-The Invisible Realities-

Well..... here's news: I'm going to be checking off one of the dreams from my life list! (Sorry to say I haven't been working as faithfully on that list as I ought to, by the way.) A few months ago through a rather intricate, curvy chain of events, I received a call from Elisabeth Elliot's husband.
What!?
No...not Jim.
(Heh. That would really be news.)
It's her current husband Lars Gren. When I looked at the caller ID and saw his name, my heart did a little kaTHUMP and I just sort of stood there gawking at my phone for a second before I answered it. I get star struck very easily, I suppose. (As in, he obviously didn't even have to be a "star" to strike me.)
Lars and Elisabeth live in a little coastal town in Massachusetts, and in the past year's time Elisabeth, who is in her 80's now, has been needing some physical care. Lars called a school for young ladies in Dallas called EXCEL, a place where Elisabeth has been a regular speaker, and asked them if they would recommend a young woman to come and help with Elizabeth's care. EXCEL recommended my friend Kendalyn, who was my fellow graduate when I was studying Home Health years ago. Kendalyn gladly accepted and stayed with the Grens for several months but has taken a job in Texas now, so she recommended me to them as a replacement. Thus there I was last February, gawking at Lars Gren's name on my caller ID. :)
I'll be moving to Massechusets the last week of June, and staying for at least 5-6 months. Part of me, to be really honest, is shrinking at the thought of living in a strange town with people I don't know and not a friend or family member nearby. But the other part of me is filled with a sort of hazy, I-don't-believe-God-did-this wonderment. I'm sure a lot of people who read this blog may not know who Elisabeth Elliot is, but to me, she's one of my roll models. I grew up listening to her radio program as a little girl, then as I grew older began to read some of her books, and in the past few years my life has been changed by the story she published of her first husband, Jim Elliot, a missionary martyr for Christ. To me, the thought of being able to care for her is (here's that word again-) ...amazing.
So yeah, I'm a little hesitant to leave the familiarity and security of my family, my job at the nursing home, and friends, but I feel a sense of anticipation. For a bunch of reasons. I feel like God hand wrapped this gift for me and I don't exactly know why, but I feel so unbelievably honored and blessed by it.
I take comfort and DELIGHT, even in this thought, which the hymn writer Fanny Crosby wrote better than I could:

1. All the way my Savior leads me,
   What have I to ask beside?
   Can I doubt His tender mercy,
   Who through life has been my Guide?
   Heav’nly peace, divinest comfort,
   Here by faith in Him to dwell!
   For I know, whate’er befall me,
   Jesus doeth all things well;
   For I know, whate’er befall me,
   Jesus doeth all things well.
2. All the way my Savior leads me,
   Cheers each winding path I tread,
   Gives me grace for every trial,
   Feeds me with the living Bread.
   Though my weary steps may falter
   And my soul athirst may be,
   Gushing from the Rock before me,
   Lo! A spring of joy I see;
   Gushing from the Rock before me,
   Lo! A spring of joy I see.
3. All the way my Savior leads me,
   Oh, the fullness of His love!
   Perfect rest to me is promised
   In my Father’s house above.
   When my spirit, clothed immortal,
   Wings its flight to realms of day
   This my song through endless ages:
   Jesus led me all the way;
   This my song through endless ages:
   Jesus led me all the way.

I have a deep desire that during this time away from everything familiar, I would draw closer in my relationship to Jesus. I think it's a blessing to be forced away from life as usual, because we cling to Him a little tighter and He becomes our Home. That's my prayer; "Let me be a joy to Elisabeth and Lars, Lord... but even more than that, may I go deeper, higher in my walk with You in the next few months." I sense a growing need for that, sort of like a plant that's starting to wilt a little in dry soil. I need re-hydrated and it's not because God doesn't offer the water. More like, I'm not drinking of it like I should. In short, I sense that while I'm going to be amazingly blessed by living with the Grens, well....He has a lot to teach me in the next few months.

So, that's my news!! :)