Wisdom Imparted

This morning, a 79 year old member came in to be waited on. As he was leaving, I was reminded of a conversation he & I had a few years ago. This kind gentleman has been a member of the credit union for many years & I remember him from when I first started back in November 2009. I do not find it unusual or out of the ordinary when members inquire about my marital status. Some do so simply because they are nosey people, some ask because they are curious for their own benefit thinking perhaps they may woo me & some are just kind-hearted individuals that feel like they know me & seek to know me better as they often feel as though I’m a granddaughter, daughter, niece, etc. to them.  The latter is true with this nice senior adult. From time to time, he likes to talk to me about his late wife. The love he has for her even now, years after her death, is astonishing. Clearly, he loved (& still does) deeply. One day, several years ago, he asked me if I was married. I politely responded, “No sir, I am not.” He began to impart some wisdom to me & tell me that whatever I was to do, make sure I look for man that loves Jesus because if the man loves Jesus, he will treat me well & we would have a long lasting marriage. Unfortunately, when he walked out the door today, I was on a phone call & did not have the opportunity to speak with him. I want Erwin to know that I found a man who loves Jesus & I’ve no doubt that he will treat me well & our marriage will last until the Lord calls us home. Thankful for those people that God puts in our path to share lessons learned & impart their wisdom to us. I pray that Mr. Sharma & I will have a marriage as great as this man’s was & that each day, our love for one another would only flourish that much more & that when asked about our love for one another, we may say that we love each other more at that time than the day we married.

Wanted: Contentment

Jer 17:7-8 7 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, And whose hope is the LORD. 8 For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit.

For some time, I’ve found myself being in a real state of dissatisfaction – restlessness. Even more so after returning from Nepal. My heart longs to be elsewhere (in Nepal, with N.P., ministering to the Nepalese People) & yet, I remain here. As some of you may have seen on Facebook, I’ve started the filing to Petition for the Fiance Visa. Some of you may ask why that is if N.P. had planned to just apply last month for the Travel Visa to come here over the summer for marriage. Unfortunately, as I faced reality, I’ve learned that my debt is too great to be paid off by July or August of this year. More than likely, I will not be debt-free until a year from now. With this realization, N.P. & I had to take into consideration that should he be granted the visa to come for a wedding over the summer, he would be returning to Nepal without me. After much prayer & discussion between the two of us, believing firmly that it is not God’s intention for husband & wife to be part; we are waiting. I am not a patient person. I do not like to wait at all; especially when I must wait for that which my heart most longs for.

I have friends (husband/wife) who have been separated for over a year now as the husband took on new job in Texas. Meanwhile, the wife stays here in St. Louis as they pray continually or their house here to sell. Some weeks, she travels to TX to see her husband while at other times, he makes the journey up here. They are anxious for their home here to sell so that she can finally move to TX, join her husband in finding a permanent place to live, a church to join & simply be back together as a couple. Yet, they wait.

I’ve another friend who is desperately wishing to return to Asia for ministry. Yet, circumstances here prevent him from doing so. So, he waits.

As I was reading my Bible this morning, I came across the verse at the opening of this entry & they spoke to me greatly. I have determined that even though I may not “want” to be where I am, God has chosen to keep me here. The All Sovereign God that I have great faith in is fully capable of wiping away my financial debt & providing me with the ability to board the first plane out to Nepal if He so chooses. At this time, it would appear that He has a plan for my being here. My prayer has been for contentment, that I, like the Apostle Paul, would learn to be content no matter what my state & that I would obey 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “1Thess 5:16-18 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." This verse does not tell us that that we are to rejoice sometimes, pray at set times or give thanks when things are going the way we want to. No, even when I would much rather be in Nepal, I'm to rejoice. I am to pray continually & be grateful always. As I reflect back to the passage in Jeremiah, I'm encouraged by these words in a commentary I read & I pray this will be true of me.How can I not be excited for Our Lord's Name to be glorified?!

Oh what a gracious and loving God we serve! When we are experiencing difficult times and He is where we confidently place our trust, He becomes our trust, our security, and He places us in a refreshing place where we firmly stay, not afraid or worried in our struggle. Rather, we are nourished, all the while producing fruit for His kingdom. Fellow Christians are edified, while the unsaved are witnessed to, by the peace He imparts to us in the midst of our struggle. All the more, God's holy name is glorified.h.

