"Leaving on a Jet Plane"

and for the first time I can genuinely say, "don't know when I'll be back again."

This journey began a long time ago, but now the day is finally here :) I'm sitting in the Chicago airport waiting on my flight to Amsterdam. This is my second 4 hour layover during my trip so needless to say I've had a lot of time to think. Thinking about this past summer, thinking about all the preparation that's gone into this, thinking about my family (which typically means I tear up! People probably think I'm looney sitting here and all of a sudden wiping tears away), thinking about the great and many evidences I've seen of the Lord in bringing me to this point, thinking about what's to come.

I know there's a lot I don't see coming (good and bad), but my prayer is the same as it's been: "use me, Lord". I don't ever know what that means, but my desire as I head out is to have open eyes, open ears, and an open heart to hear the Spirit as He leads.
Last night as I was finishing up packing my mom came in to tell me goodnight. She said she had been going through some things upstairs that she has filed away. She was looking through things Luke, Amber, and I had done from school. (To be fair, she wasn't just being a sap, she was actually looking for a document, but this is where it led her) She told me she found a sheet I filled out for a class in the 11th grade. I think it was some career type class and this was a career assessment sheet. It was SO crazy, but such evidence of the Lord!
The sheet read "What career do you want to go into?" My response, "Work Overseas for Christ". Then the next question said, "How do you prepare to accomplish this?" My response, "Go to college and then to seminary."
WHAT!?! When I graduated college, seminary was NO where on my radar. In fact, looking at this paper I was a little confused because I don't EVER remember seminary being in the plans :)
But it was so cool to see how the Lord had led me. At the age of 17, in the 11th grade He was already revealing this path.
I'm very aware that things haven't gone like I thought they would, and when I though they would, but they have gone according to HIS plan. What more could I ask for?

So here we are...the next step. I'm headed overseas! I'm almost positive things will not go as I plan or when I plan :) (That's some wisdom I HAVE picked up over the many lessons He's taught me.) But I know I will look back and see how His hand has been directing and leading in every step of the way, and things happened just as He intended (when He intended). He is such a sovereign and amazing Father!

And that is the ONE thought I want to dwell on as I'm sitting here with so many thoughts running through my mind!