If God Wills...

We, as humans, have so much confidence in the future  actually being there. What do I mean by that? 

We are just always so sure that things will happen.

For example: We plan for things a year in advance. After being at a large sale yesterday, I caught myself saying to Collins, "Well, next year what we should do is-..." and then I stopped because it hit me that next year at this time, we won't be looking to take on any more furniture. In fact, we'll be looking to sell all, once again. We'll be preparing for packing up. And my mind raced (as it is again, even as I type this!)...In Haiti, you will often hear people add the phrase "si Dye vle-if God wills" to the end of a sentence that speaks of the future, weather it be 10 years, 6 months, or 1/2 a day from the present. I don't often express that phrase in English, but I do often catch myself thinking it. 

So yesterday, when I cut my sentence short and I thought about selling personal possessions instead of accruing more, the verse that says:

"Now listen, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.' James 4:13" (NIV)

 scrolled through my mind as if it were on a marquee. What makes us think that we will even be around to make plans for the next season of our lives? If it weren't for God and His great mercy...

But we have a hope for the future, because as Believers we know that we called to carry on until He returns. HE has created us for purpose. There IS a reason for each one of us to be here. We have something to do. We often try to "figure out" what we're supposed to be or do with our lives, but I honestly think that God puts it pretty plainly in front of us and equips us for our unique special task. 

I know that God has placed me personally in a very interesting position in life to which few people can relate  (although Nyakanzi, if you read this, you are here with me!!!). My life feels very temporary. If you are someone I am around on a daily basis, the truth is that I try to hide this a lot because it is a hard way to live but even harder to try to explain. I know that I am just biding time until God tells us (my little family) that it's the right time for us to go again. When Collins and I came to the US two years ago, we knew it would be for "a time". We didn't know how long that "time" would be. We still don't know exactly, but we know we're past 1/2 way...and so we always have a clause, albeit often unspoken, that any plans we make have the condition "if we're still here then". 

All that to say- Keep planning, my friends!!! Live life to the fullest extent you can...but don't be surprised if God throws a twist in there that will bring glory to Him. And don't take a moment for granted because you never know when a season is going to pass! 

(Cousins Sam, Porter, Will, Corbin and Henry)