Asking for Thought to Be Used On April Fool's Day

First let me state that no, I am not pregnant & no, I am not participating in an April Fool's Day joke to claim that I am. I remember expressing my displeasure with such a joke a few years ago & today, I find myself doing so again. I have seen countless individuals posting things all over Facebook about how they went to the store today to buy a test & learned that they will no longer be a family of 2 but of 3, their "only" child will now have a sibling, etc. All of these implying that they are "expecting". I have seen so many of these that I would probably not even be able to count how many. While I like a good prank & am all for good times & fun, I think it's wise to remember that some jokes, though not intended to hurt others, bring about great pain. How could such a joke be an issue?

Less than 2 years ago, a good friend of mine suffered an Ectopic Pregnancy in which she lost her baby. She & her husband have been trying to conceive for quite a while & she just learned within the last couple of weeks that she has cysts on her Fallopian Tubes. The doctor told her that she may never be able to have a child. She was told that IVF may be her only hope. She has shed many tears over the thought of not being able to conceive & give birth to a little baby & even more so knowing that she does not have thousands of dollars for IVF. She would give anything to get pregnant & give birth to a child. While she celebrates with other women who learn they are expecting, she smiles when she sees babies around; she also cries when no one is looking because she longs to be a mom.

She is just one example. For years after they married, my cousin & his wife were badgered by many in our family (including myself) about having kids. After many years, they were prepared to go to a meeting on adoption when they learned they were pregnant. It was only then that we discovered that all of those years, they had been trying to conceive but were unable to. Each time someone mentioned it to them, it was like stabbing them with a knife & twisting it. I learned then that I would never again do such as we never know what people are going through. Their greatest desire was to be parents & yet, for so long, it was not happening.

Now, I consider my own life. After my strokes & heart surgery, I learned that I have a gene mutation that causes my blood to be more prone to clotting (thus the reason for my strokes). At that time, I was informed that because of these mutation, conceiving may be very difficult for me & should I conceive, my pregnancy would be considered high-risk. For those with this gene mutation, conceiving is difficult & miscarrying is common. I never would have thought such would bother me but when I heard those words; it was rough. I am thankful to be marrying a man who will love me regardless & I'm even more thankful for a faith that goes beyond what doctors say.N.P. & I trust that if it is God's will for me to one day carry a child, He will make that happen. All things are in His Hands. Still, that all being said...it does not change the fact that there are many ladies whose hearts are aching for motherhood & yet, for whatever reasons, it has not happened. I think there is a time for joking & things to kid about. Not my intention to scold anyone who has taken part in trying to pull one over on someone with this particular joke today but just encourage you to really think about things first. For those that know me, my sarcasm is not surprising. However, there are times when I have really damaged relationships/people with my words. Over the years, I've tried to think more about what I am saying as I never wish to hurt someone - I pray I show love. I definitely want to be one showing love to those ladies out there whose hearts are aching to be mom's. I know that to joke about something they desperately desire is not the way to go. While you may never have thought about it, there may be someone on your friend's list who is like me, my cousin & his wife or my friend. Today, when they saw you joking about something they wish would happen in their life -( to take a pregnancy test & get a positive result, to go for an ultrasound & to hear a heartbeat, to experience morning sickness, to see their belly grow as their baby develops, to go shopping for baby clothes/furniture/diapers, & to give birth to a little bundle of joy) - tears may have streamed down their face. Just a thought.

Entering A Whole New World

After buying my plane ticket in October & preparing for my trip to Nepal, the climatic moment arrived; the moment everyone had been waiting for. My International Siblings pondered what would transpire at the airport. Would my first meeting with N.P. be one straight out of a movie in which, in slow motion, 2 people run towards one another, grab one another & begin to kiss passionately? Would we simply shake hands? One of my brothers mentioned his desire to implant a video camera into my luggage that could capture everything. Fortunately, by the time he got to the airport to bid me farewell, I was already through security & had no knowledge of his even being there. Thus, my journey began...

