He is a Good, Good Father!

     This post is all about giving praise to my Father. I am so loved, not because of anything I have done, but just because of who He is! I would like to give just a few examples of His love and leading in my life the last few months. First, He allowed me to come home for a 6 week vacation to reconnect and love on my kids and grandkids. This was not a planned trip, but He orchestrated it for me. It's a little complicated, but the upcoming election  in Gabon, and having to avoid certain weeks in the capitol, made it possible for me to return to the U.S. At the time I was concerned about missing the time of testing and interviewing of new students for our nursing school. But again, He knew that this was going to get postponed until September, and that I would be back in time to participate. I am thankful for His timing. Sometimes we can't see ahead, but He always has perfect vision. God is good!
     He also opened a door for me to go visit family in Oklahoma. This had not been on my agenda when I came home, but what a blessing it was for me! One of my cousins has been struggling with cancer for several years and it was so good to connect with her and her husband, and to see her health improving. God has given her an "all clear" on the cancer front. What a miracle! I also had really good times with my uncle and other cousins. God is good!
     After 2 weeks of being home, I received an e-mail from my sending organization that I needed to have a full physical while home. I also would have to be approved by their doctor before I could return to Africa. This was a little frustrating for me, because I only had 4 more weeks to get all the tests done, get results to my G.P., and then everything sent to the CMA doc, and get approval. Also, I had already booked my flights back. I wasn't sure it would be possible to accomplish all this in 4 weeks, but again, God  opened doors for appointments, and I was able to get all accomplished and received my OK to return with a week to spare. God is good!
     The first week I arrived home I saw my orthopedic doctor about my knee and he ordered another "Synvisc" injection to be administered before I return to Africa. Getting this through the red tape of my insurance to get the medication in a timely manner has been frustrating. Last Friday after spending another 2 hours on the phone between doctor, insurance, back to doctor again (you get the picture), I finally told the Lord, this is in your hands. I've done what I could. If you want me to have the injection before I leave, you have to fix the problem. If not, help my knee to maintain until I come back next year. Well, within one hour my doctor's office called and said it's taken care of and we will call you next week to come in. God is good!
    I have had a good time reconnecting with my grandkids, and was so happy to bond with "Nora", who was only 4 months old when I left. She is now smiling at me, letting me play with her, and letting me hold her. God is good!
    There have been a lot of other things I could share, but I hope you get the idea that God is a good Father, He is in control (even of the small details), and I am thankful that He is my Dad!
     As I return next week to France first (dropping off my granddaughter who will be working at the language school I went to), and then to Africa, I would like to ask for prayers for the following:
- good travel without sickness or delayed flights or lost luggage
- a great time in Albertville, France for a few days with Sonia, and that God would help her settle in and adjust to her new life there for the next 11 months.
- readjustment as I settle back into life in Africa (relationships, heat, humidity, ministry, start of the nursing school)
- that God would continue to do a mighty work at Bongolo Hospital and that He would receive all the glory.
Thanks for all your prayers. I am so blessed to have prayer warriors, and I feel your prayers always! Sandie

Alive and well in Antwerp

         As many of you know, I left Africa almost two months ago to take a 3 1/2 month course at the Institute for Tropical Medicine. I am taking the certificate course for nurses and midwives. So after 7 weeks, I would like to share some thoughts about Antwerp. First of all, it's a very "international" city. People from all over the world come here to work or go to school. On any bus or tram ride you can hear 4 or 5 languages being spoken. The students at my school are from all over Europe, Africa, Asia and a few from America. I am the only student in the Nursing course who is from the states (out of 80 students). I have enjoyed getting to know a lot of different people. I am thankful that the Lord has given me two French friends that I can do social things with, like going out for a meal, or visiting a museum. He has also given me some Vietnamese friends who live here in my building.
         What is my life like here? Mostly taking classes and studying. I know it may look "romantic" to get to travel the world, but most of my time here has been spent at my desk in my small dorm room. Thankfully, I have gotten to see a little of this part of the world. The first month I was here our school took us on an outing to the city of Brugge. What a quaint, old, beautiful city! I would love to spend days there, just wandering up and down the small streets and quaint shops. Yesterday, our school took us on another trip to Amsterdam and a small farm/museum outside of the city. We were only in Amsterdam for 4 hours, so not a lot of time to see things. We all took a boat trip through the waterways of the city. That was really fun, and we got to see the house boats that are so famous, and the beautiful architecture. Then we had time for a quick lunch, and some shopping, or whatever we wanted to do. I tried to find the Ann Frank house, but got lost several times, even after asking my way. I finally decided to give up on that, and do some shopping (always a fun 2nd choice!). I hung around most of the day with my Vietnamese friends, because my french friends didn't make the trip. The farm/museum was a beautiful way to learn about Holland. Everything from touring real windmills, to watching them make cheese, and wooden shoes. It was definitely a tourist place, but I enjoyed it very much. I have become involved in an international church here, and even go to a small group on Tuesday evenings. This group is a perfect example of how international this city is; two of us from the U.S., two from France, one from India, two from Africa, and one Dutch. Again, I have found that if we know Christ, we feel at home with anyone who is also part of the body of Christ.
        Prayer requests:
        1) we have our first big exam tomorrow. I have studied the material well, but the test will be in french, so that makes it even more difficult.
        2) that I will have a spiritual impact here. Overall, like most of Europe, Antwerp is a "Godless" city. Most Europeans have turned their back on God. Pray that I will have boldness as I talk to those in my circle here.
        3) that I will have the stamina to make it through this difficult Medical french course. I am learning a lot and speaking better french everyday, and for that I am thankful.
        4) for comfort as I am always missing my family back home. It is definitely a spiritual battle at times to stay positive. I wrote about this in my last blog, and I am thankful it is becoming easier to take those thoughts captive and be in a place of thanksgiving.
       5) health for my knee, which is still giving me troubles. I have to walk everywhere, unless I am going somewhere very far, and then I take the bus or tram. But it is often painful, and a source of frustration!
                                              Signing off from Antwerp! I appreciate your prayers, Sandie

