Over the Edge and Onto the Ledge

My heart is overflowing.  And that is not the only thing flowing.  I can't hold back the tears after just having been washed in the most tender and sweet heavenly encouragement through earthly hands.

Update.  Two days ago we were told from OM Italy that while they have "accepted" our application "in theory", we can not officially be accepted as staff until we are residents in Italy.  But from OM Canada's side, we can not start to raise support until we are officially on staff with OM Italy... so we were stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Frustration mounted and again, we felt adrift and disoriented trying to take our bearings in a heavy fog.

And so, yet again, we throw out our lifeline with a message in a bottle... a spiritual SOS to those we know can call out some coordinates, or just a reassuring shout out that everything is going to be okay.

And from near and far the voices rang out, words of empathy, encouragement and exhortation.  Words of hope and words of truth.  Good words from good people who believe in God's good ways. And besides that God also continued to remind over and over what is our job and what is His.  Our job is to just put one foot in front of the other, "He goes before us, He stands behind, the God of angel armies is always by our side." What more could we ask for? We are hemmed in by His grace and goodness no matter how deep and dark the woods around us appear.

So today, calls to both OM offices were again in order.  Calls that must be made sooner than later as Christmas approaches and the OM Italy leader will be leaving for Columbia on Thursday.  As we sat there just staring into space after a lengthy call to OM Canada we suddenly had the same thought at the same time. A specific name and a few committees came to mind of who we should talk to at our church, to see if there was any way our church could help us with the logistics of support raising in the interim between the here and now and then and there of the move.   It was a glimmer of a hope, and we shelved the thought to attend to life.

About an hour later we received a phone call.  Who was on the other end but the man who had come to mind.  Why was he calling if not to tell us that he had been meeting with one of the committee heads from our church and they had been discussing our situation and he kindly asked how we would feel about them trying to help us in the precise way that had come to mind for us to request their help. Yet again, the help was proffered before we even asked.

I cry and cry as I think of the people who were "praying with confidence" and I cry and cry because even when the situation looks dreary... our God never disappoints.  When you are clinging with aching fingers hanging from the precipice for dear life and suddenly an arm reaches out, grabs your wrist and pulls you over.  Over the edge and onto the ledge.  And you find yourself sitting there, breathing again, a little limp, but with a new sense of awareness and pleasure to be alive, and to be able to experience the kaleidoscope of emotion in all its various hues and shades.  The blues and greys just make the gold and crimson that much more remarkable.