Le Plus Grand Saut

C'est le moment du plus grand saut de notre vie:  nous allons vivre en Afrique.  

It's here; time to go.  Six hours from now we will be on our way to the airport, and once you get into that plane, there's no turning back.  Several people over the past couple of weeks have mentioned to me that "le grand saut" is before us, the big jump.  Seems to me to be more of a dive, but who has time to argue over details like that?

The bags are all packed, the kids are tucked into bed.  There remains just enough time for us to catch a little sleep before waking to begin the journey.  Soon we will be doing all kinds of normal things that everyone else does:  eating, sleeping, talking, walking--only this time we'll be on African soil.

We have lived a lot of different emotions this weekend, but during the hardest times, words of encouragement came just when they were most needed.  I remember being taken to college for the first time, how hard it was to watch my family drive back home.  My dad wrote me a note, quoting Joshua 1:9:   "Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."  Turns out that little verse is a handy verse to know, a stronghold to cling to when the day before you is uncertain.


Whom shall I fear?
I know who goes before me,
I know who goes behind,
the God of angel armies,
Is always by my side.   
                 (from Chris Tomlin's Whom Shall I Fear?)

To those of you who are praying for us, who are walking alongside us, who are reminding us of truth...are you ready?  'Cause it's time to jump.