God is in Control

"This summer isn't turning out to be how you planned it, is it?"

This phrase and other variations of it I've heard many times over the past few days. They're right; this is not how I envisioned this summer going at all.

In some ways though, this is what I asked for. I prayed that God would work through us, help us to build a website and strengthen our relationship both with Him and with each other. To tell you the truth, he's done all those things, just in ways I wouldn't have imagined.

Obviously, there is a website and we've done a lot of work on it. He's worked with us. It's coming along well, even with everything going on. There's one major section to finish and then it's on to documentation and training. This has been much smoother than either of us had anticipated. We had been working really well together which was another thing we were testing out since I'll be starting an internship with EV Technologies this August. (That's the company Paul works for).

As for our relationship with God, I can't speak for Paul, but I know I've had to do a lot of trusting of God in everything that we've been doing. I've had much more time spent with God this summer than I have in a long time. All this illness has just made me lean on him more. I've learned more about prayer, about giving, and about what it really takes to be a missionary through this experience. It's more than spending a week or two "roughing it".

As for our relationship, yes we're apart now, but we know we can handle that. That's normal for us. What we wanted to see was if we really had what it takes to make it for more than 2 weeks. We made it to 4 before he had to leave and we were going strong. I had a friend who once said to me way before I got engaged, "I'm not going to ask you if you love Paul, but do you want to care for him? Do you want to  do what's hard, to clean the dishes, pick up after him and actually live a life with him?" I didn't really know what to tell her then because we've never had an opportunity to do "normal" like that before.Well, I got a heavy dose of that this week and I can tell you that I feel more secure in my love for him than I did before he got sick. 

 I will miss Paul, but I'm glad he will be at home where he can be close to medical care without worrying if we're going to be able to get back across the border. I wish I knew why this happened, but I'm trusting God on this one. He is good and is in control.


Please keep praying for his recovery. I'm coming back home in 3 and a half weeks and I think it would be awesome for him to be mostly recovered by the time I get back. Pray that I will be able to get done what is needed over the next 3 weeks and to make the right decision regarding whether I should go to the Toronto Challenge. I can't thank you all enough for the many prayers that have already been lifted up for us.