Guided Steps...

Hello from half way around the world. Well maybe not that far, but it often feels as such. I thank you for joining us as we blog our way unto this new path during this season of our life and ministry. We appreciate all your prayers and upliftings even when I have fallen short in the communications arena. For that I truly and humbly apologize. I have started this blog in hopes of keeping better contact with our loved ones from home.

So, for any newcomers....greetings, I'm Kristie. Welcome! I am a military wife! My husband, Harry, is a U.S. Navy Chaplain and we are currently serving God and country in Europe. I say we, it's really just Harry, but the government for some odd reason has decided to allow me to tag along on this adventure. We have been married almost 7 years now. WOW how time passes! Lived our entire married lives in Atlanta, GA until Uncle Sam had a say in the equation. Christmas of last year we loaded up the family (like the Clampetts from Beverly Hillbillies) and headed to Greece. Oh, the family consisted of a cat and my teenage tag along brother! We now have a Greek dog (that's a story for another day).

So that was officially the beginning of our guided steps.... You see my husband and I have always had something going on with some form of ministry, here or there, near or far. We have always felt God drawing us to Him. I slight tug now and then. Or a giant yank! All the way to Greece. The truth, we have been content in serving Him from our comfort zone. We would walk with Him, but only as long as it did not stray from the path most comfortable for us. It's funny.... I think I am doing great things for the Lord, happy with the results....then Wham! Upside down goes your life. God must think or call this complacency. I say complacency because he will just turn things on their heads sometimes. Completely shake your circumstances into something unrecognizable. It's during these times you find your strength will fail you. It causes you to dig a little deeper, find footing on something firmer than your own understanding. I think its called Faith?

From Wikapedia....

Faith is a belief in the trustworthiness of an idea that has not been proven. Formal usage of the word "faith" is usually reserved for concepts of religion, as in theology, where it almost universally refers to a trusting belief in a transcendent reality (therefore spirituality and spiritual immortality), or else in a Supreme Being and their role as a guide for people moving into an experience of such reality.

But stepping out requires your faith to meet your courage and then take action. For me... my faith in God at this season of our life, was God sending Harry into military ministry. This remarkable man was a successful airline pilot for 10 years. In an industry where to advance means you fly bigger and better airplanes. You DO NOT quit and join the military as a Chaplain. We have several friends who still think we are insane. Many of our friends came to me to go to Harry to convince him to change his mind. Let me see... the conversation possibly?... okay Harry and God (but more to God right), "I know we have been involved in local ministries such as homeless shelters and youth ministries...and we have our share of foreign ministries as well... and yes these have been from the comfort of home here in Atlanta....BUT do you really want to shake us from this comfort zone? You really want us to pack up everything we own in this earthly world and move to some unknown location. Give up our church, our local ministries, our families? We are happy here. We do good things for You here. What else could You possibly want to show us? We're good, things are good, it's good here. Don't You want to go help so other poor lost soul somewhere??", says Kristie.

And that's when it hit me....what God was saying to me..."Don't you want to go help some poor lost soul somewhere?" You see I believe we have a path in life. I believe with all my faults (and there are many) God has a way for me. I realized I have been walking by faith, but also by guided steps. I hear the terms "walk by faith or walking in faith". I have realized it's not just walking by faith, but guided steps. I can walk by faith, but God has already guided or provided a way for my steps. God has a plan for me, like he does for everyone.... my entire life has been a precursor for what he wants me to accomplish for Him. All the stuff, all the baggage has been preparation for what is to come. Do I have any idea what that is: NO! But do I have faith that my God is greater than anything else. Greater than the loss felt when leaving a comfort zone? Greater than the loneliness of leaving everyone and everything familiar. Absolutely! My steps are guided. Like your steps are guided! He is there with you. Holding you, keeping you company when you fall, providing a way for you on this path we call life.

So I took my faith and added what little courage I had and acted. I started packing up our house. (Again another story for another day) God has a reason for Harry being in Greece. God has a reason I am here with him. Again, not sure what that is just yet! But I can look back and see how God has guided us in the past. Provided a way for us when there was no way God was in our midst, or so we thought. It's so easy to see hindsight, right? Faith in God makes sense hindsight. You can look back in see there was actually a coherent plan all along. You have to trust God that the steps in front of you are guided by Him.

God is my strength and power,

And He makes my way perfect.

He makes my feet like the feet

of deer,

And sets me on my high places.

2 Samuel 22:33-34

Blessings until next time,

Kristie