“This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike ‘What’s next, Papa?’ God’s Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children. And we know we are going to get what’s coming to us–an unbelievable inheritance! We go through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go through the hard times with him, then we’re certainly going to go through the good times with him!” Romans 8:15-17 (The Message Version).

I have been chewing on this scripture the past several days. Personally, I know people who are so much better than I am at having childlike eagerness to see what the Lord is going to do next. But what freedom it is to trust in our Father the way he means us to! What joy in not having to figure it all out and do it by our own strength! And if each night in the states that I get up from bed to go to the bathroom I am thanking the Lord for my carpet and no risk of scorpions on the floor (I’ll wear slippers in Costa Rica), I know that for this small “hard” thing in our upcoming trip, we will gain the multitude of good things Christ will be doing in our time there.

God has been pouring on the grace for our trip preparations. We have received enough extra funding to be able to buy clothes, shoes, pajamas, sheets, and infant toys to take down to the Home of Life. Two suitcases are packed to the brim with blessings, and more are waiting to be filled with our ample supply. A wonderful crew of ladies helped me clean the house on Monday, and another angel is planning to come in a few days. There is still plenty to do, but we are rejoicing in the good work already done. Ready or not, the plane takes off on Thursday, and we plan to be on it! “What’s next, Papa?”

Kris