A Ship...That Made Me Think...

Me at the wheel...scary! Good thing it was at port!
Me, Mike and Colm, and our fabulous host!
Love these guys already...I mean "I heart these guys"!
Way up top...me and the Logos Hope

This week I traveled to Koge Denmark...the temporary home of OM's newest ship Logos Hope. My assignment was to get familiar with the ship ministry (never had been on a ship before in my life) and to meet and brainstorm with the ship's line up team assigned to Ireland for its upcoming sail to Dublin and Cork.  The line up team is a mixture of administratively gifted individuals who speak my language...they are detail and logistic junkies just like myself.  I loved my time there...I felt as if I were back in my job at Woodstock...except Woodstock was floating on water! Even my boss...Mike...who used to be a ship officer...saw me in my element and said "Girl...this is a perfect fit for you".  Can I just stop and say that I have the best boss in the world (other than GOD)...Mike is such an encourager and is so sold out for God's plans for people and helping them see their full potential in working for HIM!  

See...the ship is almost ready to sail but it is short people.  When you are on the field you truly see the workers are few.  One area they are extremely short...is in the Public Ministry area and specifically the line up team.  These are the people that are sent out to the different ports the ship is to sail (they do about 15-20 per year all around the world).  These people take car of all the logistics such as getting approvals from port authorities, visas, getting the press involved etc.  Right now they are so short they are finding people who have any administrative gifting and trying them on for size in this role.  Some of these people are only in their 20's and have never had any project planning/coordinating experience.  I am sure God's hand will be on them...but they really could use some experienced people.  God has blessed me with many years of experience...which if He directs...I would be delighted to take part in this ministry in the future. 

Mike asked me if I could see myself being on the ship. I told him that as much as I felt so comfortable being with my fellow logistic junkies...I felt that my assignment right now is to help buildup Lacken House...its rescources...accomodations...basically getting it organized and ready to run as a well oiled machine (we have plans to make it into a major sending and training field one day with the build out of our accommodation block).  I honestly feel with the hand of GOD that has been on that place (the people He has put in place and how we have been able to accomplish so much in such a short period of time)...Lacken House could be almost fully operational within six months to a year.  

I also responded to Mike's question about me being on the ship...that it would be me simply going somewhere that is COMFORTABLE. Basically it would be moving from the great Woodstock to the great Logos Hope.   It has the resources...a lot of people...and is up and running...sure I would love to step into something like that...but I need to really pray about what all tasks God wants me to accomplish here in Ireland first!  So there is a major prayer request...that God would make it clear to me what He would like me to accomplish here for Him and also to give me a glimpse into the future...of me staying in Ireland or continuing on to the ships and a timeline on that...do I complete my two years here or do I give some of that time to the ship.  

When I came home yesterday I became very sad. I could not pin point it...but I just felt an overwhelming sense that I was going to "miss out" on things back home (the States)...that I was going to terribly miss my family...not get to see my niece and nephews grow up.  I am still tearing up as I write this.  I finally realized this morning...that me even thinking about the possibility of going on the ship after Ireland...means that I may not be going back "HOME" anytime soon.  And I feel broken about that.  But on the other hand I am excited about the possibilities in the future.  Then the Lord sweetly reminded me of a verse I have been meditating the entire time I was on the ship...and didn't really get it until this morning.  

And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sister or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.  Matthew 19:29

This world is not our home...so we need to "loosely" hold onto things...give those to God to look after and handle.  And just be open to wherever it is that God might be leading us.  We don't know what is going to happen even by the end of today...but at least we know that God has a plan for our lives and we just need to be open and obedient to do what He asks us...even if it does hurt.  

So there you go.  I would love to hear from you all...is God leading you somewhere?  

Check out the ship at www.logoshope.org