but why here? because He is God, it is so.

before i say anything, i must say that since the last time i updated, one bobby lane asked me to be his wife! and because he stole my heart so long ago, with all i had in me i said of course! God has extended endless gifts to me throughout my entire life, but this engagement by far is the most invaluable blessing of all. (ok.... i could camp out here for days, so if you want to know more, i am ready and willing to share!)
the spring trips to honduras were incredible. God moved during those 2 weeks in a way only He can and i am humbled to have been entrusted with such a heavy responsibility. my insecurity of "not having what it takes" was magnified in a humiliating way, but in my discomfort, God was made great and his provision was made evident. even throughout the planning process, i was frustrated and even embarrassed by how everything i seemed to do failed. you would think that after God preformed an instant miracle of over-booking the trips, that i would have taken full confidence in Him to work out the rest, but i continued to fret. 3 months before the trips, we found out that we would not be able to go to orphanage emmanuel. i panicked, because we already had round-trip tickets for 24 people to fly in to and out of tegucigalpa! and from that point forward, it seemed that all of my other attempts were so futile. everything i did backfired. but God in His sovereignty already had something else planned that led us right where we were supposed to be.
long story short: while i was in the country, i was able to go spend a night with mandy at emmanuel. as soon as i drove on to the property, i felt the Lord absolutely slam the door shut on my plans to spend a semester there. it was as real to me as the oxygen that is filling my needy lungs. i couldn't explain it, but i just knew i wasn't being called there. however, i was as sure as ever that God still wanted me somewhere in Honduras. i began to get excited (and honestly, a little bit scared!) about the uncertainty that lay before me, but i knew the options were countless. when i got back to tegucigalpa the next day, God's providence was made more real than ever. the family i was staying with began to tell me that they are starting a bi-lingual christian school at their church, and that they are in desperation for native english speakers willing to teach! it was in that moment that i realized why everything up until that point had gone so wrong.
God strategically put a detour in my efforts because he was carrying me to the home of jeremias and dani gomez.... simply because He is in His heavens and He does whatever pleases Him. all of the logistics have worked themselves out beautifully, and as of august 15, 2007, i will be a resident of honduras, teaching pre-k at Renacer until may 2008. and within weeks of my return back to the mountains of western north carolina, i will relinquish my hand and change my name to Maridith Brooke Lane!

psalm 90:17 May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us— yes, establish the work of our hands.

maridith