I've been thinking a lot about the changes that my heart has undergone over the last three years. Before then I still had a desire to go to the unreached, but there were hesitations in my heart and mind. Yet, through prayer, mourning, and re-oriention in the direction of my focus He has changed where I am now. I am forever grateful that God, in His kindness, goes before me and prepares me in the here and now.
Three years ago we were still pursuing Thailand - though a few of those doors had begun to close. Three months before we even began praying about Czech, I started to have consistent dreams about traveling into that country, talking with people, seeing certain European style buildings, and my heart began to long and wish that we would head there instead of Thailand. So strange I thought - I mean, we were supposed to go to Thailand. So, I kept those dreams quiet from Dan, and instead prayed that if Czech was where we were suppose to go, then God would need to speak directly to him. He did, and a few months after that I told Dan how God had already laid the Czech people on my heart.
Since then, our journey has been one confirmation after another. Missionaries who are preparing to enter a country often talk about having a deep caring love for the place that God is sending them to - I often wished I knew what that felt like, and I'm so thankful that I can say that I do understand and know that feeling today. With our journey last summer to Czech and this past year since, my love and desire to move there has increased more than I sometimes know how to communicate. It could be a song, a picture, a dream, a name, some of the Czech words that I remember will come to mind and my heart sincerely longs to go. People have asked how certain we are that this is where God is leading us, and without a hesitation or doubt, my answer is YES! There is no doubt.
What is it that drives a person to uproot one's life and move clear across the world - to say in a sense "Goodbye" to beloved family, friends and the familiar in order to embrace the tremendous difficulties that an entirely different country brings? It's Christ! It is the Love of God who compels me to go. I see trials, self-interests, and life different now. The thought of moving our entire family to the Czech Republic feels like the most natural decision we've had to make so far in our marriage.
I long to see God's Glory known among the Czechs. What this world has to offer isn't eternal. People are. That's why pursuing their minds and hearts to know and love Jesus is so important. God is so passionate about the Czechs, HE LOVES THEM! Oh how He loves them. Gaining an eternal perspective has changed me so much so that I can't be the same. I am thankful for how God's grace on my life has tenderly helped me understand His heart for people, and in all of the things that "pass away" - only one thing remains: An Eternity of seeing and savoring Jesus with His people across the globe.
