Answering the "Why?" :: Part 1

And how much different is it now as you live in God's freedom, your lives healed and expansive in holiness?

~ Romans 6:19

Why have we said, "Yes!" to God's leading to minister in France?  Because God is a God who heals!  We wrote previously about our health (or lack thereof) over the past 20 years, and in those times God continually reminded us of our vows, "in sickness and in health".  Praise be to God for showing up and showing off His healing power in our lives.  (You're welcome to read that previous post for more details.)

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

~ Jeremiah 29:11

We had such naive, idealistically high hopes when we plastered this verse on the wedding bulletin board that humid August morning 20 years ago, choosing for it to be our life verse. Somewhere around years 10-15, we had pretty much given up on what we expected for "future" and "hope" - you know, the kind that we had imagined God would provide.  Since then, we have been experiencing this verse in new and fresh ways, with what we think is a more informed understanding as we see a better picture of what God was really promising.

With God's healing again in our lives, we knew we had to do what we promised we'd do... serve Him.  As we've said before, through the difficult years Psalm 116 became our (for lack of a better phrase) life passage.  It says it so well near the end of the chapter:

What can I give back to God
for the blessings He's poured out on me?
I'll lift high the cup of salvation—a toast to God!
I'll pray in the name of God;
I'll complete what I promised God I'd do,
and I'll do it together with his people.

~ Psalm 116:12-14

This renewed health was the beginning of our journey to seek what God wanted us to do and where He was leading.