Today, I turn a year older— with my birthday wish fulfilled.
Last year, as my faith for finding a proper home for our family in this small town in Tanzania wore thin, I’d prayed consistently- “Lord, let me celebrate my next birthday in our new home.”
And we did. 🥲🏡
As we captured this beautiful rainbow arc above us, I was reminded of the heartbreaking valley we’d walked through last year. In our burnout, a pastor had invited us to recuperate at a beach house in Perth, where I’d told God, “I no longer hear your voice. Would you give us a sign as to whether you’d want us to return to Tanznaia?”
And a sign He did give— 19 of them. In the 4 weeks we were by the beach, I saw 19 rainbow arcs bannered across the sky, with wild dolphins under several of them.
So it seems apt, that we moved into the 20th house we saw, and this rainbow represents closure and a beginning- His 20th rainbow for us, too.
I am reminded, that in all the storms and valleys we walk through, when there seems to be no way out, God has already been working and preparing gifts we do not yet see.
With every storm, comes a rainbow.
And in parallel, every housing “rejection” which felt like failure, was in fact a blessing moving towards this 20th home meant for us. If any one of those doors had opened, we’d have missed the chance to arrive where we are today.
Perhaps, you, too know what it feels like to be in the midst of those series of closed doors?
What was once invisible to the eye, becomes apparent only in His time.
This birthday month, I’m grateful…
– to see my firstborn celebrate her birthday with her closest friends in school in Tanzania,
– to see my girls join me in horseriding lessons on my horse Glitter (an ex-over-accomplished showhorse who now loves a more grounded life- sound familiar🤔?), an activity I’d longed to learn since I was a child but never had the chance to till recently;
– to celebrate my birthday and connect with friends from Tanzania, Singapore, America, Germany and the UK.
To those of you who’ve journeyed with us, thank you for believing in us, for walking with us all these years. It means more than you know. 💛