Wait

In February, I wrote a post, telling you all about a change happening, in which God was calling me on a new adventure. I had meetings. I made plans. I received training. I called pastors. I set up services. I did everything God told me to. Then I received a new command.

Wait.

What? Why would I wait? There’s no way God would call me to do something and then require me to simply wait. So I continued. I made more calls. I wrote more emails. I met with more pastors. I set up more services. But soon a conversation between my Maker and me happened, and I couldn’t ignore that word any longer…

(God) Wait Elisabeth. Wait.

(Me) Uh oh. He used my name this time. He means business.

(God) It’s time to take a break. You’re needed here.

(Me) How can I take a break? I can’t take a break from missions. You called me to work in Senegal. You called me to help my team. You called me to go and not stay.

(God) And now I’m calling you to wait. Missions will still be there. Senegal will still be there. You’re needed here for this season of life.

And with that, I knew. I knew what I had to do. I had to wait. And wait, I will.

While waiting here in the States, I’ll be honoring #5 of the Ten Commandments. I’ll be serving the two people who’ve taken care of me the past 29 years. My dad is recovering from his latest surgery and hospital stay. He’s still preaching. But as a result of extended health issues, he’s unable to work a job outside of that. And since his church is still in the small, beginner stage, he’s not bringing home a salary from that. And as we all know, as a grown-up, you have bills and the people sending out those bills want their money faithfully each month. Therefore, while I’m here in the States, I’ll be able to use my teaching salary to help supplement their income and pay what needs to be paid and to help out around the house as needed.

And as someone told me earlier today, this isn’t forever. We’re thinking this could be a couple/few years. But we’ll see. …because as God told me, I’m needed here for a season. And as soon as God gives me permission to do so, I’ll be on the first plane heading back across the ocean.

So what’s changing?

1)    My supporters will now stop sending in their monthly financial support in my name. If they decided to send in support to the Senegal Live Dead team, like some are considering, I can give them the necessary information to do so.

2)    I will still be fulfilling the speaking obligations I’d already set up. However, now any money I receive that is designated for ministry, will be forwarded on to the Senegal Live Dead team.

3)    While no money I raise will be used to support me/my ministry, I will still be speaking at churches, raising awareness for missions and the work the Senegal Live Dead team will be doing with the Wolof. Some pastors are still contacting me to speak. So I’ll still be doing that. I just won’t be considered an Itinerating Missionary with the Alabama A/G right now.

I’ll be visiting Dakar at the end of May/beginning of June for a 3 week trip, where I’ll get to retrieve items I had stored, visiting friends and missionary colleagues, helping my former Dakar Academy co-workers finish out their last week of school, and then helping my AGWM colleagues in their ministry outside the city, as well. This will also be my chance to say Goodbye or rather, See ya later to Dakar.

The 118th Dear ____ Post

Dear Episode of Amazing Race Where They Were in Senegal, I was excited to watch you. I was able to point out places I'd seen in real life. I was able to say "hey, they're speaking Wolof!" And I was also unfortunately able to say, "that's why Americans have such a bad reputation...because of incredibly rude people like that team." Ugh...

Dear Senegal, This is the longest we've been apart since I first met you in July of '09. And I must say... I'm quite homesick :(

Dear Big Test, You're what I took on Tuesday. Here's hoping I did well...

Dear USPS, You've received quite a bit of business from me in the past week. 

Dear Way More Than a 40hour Week, You're what the teaching profession is. Anyone who says otherwise clearly has no clue! Just sayin'...

Dear Joy Dare Challenge, You're what I started this past week. What a fun way to remind myself of one of the Fruit of the Spirit! Love it!

Dear Missing Friends, You're what I'm doing right now. It's hard to go from seeing someone almost every day to only emailing/Facebooking. Boo to living so far apart now.

Dear Potassium, Apparently you got a little too low in me this week. Who knew?! I find it especially ironic that mine is a little too low, causing problems while my dad's is too high, causing problems. Come on Potassium... We need a balance here. 

Dear Bananas, I'm really not a fan of you in your natural state. Put you in desserts, etc., and I can handle you a little better. But since I know you're loaded in Potassium, I decided to add you to my shopping list.

Dear Peach Mango, You are my new favorite flavor if Dum Dums lollipops. ...so good!

Dear My Aunt, You've been staying with us for a week now. We have loved you here with us and are sad to see you leave today :(

Dear Fall, You've arrived! Bring on the cooler temps, changing colors, and pumpkin everything! You have always been my favorite season. And after 5 years of not experiencing you, I am over the moon excited! :)

Dear Bones, You started back this week. And in the interest of friends overseas who haven't gotten to watch you yet, I'll keep my feelings about your premiere to myself... :)

Dear Missionary, You're what one of my students told me he wants to be when he grows up. This kid is definitely on fire for God! 

Dear French, I miss hearing you...

Dear Pray For Them, I wonder if all the people talking about the atrocities done by many people of a certain religion have prayed for them. I hear so many Christians calling for us to "just bomb them all" and other natures of the like. Yet I've only heard one person say we should pray for them.

The same goes for Obama...

Dear Really Frustrated, You're how I feel when people are Christians, yet they have so much hate toward this man. I don't agree with everything he does. I didn't vote for him. But every day there are Christians on Facebook intensely criticizing him and saying "what we ought to do to him." Yet rarely ever is anyone saying we should pray for him...

Dear Blood Pressure, I feel you rising when I talk about the above two subjects. But you know... Christiansaren't  supposed to judge or hate. Yet every single day I see it. I just don't get it...

