Dreams Do Come True

This is what JOY looks like!

Yesterday I saw a dream come true.  I witnessed a beautiful friend marry the man of her dreams.

Following the wedding, as we were walking by she peeked out this window.  Seeing her reminded me of Portuguese women whom I saw leaning out windows of white-washed homes on narrow cobblestone streets when I lived in the Azores as a child.  It was a common occurrence to see a single woman leaning out an open window while the man who was courting her would be in the street below.  (Notice, my dear friend's man is no longer in the street below).

Courtship.  What does it look like and what is it supposed to be?  There are many books written on the subject, but what I saw in the relationship of this precious couple over the last year offers a great definition.  Hope, commitment, determination, sacrifice, love, and most importantly a Christ-centeredness.

Just over two years ago, I met this kind-hearted, gentle young gal while volunteering at a summer Vacation Bible School week through our church.  Following our week of VBS, two of the gals and I formed a Bible study group.  They were both single and wanted to meet with an "older" mentor.  God had placed mentorship on my heart, but I wasn't sure who I was to mentor.  He figured it all out!  Our group of three grew to four and we've been meeting consistently for the past two years.

In addition to the bride, here are my other girlies.

Over the last couple years we've done many studies and had many conversations, but one of our most commonly discussed topics is being a single Christian woman.  We're currently doing a study on Falling in Love With Jesus.  It's applicable to both married and single women.  It's written by a married woman, Dee Brestin, and a single woman, Kathy Troccoli.  It's been a great book to remind us of our First Love and to seek after Him.  Daily, I gain nuggets to cling to as we are all continuing to grow in our relationship with Him.

Although it's been many years since I've been single, I know there are times it can be tough. Life can be tough married or single, but we're reminded God has a plan.  We cling to that!  In Jeremiah 29:11 (The Message) God reminds us, "I know what I'm doing.  I have it all planned out- plans to take care of you, not to abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for."

We all need that reminder now and again.  He knows what He's doing.  He has our future planned out.  Sometimes it's just hard to be patient.
I've been so incredibly blessed by these gals sharing their hearts and lives with me.  I think of how much each of us has grown through our struggles, achievements, heartaches, and joy.  I especially love how God has knit our hearts together for such a time as this.

About a year ago, I told my gals, I hoped to see them walk down the aisle.  God is faithful and we've seen his answered prayers.  I'm so excited for what lies ahead for our precious newlyweds. 

Our newlywed gave us the book, Ocean Star, awhile back.   Here's The Ocean Star Blessing for my girls.  It is written by Christina DiMari.

Today, may you now your are a Star that is Designed to Shine.
Always stay connected to your Source of Life &
May the Living Water make you whole.
Always travel with a pod of people who bring out the best in you &
May you be protected from those who would destroy your Dreams.
Always remember your Heart is the wellspring of life &
May it be guarded by Truth and filled with Peace.
Always hold on to your Rock when the waves of adversity come &
May you be surprised by Pearls of encouragement along the way.
Always Look Up when choosing which way to go &
May the Bright Morning Star light your path.
Always believe in the infinite possibilities that are born of Faith &
May you use your gifts to Shine Brightly for others.~

When It Rains It Pours

Yesterday we experienced something I never dreamed I'd experience outside of the midwestern states in America. A tornado touched down just miles from our home.

Prior to the tornado, normally sunny, southern California was wracked with strong, blowing winds, drenching rainfall, and dark, gray, dusk-like cloud cover. At noon it looked like evening. By 12:30 the torrential rain was dumping down in a side-ways fashion soaking any who dared to run through it.

The kids and I watched local television broadcasts alerting mobile-home residents to find more adequate shelter, which included huddling in a ditch. The kids were worried and I calmly reassured them, "All will be fine."

It rained. It poured. The wind howled. Lightning and thunder shook the sky. And then it cleared. The storm moved on and we were fine.

As the rain poured down yesterday, so did God's answers to months of prayer. They just kept coming down. I was surprised and overwhelmed and couldn't help but see the correlation between the rain and the answered prayer.

I've started a new Bible study, Discerning the Voice of God, by Priscilla Shirer and I realized last week that in my prayers to God I was praying like Habakkuk did in Habakkuk 1:2

"Oh Lord how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear?"

Before our move my prayer was that God would provide opportunities to serve in our new church. I wasn't sure where He would direct my steps, but I was confident He had a plan.

Shortly after arriving here I began searching out where a need might be. I offered to volunteer for summer VBS. From this opportunity I met two WONDERFUL women who desired to have a woman's Bible study and a mentor. We formed a Bible study in the fall and meet weekly.

I still felt there was another opportunity for serving. So I set out again...I volunteered to serve in middle school ministry and marriage mentoring. In both areas it seemed as though I was hitting a wall. I didn't have the right reference letters. Our names and numbers lost in the shuffle. The meeting times didn't match our schedules. Emails never returned.

I felt dejected, rejected, lost in the shuffle, and just lost. I wasn't sure where I was supposed to fit into this new life at a new church in a new town.

And then pieces of a puzzle began to settle in. A friend who happened to move from our same, previous town down here began attending the same church. She is a precious younger mom with two darling children. This last fall she began attending a mom's group at the church.

During the Christmas holiday she asked me if I'd consider being a Mentor Mom at her table. This was not what I had applied for, but was God directing me to something I hadn't yet considered? I told her I'd pray about it and I'd ask my Hub and Mentor to pray along with me.

We prayed for a couple weeks.

I asked God if this is where He wanted me. I listened. What I heard back were affirmations of direction He'd been placing on my heart for the last couple years. Mentorship. Titus 2:3-5.

My Hub gave his blessing and I agreed to email the director of the program and fill out the Leadership Questionnaire.

Yesterday (Stormy Day) was our first Mentor Mom/Table Leader meeting. My heart was bursting with excitement. Sitting at the table with other Mentor Moms I felt such peace. I was greeted and included. I didn't feel like an outsider. I felt like a welcomed sister. After the meeting the Mentor Moms on each side of me asked if Hub and I would consider being Marriage Mentors. I thought, "Didn't I hit a wall with this one?"

Hmmm....my mind was pondering these mentoring opportunities.

Then when I got home and checked my email, there was a much delayed (2 months) email from the gal in charge of middle school ministry asking if I'd still like to volunteer in middle school and would I come for an interview.

Wow! How crazy is this?? For six months I've been wondering where God would like me to serve and in one day opportunities pour down!

Today as I look back at my attitude and my angst in waiting, I'm reminded that it's ALL in God's Timing! My prayer is that I' come to a place of more trust and faith relying on God for provision rather than on my own understanding. I want to be as Habakkuk at the end of his book:

"Though the fig tree should not blossom,

nor fruit be on the vines,

the produce of the olive fail

and the fields yield no food,

the flock be cut off from the fold

and there be no herd in the stalls,

yet I will rejoice in the Lord;

I will take joy in the God of my salvation.

God, the Lord, is my strength;

he makes my feet like the deer's;

he makes me tread on my high places.

Habakkuk 3:17-19"