I am thankful for my sweet neighbors and roommate!
I am thankful for my teammates from OM Ireland!
We have a special bond!
I am so thankful for my family. Not pictured here...my brother, sister in law, nephews, and of course grandma!
And of course...I am thankful for God's gift to me..my future Husband!
So what am I thankful for? Of course I am thankful for ultimately what Jesus did on the cross to set me free...my future husband who is so patient and considerate of me...and my family back home in the States. But as my time comes to an end here in Ireland...where I have been serving for the last 15 months...I am overwhelmed with Thankfulness for being allowed this opportunity.
I am thankful for God's provisions for getting me here in the first place and all the cool "Godbumps" stories...as my friend Andrea would say...that have happened along the way to confirm my being here. That has been 5 years in the making...so lots of history there.
Two stories stick out along this journey. One is my very first trip to Ireland over 5 years ago...when I was a brand new believer. I was unsure how this whole support raising thing was going to go...and needed to raise $1600 for the trip. My very first check in the mail was for the full amount! I had raised enough support not only for one trip...but for a follow up vision trip. It was also during this first trip that God showed me that I could use my practical skills for him on the field...when we had to basically plan an entire new event when we hit the ground as the facilities we were using pulled out on us at the last minute. So we had to come up with an entirely new plan in just a few days time.
A more recent one happened only last week. Can I just say that God is an on time God?! I was reflecting on my time here...knowing that He had called me here and just asking Him "why did I not get the privilege to lead a single person to Him while I was here?" Sure there were many times that I was able to share Christ on the Cross and what that meant with others...but there was no ultimate fruit of salvation that I was able to see from the labor.
But then God reminded me of the influence I was honored to have over my neighbors. Since moving into the house God put me in here...I was blessed with wonderful neighbors...all of which do not know the Lord. I had opportunities to share with them Christ's plan of salvation...but they were very few. Mainly I felt the best way to show them Christ was to live life as He would want me to. Now I must admit that I didn't always do a great job...some days I was cranky and it showed...but in the end I really sought the Lord and asked Him for the chance to represent him in front of them.
The "fruit" of the labor was not seeing them come to know Him...but came in a simple email. My sweet friend and neighbor recently moved to London to look for work. The job market here in Ireland has been quite desolate to say the least. I was sad to see her go...she was a close friend...and I had prayed for her fervently that she would come to know the God I love and serve. However, she did not.
Just last week as she was skyping me she was telling me that she was up for a job and if she got it...it would be one of the best jobs she has ever had. I told her that God wants the best for us...and that I would pray for her. She quickly ended the conversation after that...as she always does when I start to talk about God. But then just the other day...which was one of the days I was reflecting on my time here...she sent me a message saying "Mary...I got the job! Your prayers worked...thank you for praying for me!" No it wasn't "I have come to know Jesus as my personal Lord and savior"...but it was a sweet moment of God reminding me that my "work here has not been in vain".
So I leave Ireland with the verse that reminds me that whatever we do for the Lord...it is not in vain. Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:58
I am so Thankful for that I "Get to do what I do for Him!" What are you thankful for?
PS...as I right this...I am yet overwhelmed again with thankfulness!!! I just got off the phone with Jacco who has informed me that God has provided a house for us which we can move me straight into as soon as I move to England! This is great news with having a "permanent address" which we need to apply for a visa for me to live in the UK! Thank you Lord!!!! :)
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