Dear Rant, You can be over now. :)

Lily of the Valley

Last week I was in a service where we sang the hymn, Lily of the Valley. I've heard this song many times, but never really paid attention to the lyrics until this past Sunday.

Apparently, the idea behind writing the Lily of the Valley was that it was a description of a wild plant that would grow in and among the food crops of the Israelites. It’s presence in the field was unmistakable, because it produced flowers of bright and beautiful colors. 

These are the same plants to which Jesus referred when He asked His disciples to “Consider the lilies of the field.” The people were worrying about material things like food and clothing, and Jesus explained that, just as the Father clothed the flowers in beautiful array, so would He take care of the daily needs of His children. 

What a beautiful description of our Savior.

The 117th Dear _____ Post

Dear Zaxby's in Selma, You donated 10% of your profits during a certain three hour span earlier this week to my school. The money will go towards new books in the library and fun incentives for our Reading programs. And since I love me some Zaxby's, I talked my parents into meeting me there after I got off work so I could treat them to dinner and help a good cause at the same time. What a fun night it was :)

Dear Common Core, Now that I've been working with you for a month, I must say. You're pretty great when it comes to education. You're simply a set of standards teachers use to guide instruction, and with the exception of the part on evolution (which is so super small by the way), I really like you. You really do make teaching easier in my opinion. 

Dear Angry, I bet you're how I'm going to make some people feel after reading the above item. But that's okay. It's just my opinion. There's no law that says my opinion has to be the only right one...

Dear One Year (plus a few days), You're how long it's been since my Papa (grandfather) passed away. It just doesn't seem real sometimes. I feel like I can still drive over and sit with him and talk to him. Major sad face y'all... 

But with that said... 

Dear Knowledge of a Future in Heaven, You're what my Papa had before he died. His life told an amazing testimony! And you know, I'm glad I have that knowledge too. I can't imagine going through life without the hope of a future home with my Savior in Heaven. How sad...

Dear Great Commission, You're what all Christians are called to do. It doesn't just apply to missionaries overseas. It applies to every single one of us. We're to go out into the world around us - our families, our friends, our classmates, our co-workers, our neighbors, and so on and so forth... We're supposed to go out and share the Gospel with everyone. 

Dear Sweet Comments About Getting Back in the Blogging Business, Thanks for making a girl feel good. It's nice to know people actually read these posts :)

Dear Internet, Guess what! We finally have you at home now! Yay for joining the current century (and for not having to drive 20 minutes down the road to use internet anymore)!!! :)

Dear Time Away, I wouldn't mind having you some time (with no responsibilities while I'm away).  Anyone want to go on vacation?

Dear PP (as in the 2 letters in the middle of the word, shopping), You provided quite the comedic relief for one of my students this week. When I spelled the word, shopping, for him and he heard the "pp" part, he just laughed and laughed. Ah, little kid humor...

Dear Upstairs, You're where my classroom is. On a "slow" day, I probably walk up and down stairs maybe three or four times during the day. Yesterday, though, I know it was at least 10 times or more. Thank you Jesus for a job with a built in exercise plan :)

Dear Studying, You're how I will be spending my weekend this weekend. ...at least part of it, that is. I'll be trying my best to memorize the 16 Fundamental Truths of the Assemblies of God. Any AG people out there have tips on how you memorized them? ...because I am sooooo not the best memorizer :)

The 116th Dear ____ Post

Dear Blog, Wow! I seem to have neglected you...a lot. I suppose actually living life got in the way of blogging about life :)

Dear Teaching Special Education in America, I forgot how much paperwork is involved with you. Oh my word... It's never ending. But getting to hang out with such cool kids totally makes up for it :)

Dear Wait, You're the word God placed on my heart recently. You're the topic of another blog post that's in the works. And you know... You're something I've never been to good at. Interesting that God chose that word for me, huh :)

Dear Taking Classes, This is the longest I've ever gone without you. While it's nice not having to stay up late each night doing assignments and studying for exams, I must admit... I do miss it at times...

Dear Florala, You're where I am this weekend. Oh the memories this city holds... It seems like just yesterday I was in high school. Now it's 11 1/2 years later. Where has the time gone?

Dear 100%, I sent out an important email this past week which explained a big change that's taking place in my ministry. And you're how supportive the responses I received have been.

Dear Newsletters, I sent the email form of you out this past week and will be putting the paper version in the mail tomorrow. This one was a little hard to write...

Dear 4 Months Old, You're how old my youngest niece is today. It feels like just yesterday that I got the text that she was on her way. 

Dear Sleeping Late, You don't happen very often but when you do, boy are you amazing :) 

Dear Amazing Race Season 6, I bought you this past week and started watching you yesterday. The only reason I got you was that Senegal is one of the pit stops, so I wanted to see if I recognized anywhere/anything featured. I can't wait to say "I've been there!" :)

Dear Parents, I'm happy you're mine. (well, mine to share). ...just thought you should know :)

Dear Speaking about Senegal, You're what I'll be doing this morning. My notes will be a little different, based on the changes God's made in my calling, but the passion will still be the same...to reach the UNREACHED for Jesus!

Dear Seeing Friends from High School, You're a little side gift that accompanied this trip to Florala. How fun it is to get together, talk about life "back in the day", and catch up on each other's lives now. I'm glad it happened this trip.

Dear Driving, I feel like you're all I ever do. I'm starting to feel like my car is my second home. :)