All flights went well until I arrived in New Delhi. Like everyone else, I stood in the extremely long line to go through security & just as I was prepared to put my belongings in the milk carton crate (yes, instead of the plastic bins you are all familiar with at our airports here in the U.S., India uses what appears to be milk carton crates) for screening, I handed the officer my passport & boarding pass & was told, "I need to see your boarding pass." I said, "This is my boarding pass." The officer said, "No, this is not a boarding pass." I said, "Sir, it says boarding pass right here at the top." Though the paper had my flight number, seat number & so forth, since I was changing airlines, I needed to see India Air for another boarding pass. The pass in my possession from American Airlines was not sufficient. I was told I needed to go to the India Air Service Counter. Panicked, I rushed to their counter & as they searched their computers, my eyes were glued to my watch; fearful that I would miss my flight due to having to go stand in that long line again to get through security. The representative at the ticket counter needed my first boarding pass in order to locate my pass for the flight from Delhi to Kathmandu. Alas, my boarding pass was printed & I was instructed to basically push my way through the crowds in order to bypass the long line that I had already been standing in. Not one to usually be bold enough to do so, time was of the essence & I knew that I HAD to get on that flight or who knew when I would make it to Nepal. So, push my way through I did. I had what seemed like 10 miles to travel to reach the necessary gate. I was well prepared to improve my appearance while awaiting my flight. I had make-up, a comb, hair-brush, body spray, etc. Unfortunately, I was so rushed & so little time remained that I was only able to change my clothes. Which, believe me, that was a positive. Still, I was disappointed that my first meeting with the man I was going to marry was going to be one in which I looked disastrous. Then again, if he could accept me looking like so & having quite a stench, he would surely love me forever. Minutes before boarding began for the flight to Nepal, I realized something. My baggage claim ticket was attached to my first boarding pass - the boarding pass I had given to the representative at the India Air counter 10 miles away. I had failed to get that back from the man. Again, I began to worry. Would I get my bag? Certainly, there was no time to make my way back to that counter to retrieve it. I just had to let it be & pray that all would work out OK.I was now on the plane seated by a young Nepali man & his father; surrounded by many, many men (there may have been 3 or 4 other women on the plane) & feeling somewhat uncomfortable. I felt even more uneasy & eager to get off the plane when beer was served complimentary on the plane & almost everyone around me popped open a can & started guzzling down the booze. I am not a fan of the smell of beer at all so having to smell that all around was not ideal. Thankfully, the flight was not long. Touched down in Nepal & the fun continued....

I walked down the steps to get off the plane & walked across to board a shuttle that took all passengers to the correct terminal. I was aware that I would need to pay for my visa upon my arrival. I was set to do so. I acquired the correct forms, filled them out, presented them & had my $25 ready when the gentleman said, "Your picture?" I said, "Pardon me?" He said, "Where is your picture?" I said, "Sir, I am sorry, I do not have a picture." He informed me I HAD to have a picture. I was thinking to myself, "I have no picture, I am thousands of miles away, I have no phone with me & don't know what to do!!" Why did N.P. not inform me I was going to have to have a passport size photograph to submit to obtain the visa into his country?! Fortunately, there was a small booth behind me that I went to & had a man take my photograph. The photographer told me it would be 1 Rupee. I told him I did not have any Nepali Currency. He pointed across the way to the money exchange counter. I presented them with a $10 bill & their response was, "$50 minimum". No problem. I then handed them a $50 bill. They gave me a bunch of funny money back & I had no idea about any of it (I might add that as I relayed this story to N.P. & shared how unfriendly & unhelpful the people were, he then looked at the money I had been given & said they shorted me about $15 U.S. Dollars). I then walked back over to have my picture taken. I pulled out one of the funny bills that said "10" & the guy gave me change along with 2 photos of myself. Back through the line, visa obtained, on my way to baggage claim. Many airports here in the U.S. allow outsiders to come within to pick up persons. Here in St. Louis, you can go in to pick people up & then go with them to get their bags at the baggage claim. As I got to the baggage claim area, I found my bag immediately & then began looking around for N.P. I was not seeing him though. I kept thinking, "I hope he didn't leave", "I hope he didn't think that I was not showing up". As I continued searching, I noticed that no one was within greeting those around me. Surely he must be awaiting me elsewhere. Now, the moment I was concerned about had come...no baggage claim ticket to match the tag on my bag. 3 times the officer informed me he had to have my baggage claim ticket & 3 times I explained I did not have it. I offered my passport, my flight itinerary, my other boarding passes, etc. etc. etc. Finally, the man said, "Let's see your passport." He matched the name on my tag to the name on my passport & allowed me to go through. I was thrilled when they did not even ask to search my bags or seek to scan it. They simply motioned for me to exit the area. I was on my way out headed to I had no idea where - I was just hoping to N.P.!

