You know how some people choose a word for the year? Well I’ve decided to choose a song. Actually, I feel like the song has chosen me. It just hit me that for most of the big transition periods in my life, I can think of a specific song that God has given me for that new season and each of those songs has brought me such comfort! For example:
- “Blessed Be Your Name” when I left for college
-“At Last I See the Light” when I left Disney and started teaching kindergarten
-“Better than I” when I left the Africa Mercy after Benin
-“Who You Say I Am” when I came back to the ship in Guinea
Wow…that thought hadn’t occurred to me until I just started listing those songs out! I love that God gives me songs! He knows me so well!
Well, I have a new song that He has given me and I have a new season in which to sing it! Don’t laugh at me for the fact that God often speaks through me through Disney, ok? I told you, He just knows me so well! The song that has quickly become an anthem over the last month and a half, and I have a feeling will continue to be an anthem over this next season, is Into the Unknown from Frozen 2! If you haven’t heard it, go listen now! Go…I’ll wait…ok, done? Good! I love when she belts the words,
“Don't you know there's part of me that longs to go…Into the unknoooooooooooown!
That’s it! Those are the words that just about cover this season of life! That’s exactly where I’m going…into the unknown. And it’s scary and exciting and worrisome and delightful all at the same time!
So here’s the plan…actually I’m not sure I can call it a plan yet exactly, there are just so many unknowns. So, here are the fragments that I know currently and I’m excited and intrigued to see how God is going to fit them together!
- I will not be returning to the Africa Mercy after the summer.
- I have accepted a job on the “Educational Support Team” for the Global Mercy, which is Mercy Ships’ new ship that is currently being built in China. They are sending a small “special forces” teaching team to teach the children of the technical crew there.
- After being built in China, the Global Mercy will be delivered to the Philippines to be outfitted with all it’s appliances, machines, etc. That’s where I will join the ship.
- We will then begin the Global Mercy’s Maiden Voyage from the Philippines, and eventually meet up with the Africa Mercy, which will be a longer sail than I have ever experienced before!
- I will be teaching the children of the technical crew during the equipping phase in the Philippines, and on the maiden voyage.
- So this means that when I come home in a week, I will be home in the USA for at least six months until I can go meet the Global Mercy.
-“At Last I See the Light” when I left Disney and started teaching kindergarten
-“Better than I” when I left the Africa Mercy after Benin
-“Who You Say I Am” when I came back to the ship in Guinea
Wow…that thought hadn’t occurred to me until I just started listing those songs out! I love that God gives me songs! He knows me so well!
Well, I have a new song that He has given me and I have a new season in which to sing it! Don’t laugh at me for the fact that God often speaks through me through Disney, ok? I told you, He just knows me so well! The song that has quickly become an anthem over the last month and a half, and I have a feeling will continue to be an anthem over this next season, is Into the Unknown from Frozen 2! If you haven’t heard it, go listen now! Go…I’ll wait…ok, done? Good! I love when she belts the words,
“Don't you know there's part of me that longs to go…Into the unknoooooooooooown!
That’s it! Those are the words that just about cover this season of life! That’s exactly where I’m going…into the unknown. And it’s scary and exciting and worrisome and delightful all at the same time!
So here’s the plan…actually I’m not sure I can call it a plan yet exactly, there are just so many unknowns. So, here are the fragments that I know currently and I’m excited and intrigued to see how God is going to fit them together!
- I will not be returning to the Africa Mercy after the summer.
- I have accepted a job on the “Educational Support Team” for the Global Mercy, which is Mercy Ships’ new ship that is currently being built in China. They are sending a small “special forces” teaching team to teach the children of the technical crew there.
- After being built in China, the Global Mercy will be delivered to the Philippines to be outfitted with all it’s appliances, machines, etc. That’s where I will join the ship.
- We will then begin the Global Mercy’s Maiden Voyage from the Philippines, and eventually meet up with the Africa Mercy, which will be a longer sail than I have ever experienced before!
- I will be teaching the children of the technical crew during the equipping phase in the Philippines, and on the maiden voyage.
- So this means that when I come home in a week, I will be home in the USA for at least six months until I can go meet the Global Mercy.
-During that time back in the USA, I will still be working for Mercy Ships Academy, but stateside.
And now, for some unknowns:
- With the corona virus going on, we’re not sure when the ship will actually be delivered to the Philippines so I’m really not sure at this point how long I’ll be back in the USA.
And now, for some unknowns:
- With the corona virus going on, we’re not sure when the ship will actually be delivered to the Philippines so I’m really not sure at this point how long I’ll be back in the USA.
-Where exactly am I going to live during that time back in the USA?
- What families will be onboard in the Philippines? What children? Will they even need a K/1 teacher?
- I’m the only one who has been hired for the teaching team so far…who else will be on the team? Who will be my people?
- What will it be like to teach basically in a construction zone where we sometimes won’t have air conditioning, running water, electricity, etc? What will it be like to teach during a 45ish day sail?
So, there are the pieces. I really am very excited about this opportunity! I feel very confident that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to take part in and I feel certain that God wants me to be a part of this team! There are quite a lot of unknowns and shifting dates and nothing feels solid at this present moment. I would really appreciate your prayers! Please pray…
- that everything would happen in God’s timing and that we, as an organization, would look to Him for guidance and wisdom.
- that He would provide me with exactly what He wants me to be doing during that 6 months (or longer) that I’ll be back in the USA.
- that I’d have wisdom about navigating this transition. It’s a tricky one because I do need to say goodbye to all my friends, and kids, and families from this year, but I’m not actually leaving the organization, but I am leaving ship life and West Africa for an extended time…it’s hard to know how to navigate this weird transition.
- that I’d finish here well, use my time wisely and wonderfully at home, and start on the Global Mercy well.
Elsa finishes the song with the words, “How do I follow you… into the unknoooooooooooown?” Yes! That’s it exactly! How do I walk into all this unknown? One step at a time, with prayer, and with my eyes firmly fixed on God. To Him, there is no unknown.
- What families will be onboard in the Philippines? What children? Will they even need a K/1 teacher?
- I’m the only one who has been hired for the teaching team so far…who else will be on the team? Who will be my people?
- What will it be like to teach basically in a construction zone where we sometimes won’t have air conditioning, running water, electricity, etc? What will it be like to teach during a 45ish day sail?
So, there are the pieces. I really am very excited about this opportunity! I feel very confident that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to take part in and I feel certain that God wants me to be a part of this team! There are quite a lot of unknowns and shifting dates and nothing feels solid at this present moment. I would really appreciate your prayers! Please pray…
- that everything would happen in God’s timing and that we, as an organization, would look to Him for guidance and wisdom.
- that He would provide me with exactly what He wants me to be doing during that 6 months (or longer) that I’ll be back in the USA.
- that I’d have wisdom about navigating this transition. It’s a tricky one because I do need to say goodbye to all my friends, and kids, and families from this year, but I’m not actually leaving the organization, but I am leaving ship life and West Africa for an extended time…it’s hard to know how to navigate this weird transition.
- that I’d finish here well, use my time wisely and wonderfully at home, and start on the Global Mercy well.
Elsa finishes the song with the words, “How do I follow you… into the unknoooooooooooown?” Yes! That’s it exactly! How do I walk into all this unknown? One step at a time, with prayer, and with my eyes firmly fixed on God. To Him, there is no unknown.
