encourage and enjoy

After a good little stint with the Senator's office, (thank you for the advice, Harold and Sharon!) some major effort on their part, despite a hurricane hitting Louisiana (where her passport has been) and I'm sure a few miracles, Nora's passport was sitting on the front porch this morning when I went out to move the plants.

I hadn't realized how careful I've been being with myself and expectations until it was in my hand, and I called Matt to celebrate and instead was a little sniffy. Or more.

This weekend, Mr. Silly Bud and Ms. Cindy (dear friends from Oregon whom we've only ever enjoyed in Haiti!) are joining us, and then we leave Tuesday for the drive to MFI in Fort Pierce, heading to Haiti at 6 am Thursday morning.  

Thank you thank you so much for all of your prayers for that passport, we are all SO thankful.

When I was praying about our hopefully upcoming trip and all of the complicated emotions and days surely ahead, the Lord impressed two freeing words heavy on my heart.

We will encounter much that has changed, much we can't fix, much we can't do, and much we won't know what to do WITH.  A lot of emotions and overwhelming need today and ahead.

But the Lord keeps pressing the idea of encourage, and the idea of enjoy, on my heart. 

We are focusing this first trip home on encouraging our brothers and sisters in Haiti and at Emmaus (from sitting with them to praying with them to helping them with transitional issues to helping them get the resources they need!) and focusing on enjoying our sweet and precious time with each person, from the girls school friends, to Ben's beloved Tati Gertha, to Nora and her dog Jaxson, to precious time with the Hari's, with Granny, with Maxi and Sheila and the local church and JnSius and the list goes on and on.  

When we focus on that : encouraging our family and enjoying their relationships, I feel a lot less overwhelmed and a lot more rich and grateful for this opportunity.

You can only imagine all the ways we need your prayers.

The Lord showed up mightily in Nora's passport coming today and in many other ways as we prepare...we trust Him to continue to meet us, and we pray, to use us.