Tears ran down my cheeks as I drove the distance to take our adult disabled son to his final dental appointment in Kentucky—he in the passenger seat, sound asleep.
God,
have we made a mistake? This just doesn’t make sense. Michael’s right.
Two
weeks prior, our son, Michael, came to talk with us. “I’m not sure how to say
this, but are you SURE this is really what God wants you to do? You’re leaving
all us family, and you’re the age parents are when they usually move closer for
help. Not farther away.”
Who
could argue with that? We were aging and not doing well, yet my husband’s
medical team said, “You need to move away from this area for your health’s
sake. You’re allergic to almost everything here.”
So, we began to pray and ask God, if
we went, WHERE should we go? We had no clue. No leading…
…except
one thought. Missouri. Southwestern corner, to be more precise. But why?
Yes,
we lived in Missouri early in our marriage. Hubby attended Bible School in
Kansas City, so Missouri was formerly “home” for a short stint. But
southwestern? Strange territory. We did have ancestors who settled in that
region 100+ years earlier, including Brian’s grandfather when he was in his
youth.
But
now? No one. Nothing familiar.
Yet
God kept nudging us. So, we began looking at maps, possibilities, thoughts of
what ministry might be viable there. Healthcare in the region too.
Then
I found a camp for special-needs kids and adults! Wow! It’d been a long time
since our son attended camp, and he always loved it so! I told my husband, and
we enrolled our son in this Missouri camp and planned a little get-away for
ourselves not too far from where he’d be while we visited “unknown-to-us land.”
Come the time, we delivered our son
to camp and began our exploration days.
We visited Fair Grove, some miles north of Springfield, where our ancestors
settled—locating their homestead, walking a portion of the land they ranched,
learning about the annual picnic they held for the community, and knowing they
clung to God through the death of 2 of their 3 children and raised their
grandsons (one being Brian’s grandpa).
Then a trip to the cemetery where we scrubbed uncared-for markers
of 10 family members and placed flowers in their memory and honor.
We hopped about Springfield to “get
a feel” of that city—delightful, friendly, and with ample medical facilities.
And no one had to twist our arms to visit Branson, down the road a spell, where
we enjoyed a visit (and lightened our wallets) at the Cedar Creek Dulcimer
Shop!
We also experienced a take-cover
storm in which multiple people perished.
Yes, people died! Souls lost!
We packed our bags at the
end of the week with the “feel” God might open the door for us to come this
direction. Then we picked up our son at camp.
Once
home, we continued to pray and talk for a few more weeks before calling our
regional mission director to run the idea of a ministry move to Missouri.
He immediately gave his blessing
and said he’d present it to the mission board for us.
A green light! God seemed to be saying, “Go!”
We held a “family meeting”—the 3 of us. Our son gave this idea 2-thumbs up! Next step? Talk with our other sons—three of them—who lived in the same city as did we. After all, we’d moved there to be NEAR them. Now? Move away?
Over
our then 41 years of marriage, God often moved us—12 times, to be exact. We
were no strangers to it all and became pros at packing boxes, etc.
That
talk with our other sons was now 6 months behind us. During those months, we
asked God WHERE our next home would be. Over the course of studying maps, what
was where, and researching all we knew to research, we sensed Him saying,
“AURORA.”
We’d
never been to Aurora. We didn’t KNOW Aurora. We had NO CLUE about Aurora!
We
readied our home to sell and had a buyer within days, left our son with one of
his brothers, drove to Aurora, looked at homes with an agent, put an offer on
one, and headed home.
We
still knew nothing about Aurora. Kind people, though, as we popped into a few
stores during our overnight there. One night, and then home to finish packing,
complete doctor’s appointments, close on our current home in time to move, and
close on the other.
Now
we were in the final days, and our son needed a last-minute dental visit. So
here we were—he and I—driving there, me crying out to God inside myself.
We
must’ve misunderstood. Why would God do this? Why were we leaving family? Why
start over? Again! How would we manage with age and health weighing on us all
by ourselves?
We
checked in for the dental appointment, and the dentist took our son right in to
get his teeth “all ready to move” while I made a what’s-left-to-do list in the
waiting room.
Why
did Min have to have so many cavities NOW? I don’t need this, and my back hurts
beyond-bad! It’s only days till this all happens. I should be home packing. Not
here!
I
felt broken. Like this was too much. Like it all could be…
Wrong.
Back
in the car, we headed down the road. It was cold, dusky too. I pulled into a
fast-food line to order a coffee for the trip home. I was EXHAUSTED. My head
and heart cried out, God, have we made a mistake? This all really
doesn’t make sense. Please confirm Your Plan with us!
At
that very moment, a church bell rang out the answer. Not just any message. The
ONE I NEEDED TO HEAR. To know.
O Zion, Haste!
I’d
not heard that hymn in years—maybe decades. I’d learned it in Bible Club and
church as a child, so I knew the words well.
O Zion*, haste, your mission high
fulfilling,
To tell to all the world that God is
light,
That He who made all nations is not
willing
One soul should perish, lost in shades of
night.
(Refrain) Publish glad
tidings, tidings of peace,
Tidings of Jesus, redemption and release.
Behold how many thousands still are lying
Bound in the dreary prison-house of sin
With none to tell them of the Savior’s
dying
Or of the life He died for them to
win. (Refrain)
Proclaim to ev’ry people, tongue, and
nation
That God, in Whom they live and move, is
love;
Tell how He stooped to save His lost creation
And died on earth that they might live
above. (Refrain)
Send heralds forth to bear the message
glorious,
Give of your wealth to speed them on
their way;
Pour out your soul for them in prayer
victorious;
O Zion*, haste to bring the brighter
day! (Refrain)
The
church rang those bells for the town every evening, but God rang them this time
for me. I reckon most in that town had no idea what that hymn was, but I did.
God knew that. He planned it…
For
me! The answer I needed to hear. The assurance I needed so dearly.
My
tears flowed more now—this time, in awe. God, thank You for this clear,
resounding confirmation—Your answer. We’re to go. No mistake. Even if it
doesn’t seem to make sense.
SOMEONE
in Auora needed us. Maybe only one person. Worth all this? Yes. Why? Because
God said so. Confirmed it.
So,
here we are 5 years later—celebrating our arrival in Aurora where, we pray, our
lives have and will make a difference.
God’s
plan for your life may or may not always seem to make sense from this side of
Glory; but rest assured, dear reader, He ALWAYS has the best plan for you, He
never makes a mistake. He will accomplish His plan. And as for us? We just need
to obey and serve Him.
So,
as we 3 enter our 6th year in the southwestern corner of
Missouri, may God continue to use these aging vessels to…
Publish glad tidings, tidings of peace,
Tidings of Jesus, redemption and release.
#Godswill&plan
#moving #missions #Missouri #family #startingover
#lifechange #theunknown #lostsouls
#evangelism
*O
Zion Haste by Mary Ann Thomson, 1868, public domain—some hymnbooks
replace the word “Zion” with “Christian.”
