Today marks exactly 1 year since our family woke up in Costa Rica for the last time. After 12 and a half years living and serving God in CR, God called us to return to the United States. He asked us to trust Him and to walk by faith. We didn’t know why He was calling us. We didn’t know where He was calling us. We were simply convinced there was a call to “Go” upon our lives once again. It wasn’t the first time we had heard and obeyed that call. But it was the hardest. CR is HOME for us. It took years for it to become that in our heart, but somewhere along the way it did. Over 12 years of ministry in the same little town left us with many friends and people we call family.
“Go,” God said, so we gave away everything we had with the exception of a few things. We packed 12 years of life into 26 suitcases and found new homes for all but one of our pets. We said tearful “good-byes”, with promises to return soon, and made the 1 and a half hour trip to the “city” for the last time. We did everything we could to take it all in, knowing it would be a while before we could return. We weren’t “looking back” because we knew God said “Go”, but we were counting the cost of moving ahead in God’s Sovereign plan.
It is God’s “Go” that I’m most thankful for this morning. As painful as it is, and as much as I still miss CR, I am thankful. CR may forever feel like “home” no matter where I find my house. 4 of my children were born there. My marriage was tested and strengthened there, my character was forged there, and my God became very personal and intimate to me there. To this day I have friends and family still living and serving there… yes, CR may always feel like home in my heart. But ultimately, my HOME is found in Christ alone. My home is wherever He calls me.
When God says “Go”, we must respond in obedience. We may not understand His ways, that’s ok… but if we believe He is always good and knows all things, then we must obey His Call!
Today, 1 year since He said “Go”, I find myself in a place I never could have imagined. When God called us, I said “Where Lord”, to which He consistently replied, “I’ll show you when you get there, trust Me”. Trust we did, and He once again proved Himself ever Faithful!
3 weeks after we obeyed His call and landed in the United States, my wife suffered a ruptured aneurysm that nearly took her life. She spent 9 days in the hospital, 7 in ICU, 5 intubated. She was the most critical patient in ICU for the first 2 days she was there, receiving a 24-hour nurse by her side.
“Go,” God said… and had we not gone my wife would not have lived… the thought makes me shudder.
We were almost 2 hours from the Hospital from where we lived in CR… she wouldn’t even have been able to make it to the hospital. The internal bleeding was too massive. It was so bad that the paramedics thought she was pregnant because her stomach was so bloated, filled with blood.
Today would have looked very different had God not said “Go” and given us the grace to obey.
Since that time, my wife has had 2 follow up surgeries to take care of almost 10 more aneurisms they found in her body. Our 11-year-old mastiff, who we brought with us from CR, passed away, and once again we heard God say “go”.
Today I find myself in a situation I never could have imagined while I was in CR. We are in a new city, at an awesome new church (CalvaryPSL), and in a new role (Connections Pastor). We are making many new friends, and God continues to bless us and show us He is ever faithful!
God is Faithful! Never doubt that!
I still don’t understand everything He is doing in my life. I don’t fully know why He called us to the US, but I’m thankful He did. I’m thankful for what He has revealed to us so far. I’m thankful to be where I am today, to have my wife and family by my side, to be in a new church, on a new adventure with God!
God is Faithful!
When God says “Go”, we must Go. He loves us and always leads us in good paths. Don’t let anything hold you back… “Go”.
Go because God is worthy of our obedience. Jesus is worthy of being proclaimed in new places, people dwelling in darkness need the light of the gospel. So Go! You will never regret obeying His call and throwing yourself into His hands in faith. That is the best place you could ever be. As the Psalmist says in Psalm 47:4 “He shall choose our inheritance for us.”
God is faithful, so “Go”!
We love you guys
How is she doing now? I read this to my husband and we were so glad you were protected. Thank you for your kindness to us when we were living there. I hope she had continued to heal.
What a great testimony, what a lesson to follow…thank you so much for these words. I never forget that I got baptized in Costa Rica and you and your family were part of that special moment.
We will pray for you guys
You told your family’s story in a very moving way. God has always guided your path and we know he wii continue to do so. Your Faith is an inspiration to us all. Love grandma
Wow, what a beautiful message! Brought tears to my eyes. God is worthy! Your statement that God gave you the grace to obey Him sums up how awesome He is. So true in my life too; we are nothing without Him. May He continue to bless you as you obey him in His grace!
Mike J
Wow! So glad I got to meet you at the C C luncheon. You have no idea the impact your story has on me! God will continue to take care of you! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you for sharing your testimony of faith and obedience. Your family is a blessing to all of us at CalvaryPSL. I cannot imagine how difficult it was to leave CR. I did missions in Nicaragua (stayed there 3 months teaching kids), the Central Americans are very warm and loving people. There is a lot of work to be done there too (so much poverty). Maybe as a church we can put together a mission to Central America in the future.