Monday, December 10, 2012


Four weeks from this very moment, I will be in transition.  Having said goodbye to my life in Fort Wayne, I will be preparing to board a plane from Chicago that will take me across the grand old ocean.  It has been an interesting last week.  I expected to work one full last week at the hospital and then hop on a plane to go see family all around the country.  While the latter has begun, my week looked little to what I had anticipated.  Shortly after Thanksgiving, my knee, which had never posed any problem to me, decided to protest my upcoming move to Uganda.  Within a few short hours, my knee began to ache and swell.  After ignoring it for a couple of days with no improvement in symptoms, I went into the doctor's office.  And within one week, I was limping into the hospital for surgery.  That was Tuesday... four days ago.  The surgeon, a believer, sped up the clock and scheduled surgery the day after I saw him.  A miracle in the medical world especially in December.  A piece of cartilage had broken off and was floating around inside of my knee.  There were areas of cartilage that needed to be repaired.  A simple surgery with an overall simple recovery.  And yet, such a gift to have it addressed before I left.  Time to recover and heal.  A testimony to me of just how involved Jesus is in our lives.  Wow.... a week later and I would have been traveling the country (or wouldn't be and missing time with family).... a month later and I would have just landed in Africa....so thankful that even in the small things, HE IS.  And so, with a list of things to do and a heart realizing the impending change, I bring this very short entry to an end.  God is...  in the details of all that needs to be done, the visits with friends and family... and with me as I allow Him to prepare my heart for this next season of life.  (Posted a few days later.....)

Thursday, November 29, 2012


Gabriel....about 5 years ago!
I am currently sitting at the car shop.  My car is getting a final check through before I hand off the keys to the new owner.  It is hard to wrap myself around the reality that in just about 5 weeks, I will be boarding a plane  and heading thousands of miles away.  When my prayer cards came in the mail, I gave one to my little nephew, Gabriel.  Turning the picture over in his hands, he looked at me and asked "Why are you doing this?"  I paused and swallowed the immediate lump that formed in my throat.  I know that God has opened this door for me to head over and yet, leaving loved ones behind is by far, the hardest.  Gabriel and I have had good conversations and I believe that He understands the "why" behind my leaving.  He just doesn't want his aunt Kimmy to leave and I don't blame him.  I don't want to leave him or so many others as well.  I am  savoring every moment now.  And I am filled with peace that comes only from God. I know I am where He wants me. Technically, I have one more week of work and then I'll be heading off to see different family members around the country.  I'll  then return back to Fort Wayne and just hang with peeps here before I take off on January 5th.  Prayer and financial support are coming in and I am getting through the long list of things to do.  The next three nights are filled to the brim with TIME with friends.  Tonight, my Fort Wayne friend, Tasha is throwing me an African shower.  I head off to the Chicago area tomorrow where I will again, be surrounded by friends celebrating this next chapter of my life.  Thank you Jesus for surrounding me with so many dear friends and family.  In the coming weeks and months, I anticipate more frequent entries filled with pictures and stories of HIS faithfulness in not only my life, but in those around me.

My big bro and my nephew, Benjamin... two of the same pod fo sure!  Borrowed my camera.... 

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Oh, my God, He will NOT delay
My refuge and Strength always
I will not fear, His promises is true
My God will come through always, always
I lift my eyes up, my help comes from the Lord.  

The other morning I went for a jog through the mountains of North Carolina.  The Smokey Mountains to be specific.  Without too much thought, I grabbed my iPhone, ear buds, and ever so excited self to burn some of the extra calories that I had indulged in over the course of the previous few days.  I had come to North Carolina to do nothing more than sleep, eat, be, and leisurely attack an ever growing list of things that needed to be done.  Specifically a lot of things that needed to be completed relating to Uganda.  I had support letters to write, emails to send off, research to begin, and the hope that in the quietness of pausing life, I would allow my heart to absorb the reality of just how much things would be changing in the next couple of months.  Since the moment I peeked at the email in the wee hours of the morning and realized that a dream had become a reality, I have been filled with a peace and an excitement that has left me giddy.  And so after hours of sitting in front of a crackling fire, I took off for the hills.  I appreciated that as I ran, I could sing the songs as LOUD as I wanted to free from the insecurity that someone would hear my totally out of tune self singing away.  And the words of Kristian Stanfill infused from iPhone to my soul and out of my mouth.  Oh my God, He will NOT delay.... I lift my eyes up, my help comes from the Lord.  I belted out and ran my little legs off... and then I heard a dog barking.  And then I saw the dog.  And I had a moment of pause.  Surely the dog was chained.  And then the dog came down the hill toward me.  He was NOT chained.  And He had a big chest and a determined look.  And He was coming directly at me.  Without even thinking, I yelled out to Jesus.  The dog paused and then turned around.  Whew that was close! The owner of the dog was driving down his driveway and immediately called out to the the dog.  I took that very moment to run at a speed that I hadn't run in a while.  Surely my pace was a clipping 8 minute mile.  And then I heard a horn and I turned around and there was the dog chasing after me.  And just as quickly as I saw the dog, I saw two trucks with men clearly committed to helping a lady in danger.  One moment, I was being chased and the next help was there.  And I was good.  Heart a dancing, but good.  

And the words kept floating through my mind. 

Oh, my God, He will not delay.  
My refuge and Strength always.  
I will not fear, His promises is true.  
My God will come through always, always.  
I lift my eyes up, my help comes from the Lord.  

In just a few months, I will be moving to Uganda.  Chances are if you found your way to this blog, it is because you have been invited to join me on the journey.  If you happened to stumble across this page either out of curiosity or by seemingly mistake, then know that you are welcome to come along.  I look forward to watching as God does huge and amazing things. I look forward to seeing Him come without delay just as He already has.  And I look forward to sharing.  Will the road be rough. I am sure it will be.  Will there be hurdles and barriers.  Yep.  But My God will NOT delay... He is my refuge and strength.  I will not (and when I feel I cannot, I will ask for strength) fear, HIS promises are true.  And He has good things planned.  That I am sure.  

Oh, my God, He will not delay.  
My refuge and Strength always.  
I will not fear, His promises is true.  
My God will come through always, always.  
I lift my eyes up, my help comes from the Lord.