God at Work

Throughout the summer we usually see more "men at work" signs than the rest of the year because of all the road construction. Frequently these signs cause us to groan or complain as the traffic slows and plans are changed or delayed. It's agonizing to sit in standstill traffic with our destination out of sight.

I think that's sometimes how we feel when God is at work as well. We have our own schedules or plans laid out with a certain timeline that we think is best, and then God goes to work. Our plans change. Sometimes the work is so slow there is no visible progress. We wonder if we will get to our destination with all the detours along the way. We see no end in sight and wonder if He is even at work.

Then things start happening. New lanes open up; more people are let in. New routes are available; possibilities increase. The ride becomes smoother, the journey easier.

God brings people into our lives to help and guide us. He gives us new ways of thinking or new options to pursue. Because of these changes we have renewed hope. With that hope also comes peace and trust in Him to make our journey easier.

I think it's important to remind ourselves that the "God at Work" sign is permanently posted, even when we don't see it. And rather than grown or complain when we come to slow spots or detours, we should rejoice because we know we've got a master worker designing the course for us and leading us where we need to go.

That's how I feel about Peru. I can see now that God has been working on me for years, preparing me for the awesome opportunity to serve there, and I'm so excited to be at this crossroads in my life! Sometimes the journey here was painful. I had to feel disappointment and discontentment to turn me in this direction. Sometimes I felt stuck or lost.

Other parts of my journey here were fun. I spent an amazing six months in Costa Rica that made me fall in love with the Spanish language and Latin American culture; and I enjoyed five years of teaching, which helped me learn Spanish better and gave me the opportunity to go on several mission trips.

God used each of these experiences (and more) to lead me to a new road. A road that is unknown and exciting. A road that will have detours. A road that will have many ups and downs. A road that will thankfully always have God at Work.