Hills and valleys

Last Sunday, some new friends of ours announced that they were going home back to the States. It’s not their first choice - in fact, they said it’s been a harder decision to pack up and move back than it was to move here overseas in the first place.

They’ve been here two months. They were going to be here at least three years.

This couple is in their early 60s, and they’re going back to take care of ailing parents who aren’t going to be around much longer. They have rather difficult family relationships, and they sensed clear direction from God to honor their family first.

It was really cool to hear their hearts on the matter. I know I needed to hear it. They had overwhelming peace that being here for the past two months was not an accident or a misreading of God’s voice - that He used this country as a major detour to move back to the States 100 miles away from where they left (where her parents are). The husband admitted that he originally would not have been willing to move those 100 miles straight from their hometown; God softened his heart about moving 8,000 miles so that he would be willing to go anywhere. Even the most difficult place on earth for him, which is near his in-laws.

This reminded me of something my psychologist shared with us in Thailand. Imagine two hills with a valley in the center. You’re in the valley, and you hear God’s voice to climb up one of the hills. You do so, which now gives you a different visual perspective than what you had in the valley. You can see much clearer now - you need to be on the other hill. You can see that standing on that hill, but you couldn’t see it in the valley. God wanted you to see the view.

I often wonder how long we’re going to be here. This hill-and-valley analogy is incredibly encouraging to me, because it gives me hope that God will make it clear when it’s time to trek over to another hill. For now, we’re on the right hill, and I have peace that I can more clearly see His plan from here than from the valley.

As always, He is good.