For quite some time, I have felt that I need to get back to writing – or more like blogging. However, I have allowed the busyness of life, and just pure laziness, get in the way of following through with this feeling. The way God has been moving in my life is truly incredible, and to not share this with the world is insane. I have talked to some, but words that are heard one time can be easily forgotten, and repeated incorrectly. Written words allow the reader to get the full story, to return to it, to hear it over and over, and allow it to really sink in. God left us with His word, to do exactly that; and returning to His word, builds our faith. Sharing our testimonies about how God moved in your life during a difficult time, or even during a time when things were great, can also help strengthen/build up someone else’s faith.
So here it goes…
In January, Andrew (my now husband) and I began to search for a piso (flat) to move into after getting married. As single missionaries with YWAM (Youth With a Mission) Madrid, we lived on the base with other missionaries. However, there is no space on the base for couples so we needed to find our place (not that we would want to live in a flat with a bunch of single people, as a newly married couple anyway). Our plan was to have a piso locked in, come to the States to get married, and then return to Spain to our piso. That was OUR plan.
Andrew works with a ministry called Impact, and at that time they were scheduled to go on outreach. While he was away, I continued the search, and remained in contact with him about the ones I saw online, and even the ones I was able to visit. I was scheduled to head to the States, at the end of January, to finish last wedding prep items (you know, wedding dress alterations, food, etc), so it was really go time with getting a piso.
There were many places we saw that we liked, but every door we tried, was shut. I returned to the states, and Andrew came about 2 weeks later, but the search continued, thanks to some friends of ours in Spain who were willing to go on visits and talk to owners for us. Yet, even with the help of our beautiful community, doors continued to close.
January, we searched, yet no piso. February, we continued to search, still no piso. March, things began to make a turn for interesting – COVID-19 was all the way present in Madrid. Our base went on lockdown, and our new home (Spain) closed their borders, and was put on a 2-week quarantine in casa. Searching for a piso needed to be put on pause.
It’s crazy because a week later, Andrew and I were able to get married AND go on our honeymoon before things got really out of control here in the States. Yes, we went to Mexico for our honeymoon and made it back before the borders were closed. We return to the States and then our new home (Spain) was put on a yet another 2-weeks of quarantine in house. Andrew and I ended up pushing our departure to Spain date back (originally schedule to leave March 24th), and are now going to wait on the Lord to tell us when to leave.
So many things began to unravel – things were looking more and more crazy/scary, yet I couldn’t help but think about how God was SOOOOOO involved in our lives from the start of all this.
None of the doors opened for us to be able to get a piso before we left, but I see now. It wasn’t meant for us to get a piso yet, because God has other plans for us here right now. Being here, we will have the opportunity to help out the community around us through the Dream Center, help with some tutoring needs in the family, and take care of some personal things that we need to do here in the States. Can you imagine, paying on a piso that you couldn’t even live in right now? But God…
In God’s WRITTEN WORD, there are many instances that talk about “the right time”, and these are a just 3 places, that you can go back and read fully, with context I hope, in your own time:
- ” You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly” – Romans 5:6
- “…for at the proper time we will reap a harvest…” – Galatians 6:9
- “For there is a proper time and procedure for every matter,…” – Ecclesiastes 8:6
God’s timing is ALWAYS perfect. There is a time for everything, and it just wasn’t our time to get a piso – God knew that because He had, and still has, a plan for us. I am thankful that He sees our needs and takes care of every one of them. I am thankful that He answers our prayers fitting to our need, not our want. I am thankful that I get to partner with Him.
For I know the plans I have for you, “declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm, plans to give you hope and a future.
Jeremiah 29: 11, NIV
In the midst of this uncertainty, while things may look a little dim/scary and may seem as though God doesn’t hear you or see you, I want to encourage you to keep standing. Keep praying, keeping praising, keeping believing. Just like when the cry of the Israelites reached God, and He saw the way of the Egyptians were oppressing the Israelites, so He responded – God will respond at just the right time. (check out Exodus 3: 9)
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