“My Love is Not Fragile”

 I’ve said it before, but God speaks to me through Disney movies. Don’t laugh…it just true! For the last two years He has been speaking to me through the Frozen II soundtrack. Take a look…

Almost two years ago I decided that “Into the Unknown” was going to be the theme song of the year for me as I decided to go to the Global Mercy instead of back to my home on the AFM. Little did I know how deeply into the unknown I was about to be plunged when COVID hit and I had to suddenly leave our country as well as many friends and go into quarantine for 81 days onboard the Africa Mercy before I flew back to the USA.

That anthem transitioned for me about six months later from “Into the Unknown” to “The Next Right Thing.” I was so deep “into the unknown” as my return date changed from October 2020 to January 2021 to April 2021, that all I could do was the next right thing that was right in front of me. For the majority of my “forced sabbatical” year I only had a plan for about two weeks at a time so it was really a matter of living each day where I was and being ok not knowing what was coming next. I just needed to do the next right thing and walk where God led.

This past May that anthem changed again to “Some Things Never Change.” Since the moment I chose this path, it certainly seems that everything has done nothing but change. Even I get confused trying to remember and relay to others what the current plan is. The thing about everything changing all the time is that it brings into focus the things that don’t. Anna was right, some things never change. God’s love doesn’t change. God’s provision doesn’t change. My desire to serve with Mercy Ships hasn’t changed.

That brings me to the new anthem from Frozen II, which this time actually isn’t a song, but a line that means a lot to me. At one point Anna is trying to apologize to Kristoff for leaving him behind and his response is so lovely. He looks at Anna and says, “It’s ok. My love is not fragile.”

I love what I do, where I live, the people I work with, and after all I’ve been through with Mercy Ships in the past couple years…all the changing plans, changing ships, changing countries, changing what I teach…I’m here to tell you, Mercy Ships, I’m still here and my love is not fragile.

I’m still here because I love Mercy Ships. I love the purpose behind all that we do. I love the international community I get to be a part of. People onboard often refer to their “real life,” meaning life back home in whatever country they’re from, and I know what they mean, but I love that for me, Mercy Ships is my “real life.”

As I dive into a new season with Mercy Ships – a season in which I get to be a part of pioneering what the GLM academy will look like, what community will look like, what life will look like onboard our brand new ship, I realize that there will continue to be quite a lot of unknowns. I will be confused and unsure and all I’ll be able to do is the next right thing. I also know that in the midst of all that, some things will never change because my love for Mercy Ships is not fragile and more importantly, God’s love for me is not fragile.

            I’m ready to start a new adventure with Mercy Ships, and I think I’m ready for a new soundtrack as well. I’ve been living in the Frozen II soundtrack a good long while. But I’ll keep it on the playlist in my brain, because there’s such truth there.