And then, behind a wall of glass, I spotted N.P. & his friend Gambhir. A huge smile came upon N.P. & he was waving his arms like crazy. As I kept moving their direction, they disappeared from the glass & I knew they were coming to greet me. Now, here's the moment you've all been waiting for....what happened? Exactly what I thought would happen. We quickly hugged & that was it. Not what you were hoping for? Sorry to disappoint you all. No, there was no kiss at the airport. No long embrace. Public displays of affection are not shown much between men & women in Nepal. I have been very familiar with that aspect of their culture so I was not expecting for that to be different for the two of us. Gambhir greeted me briefly & then parted ways with us as N.P. & I got into a taxi that would take us to the hotel. We had not even been in the car for 5 minutes when his mom called. He was so excited to tell her I was in the car & she simply longed to hear my voice. Unable to speak more than a few words in Nepali, I just said, "Namaste (hello) mom". I could hear the enthusiasm in her voice. As I rode in the car, I could not take my eyes off N.P. & he could not wipe the smile off of his face. Finally. Our moment had come. Thus the beginning of an unforgettable 2 weeks. More to come...

**My apologies, I have no pictures of the two of us together on that first day. He took a few pictures of me when we went for dinner that evening but we never took one of us together. I now wish I would have had Gambhir take one at the airport but that was far from my mind at that point.**

N.P. & Heather: Our Story

In an effort to introduce everyone to N.P., we have decided to come together to tell our story. I (Heather) will go first.

Heather's Side:

Many years ago, my Grandma Wood gave me a poem written by Ruth Bill Graham (wife of the Rev. Billy Graham). Upon receiving the poem, I placed it on my mirror in my bedroom. I have read that poem daily & prayed for such every single day since being given the poem. The poem is untitled but reads the following:

Dear God, I prayed, all unafraid

(as we're inclined to do),

I do not need a handsome man

but let him be like You;

I do not need one big and strong

nor yet so very tall,

nor need he be some genius,

or wealthy, Lord, at all;

but let his head be high, dear God,

and let his eye be clear,

his shoulders straight, whate'er his state,

whate'er his earthly sphere;

and let his face have character,

a ruggedness of soul,

and let his whole life show, dear God,

a singleness of goal;

then when he comes

(as he will come)

with quiet eyes aglow,

I'll understand that he's the man

I prayed for long ago.