A Journey towards JOY!

             I haven’t journaled in a while. My return to Gabon, Africa for only 2 months before leaving again to go to Belgium was a bit hectic. I had a lot to accomplish in 2 months and God was faithful to help me get those things done. What I want to talk about today is an inward journey, not visible from the outside. About 6 months ago I told the Lord that I wanted a deeper, more meaningful relationship with Him. Oh, I read my bible every day, pray often throughout the day, but I knew that I wanted to go deeper, wanted to really abide in Him. This started a process of “sifting” or “pruning” out some things in my life, so that I could take hold of that deeper relationship. Through several trials (knee surgery, breast biopsy, leaving my family again, heat and bugs of Africa- just to name a few) I have been learning how to take every thought captive and how to use the weapons that God has given us. II Corinthians 10: 3-6 says “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ”.  

                This process recently came to a head at a prayer retreat for our team where we studied “The Warrior’s Prayer” (Matthew 6: 9-13). I wish I could share all that we learned, but there isn’t sufficient time or space, but I will share the most significant part that I took from it. We learned that Jesus taught his disciples to pray for protection from the Evil One. “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one”. We need protection because we are in a battle to bring His Kingdom here to earth. Satan knows our “soft” spots, and that’s where he goes. So, it’s important for us to know his tactics and what our “soft” spots are, or we will fall prey to the enemy. I realized my “soft” spot is my thoughts. If I give into certain thoughts and allow my brain to “run” with them, instead of taking them “captive”, he defeats me. When I returned to Africa, I immediately jumped back into the ministries I was involved in, and as usual, I loved it, and eagerly went about serving God. But then negative thoughts started coming… “I miss my family so much”, “I just really bonded with Emma, and now I am leaving again”, “I miss talking to my grandkids and kids, and being a part of their lives”, “I hate some things about Africa- the heat, the bugs and ants, the power outages” … the list goes on. I allowed those thoughts to play out in my head, instead of taking them captive, and I fell into a depression. This lasted until our prayer retreat. When I realized that I had fallen prey to Satan’s attack on me, I got proactive and told Him to get lost! I asked forgiveness for not taking those thoughts captive. Then I started to praise God, thanking Him for all the good things in my life. I reversed the process that Satan wanted to do in me, and I immediately received emotional and spiritual healing.

                I understand this will be an ongoing process. Just Sunday, as I arrived in Belgium, I started having negative thoughts… “another new place to figure out, new language, new culture”, “I don’t know a soul in this whole country, I am so alone”, “my room is so small, can I live in this for the next 3 ½ months?”. But thankfully, I quickly recognized Satan’s attack. I started praising God for all the good things in my life… “Wow, a new country I get to learn about”, “Wow, new people to meet and new friendships to develop”, “Wow, this room serves all my needs… a desk, a comfortable bed, my own bathroom”. “Thank you God for this amazing journey you have me on”. Immediately, those negative thoughts left, and I was glad to be here, and started my journey here in Belgium with JOY, not depression. James 4:7 says that if we submit to God and resist the Devil, he will flee from us. I am taking my Stand here and now, I am learning to take my thoughts captive and experience the Joy that God has for me.

Prayer request:

I have caught a cold, and need to be well to attend class every day. I don’t want to miss out on anything I can learn here.

That I will make friends in my “all French” setting. We had our first class today and I met a couple of possible friends that I connected with a little.

That I will understand this difficult materiel presented in French and that my language learning will continue to grow.

Signing out from Antwerp! God bless you all!