ways, that I expect Him to continue to do so. In my experience, He enjoys providing in unexpected ways.

The house we are currently living in is for sale. While we have an agreement with our landlord that we can stay here for a few month while we look for a new place, it could be sold out from under us at any time. It has been for sale for 10 months and no one has been seriously interested. This house and yard have been an amazing blessing to us but not without cost. We knew that finances were going to be tighter than ever this year, so we were wondering how God was going to provide for our needs.

About a month ago, our pastor approached us with the offer of a two bedroom house that he and his wife own. He said we could live in it rent free. On the day that we were to go see the house, we drove passed the part of the city where the house was supposed to be and kept driving right out of Bangkok. The pastor noticed our bewildered looks and laughed, "I just realized that we are taking you to a house that is not even in Bangkok Province!" He had done some thinking and praying, spoken with the assistant pastor, and realized that the other house would not work for us but another house might.

The church had been given two townhouses in Ayutthaya Province, 45 minutes from Bangkok. A team of people have merged and renovated the houses and started outreach there. They plan to teach English, hold special events, and gradually build relationships with those in the area. Some day, church service will be held there. Right now, the first floor is set up for church event and the second and third floor are empty. The pastor and the church plant team asked us if we would live in the top two floors, build relationships with those in the neighborhood, help teach English, in short, be the "on site" Christians for the new church plant.

To put it mildly, this was unexpected! God providing for our needs in a way that furthers His church and strengthens our relationship with our church family here. This was not a step we wanted to take in haste, but in our praying and continued discussion with each other and the church, it has become evident that this is His plan for us.

As our current lease ends April 1, we plan to move at the end of March. We have much to do to prepare for this move, but it will be our first non-international move since Philip and I have been married, so it should be easy, right? We are excited about God's plans as we learn to embrace and expect the unexpected.

2016: A Year of Joy and Peace

This past year has been a year of changes and growth for me. Last year, I wrote about improving my fiddling. It has been fun to actually be able to play some tunes. I was blessed to be able to play the kids to sleep on Christmas Eve with soft Christmas Carols and wake them up Christmas morning with "We Wish You a Merry Christmas!" I am excited to continue to learn with a book I received for Christmas.

However, the biggest changes have been in my heart and desires. Thailand has finally become my "home," and God has softened my heart to give me a real love for the Thai people and passionate desire to share Jesus in this dark place. Being part of Immanuel Baptist Church, a community a believers who actively share the light of Christ, has greatly helped me in this. We have been able to teach Sunday School, participate in a shanty community children's ministry, and give a Christ centered Christmas party for children our neighborhood. God is faithful to make us into who He would have us be; I am excited for this year in which He will continue this work.

This year begins with many unknowns. We are unsure of where will live when our lease runs out at the end of March. God may provide a way for us to continue in our home; we have some other possibilities we are praying about as well. God will clearly show us His will. We are unsure of whether Philip will continue to be funded by his home institution. God will provide for our financial needs; we just don't know how. Philip hopes to finish his dissertation within the next year to year-and-a-half. This means applying for jobs and many big unknowns to contemplate. As all these (and more) have been running through my mind lately, the Lord has clearly laid on my heart the words "Joy and Peace." This was confirmed by my remembering a verse recently posted on Facebook by a good friend; then I noticed the same verse in the elevator at church.

God's promise to me for 2016:

The God of Hope will fill me with all JOY and PEACE as I trust in Him, so that I will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 (Personalized adaptions in italics.)

Here's to a year of joy and peace and even more fiddle tunes.