Throughout our first week back, my mind kept rerunning many powerful moments of our trip, easily the best trip of many I’d been on. Part of me daydreamed about what it would look like to move our family there, all the while knowing that was not in God’s immediate plan for us. But what other way could we be more involved with our Peruvian “family”?
A week later Alex mentioned to me something that he and the owner of Pat’s Place had discussed a year ago: the possibility of us taking over Pat’s Place. Fear immediately crept in and said, “Not possible!” But I wasn’t ready to let fear have the last word. Alex texted the owner to be sure the offer still stood…and it did! Such a massive undertaking was going to take some massive prayer. And plenty of wise counsel!
Alex and I began to individually seek the Lord and to discuss the possibility with our spiritual and life advisors. One of my advisors asked me what I would need to have happen before I would know that I know that I know that this was God’s will for us. I replied with four items:
- That Alex knew beyond a doubt that this was God’s will for us.
- That God would confirm it in my heart in a way that only He could.
- That God would give me the name of our new ministry.
- That money would come in without us even asking for it.
And one by one, each of those four items came to pass.
Another question our advisors asked us is, “If money weren’t an issue, would you do it?” Alex was at the point where he could say yes in a heartbeat. So that helped to answer #1. But Alex had been ready for a full year already. He knew that it was God’s will for us as a family, but I still needed the Lord to confirm it in my spirit.
One day I was looking at pictures of the Hope House renovations. It happened to be in the middle of me reading through a Bible study about knowing and doing the will of God. And my eye caught the new Hope House logo created by their new owners. Seeing it in that moment was like seeing the Burning Bush. I realized that Hope House now had champions—defined as “ardent defenders of a person or cause”—and it was time for Pat’s Place to have champions too! That’s the moment that God spoke to my heart and gave me the name for our new ministry. The women and children at Pat’s Place deserve to know what true love is, which is why our verses come from 1 Corinthians 13. So the ministry name is Amor Real, which means “True Love” in Spanish.
From the moment the decision was made in my heart, people began offering to support Pat’s Place financially. And in my spirit, the Lord confirmed at church the next Sunday morning in worship that if He is for us—none can stand against us!
Since then the Lord has been flooding us with vision for Pat’s Place. We are so excited about all God has shared with us and the people He’s brought alongside us to faithfully walk out this calling. I’m so honored that God has called and is equipping us both for the grand tasks ahead. I’ve realized that my dreams have been resting in God’s capable hands from their very inception. Had I but trusted Him throughout the quiet waiting period, I would have seen all my dreams come true at this time. Looking back, I can see God’s hand has been clear, His timing perfect, and His grace sufficient.
“God did not promise days without pain, laughter without sorrow, nor sun without rain, but He did promise strength for the day, comfort for the tears and light for the way.” – Author Unknown
God truly has worked all things together for good, even the things we thought perplexing or painful. For all the sorrow, there is now laughter; for all the rain, there is now sun. For all the days ahead, there is now strength; for all the tears, there is now comfort. For the way ahead, there is great light. And we just have to follow and obey, one day at a time.
The Art of Choosing True Life 