I'll be home for Christmas, You can count on me

As most of you may already know, I was given the best Christmas present of all time! I surprised my family and flew home over break, and this is the story behind it!

A few months ago I was chatting with my roommate about her future trip home for Christmas break. I was not planning or even thinking in the slightest about the possibility to go home over the break. I knew I wasn't gone long enough, and finances didn't support that for this time of service. But after talking to her something started stirring that maybe I would be able to do the same. I prayed about it, talked with my Mom and decided that this isn't what I wanted to do, and didn't think it was the right thing for me.

I stopped thinking about this completely.

Then, about 3-4 weeks later I was helping at a marriage retreat outside the city with some friends that work for SP. I love going there because it's a refreshing place to stay and I feel like I can get some rest, even though I was babysitting for the retreat. That night I read in Job about dreams and how God speaks to us in out dreams. It had been highlighted from about a year ago now, when I was praying a lot and researching about whether or not God really does speak to me through my night visions. I closed my bible not thinking anything of it, and went to sleep.

Well, that night I dreamt about being at home for a couple weeks. Not unusual, I had done that multiple times since being in Kstan. But when I woke up, there was something stirring inside me that was different. I remembered the dreams  from before, and thought about the verse, and something just stirred that I was supposed to really looking into whether or not I could go home for Christmas. Usually when God is speaking to me about something, I cry. And boy were there tears that day.
I spent most of the day in prayer, but I didn't talk to my family about it because I didn't want them to get excited and then it not happen.

I knocked on some doors about whether or not it was okay for me to go home, and my answer was if my family wanted to fly me home, that was okay. But I didn't feel right about asking my family to do that, so I felt great that the door has been shut, and I could stay in Kstan over break.

Then, a family from the Body Of Christ contacted me about a Skype date. During our time together, they asked lots of questions about my time here, and if I have enough finances. I told them that I had just heard that I was fully fully funded, even to stay a couple months longer, and that I was super grateful for their willingness to give, but for this trip I was funded, but there will be more times that I will come overseas for this area of work if they still feel lead for that time.
It was a great conversation and I left feeling loved and supported through prayer by a fantastic family who loves the Lord.

Then a couple days later I got an emailing saying they would like to Skype again. We planned for a time and as soon as we got on, they told me that they want to fly me home for Christmas, but I have to keep it a secret and surprise my family!

I was shocked! So excited, and shocked! The Lord really had spoken to me through dreams, and made it clear as well as providing a way to go even though it didn't make sense to me. Also, this family was willing to give so much to bless me and my family with Christmas together!

I flew in on a Saturday morning and one of my best friends picked me up from the airport! It was so good to see her, and then she helped me coordinate a way to get the whole family together for the surprise. She called them and said that this afternoon they were doing some voice recording stuff for Christmas eve and are in need of the families of those serving overseas to come in that afternoon. Somehow, it worked for my family during that time and they actually dropped everything to spare 30 or so min. for this recording. When Kara was telling them what we would be doing for the recording, I jumped out from behind the curtain and said surprise. It was AT LEAST 20-30 sec of silence.

THEY HAD NO IDEA!

Thanks a billion to the family that gave so that I was able to go home! My family also thanks you so much! Merry late Christmas!!