Singing is believing...

It has been six weeks since I posted last.

Columbia is full of surprises and new people. When Ryan and I decided to move here we immediately started praying for "our" people; the people we would meet and form relationships with here. We specifically prayed for people in each area of our lives; job, school, church, etc... I have been patiently and expectantly waiting for these friends to show there faces, and little by little we have met them. A confident, always smiling manager at work, a calm and respected director at the university, and a room full of young couples praising God at a small group on a Sunday night.

Recently I was in my prayer time and was asking God for provision; clients at work, a part time job for Ryan, and I began to pray about our purpose here. You see, I believe that Ryan is going to get his Masters here in columbia for a reason, not just for school or work related reasons but we are here in this time of our lives for a purpose, I began praying that I would not miss even a moment of this journey. Most people on a journey only think of the great things that are going to come from it, all the great highlights and awesome experiences they will have. I already know God has planned those experiences out for us and I am totally ready to live those out, but I realized I wasn't just praying for those situations, I was actually praying for the hard stuff, the stuff that requires patience and wait in the in-between times of the good stuff. I realized that I need to soak up, absorb every second of this journey...not just the good ones.

I say this to say that each person that God has placed in our lives up to this point has been at the exact time I needed a reminder that my prayer was being answered. On a day at work when I was frustrated at weird clients, and new systems I received a smile and a sweet comment from said manager. In a moment of uncertainty and some self doubt said director calmed my nerves by being confident in my answers as the new guard instructor. Sunday night, I was missing my family desperately and as a prayer time and worship time came together at small group a new friend came and sat next to me to pray with me about my new life here.

Tonight is Thursday, a day when Ryan and I would anxiously await 7:00 to go to the church and meet with our family, our praise team, "our people". We would confidently take the stage and worship with these people, bearing our hearts and souls to God and each other in a way that I don't know if I'll truly ever experience with other people. We are in a new world here, amongst new people and where I was once comfortable on a stage and in front of people have experienced somewhat of a shyness. Funny thing is the song we are learning in the new praise band is Oceans by Hillsong, the very song our old band learned after we left, and yet we are learning with our new people. As uncomfortable as I felt this evening on a new stage the words were again an answered prayer, and I remembered my prayer about taking in every situation not just the good ones...

These words are my prayer,

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever you would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith would be made stronger
In the presence of my savior

So I will call upon your name
And keep my head above the waters
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in your embrace
For I am yours and you are mine

Singing... Is truly believing, my heart tonight is that you can know that even in the small moments, the waiting moments, the difficult or uncomfortable moments, that God is with you. He's guiding you in a way you can never imagine and every second of every day he has a purpose for you, even when oceans rise. So sing.