As most of you know I have been in pursuit of a career as a missionary in Nepal. Some of you are aware that I was in the process of completing the doctrinal questionnaire with SIM out of North Carolina in hopes of joining their team. Though marriage has been one of the deepest desires of my heart for many, many years; that desire had been subdued by my desire to fully serve the Lord in Nepal. My only focus was to complete the necessary steps here so that I could soon be there. God definitely has placed an undeniable burden (& love for) on my heart for the people of Nepal. Without a doubt, I've known that He's called me to go there. However, my plans of going with an agency were simply that; my plans. Proverbs 16:9 tells us that "The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps." While I had planned it all out in mind, the Lord spoke & said, "I'm running the show my dear daughter." On July 8th, something happened; nothing out of the ordinary though. I received a friend request via Facebook from a man in Nepal. I say that was not unusual because I receive friend requests daily from Nepalese individuals. Like most, he was quick to thank me for adding him. I did notice something different though. By looking at his profile, it appeared to me as though he could potentially be a Christian. Thinking that may be a possibility, I was even more glad I added him. Not to mention, he was incredibly good looking & I was gaining a friend that was attractive & easy on the eyes. Within a day, we began to talk. Again, something set him apart from all others. He failed to ask me if about my marital or relationship status. I had become so accustomed to Nepali Guys asking me if I was married, if I was engaged or if I had a boyfriend that it took me by surprise when he did not do so. In fact, it was several days before we had that conversation. I immediately learned that he was a believer. Knowing that was so, I had a real longing to talk to him. I've met a number of Christians from India but only a few from Nepal. I desired to hear his testimony & what words of advice he could give me as I planned to come to his country to minister. From day one, we were drawn to one another & there was an eagerness between us to talk to one another. Days after our first conversation, my mema in Alabama was in a serious accident & hospitalized. We rushed down to join her. Even while we were there, this gentleman & I were constantly chatting on fb & we missed one another when we could not talk. We learned very fast that we had much in common as far as our faith, our goals in ministry, our desires for a family, etc. Early on, I shared with my mom that there was something about this guy...I didn't know what it was & I couldn't explain it but even though he was on the other side of the world, I felt almost as if God might be saying, "Heather, you have prayed for many years for a husband & not just any husband...a Godly husband. Not just a Godly husband either; specifically, someone in ministry - a pastor or missionary.I have also called you to Nepal to serve. I am now going to bless you with everything you have prayed for if you will simply have faith, trust me & submit." I told my mom that as fearful as I was, I felt that turning a blind eye to that possibility may be to look God in the face & virtually say, "No thanks, God". Having still only spoken through chat format (which, I might add I was highly impressed with his ability to type to me for hours & hours on end. I don't know any guys who do that), I finally decided to give in & speak to him via the webcam through Skype (he had asked if doing so was a possibility & I kept coming up with excuses as to why we could not). I will NEVER forget that time. We talked for 3 hours & it was awkward, nerve-wracking, exciting & so beautiful. If I wasn't nervous enough, he did not help matters by having his friend beside him that was looking at me as well. Clearly, he was just as nervous as I was though. At one point, I asked him to sing something in Nepali. He began to sing & though I was clueless as to what he was singing, I just knew that whatever words were pouring off of his lips had to be of praise & adoration to Our Savior. He sang with such passion & fervor that it gave me goosebumps watching him. In talking to him & "seeing" him, I sensed a real genuine spirit with  such a demeanor that just screams of his love for Jesus. The entire time I talked to him, I kept thinking "He is THE ONE". When our conversation ended, I just wept. I was so overwhelmed & blessed by our time together. I knew that I could not wait for the next time I'd be able to talk to him again. I was seeing in him, everything that I had been praying for over the course of many years. As we continued to talk, I realized that without having even met him, I loved him. I do love him. Unlike most relationships, we have not built anything   on physical interaction with one another. I cannot exactly hug someone that is thousands of miles away. He can't hold my hand when he's in Nepal & the ocean separates us. Instead, we have spent 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7 hours a day talking, laughing, joking, singing & most importantly, praying together. Granted our time of communication has not been a long period (as far as days or months are concerned), we've covered a lot of ground. These times have not come without struggles either. Each of us have had things from our past that have needed to be dealt with. I came to know that he was the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with before he did. That's OK. In a time when I was being encouraged to "walk away" from him or it may have been easy to have given up, there was this still, small voice within telling me to stay. I am so thankful that I did. While he is so very handsome & there is a mutual attraction between the two of us, that is not what draws me to him. As I look back to the prayer above, he is so much of what that poem describes. He has endured much & his faith has remained unwavering. I have nothing but admiration for this amazing man. There is no other that I would rather share my life with & partner in ministry with for the rest of my time on Earth than him. As Christ as the center of our relationship & the foundation in which we build our marriage upon, I know that if we allow Him to do so; the Lord will use us for a great & glorious purpose in Nepal & beyond. This all being said, you may wonder...who is this guy anyway? I'd love to tell you!!!

He is Narayan Prasad (N.P. - he prefers to be called N.P.) Sharma born on October 13, 1979 in Nepal. N.P. is the oldest of 7 siblings. I will not go into great detail about his testimony (I'll let him share that sometime) but at the age of 20, he accepted Christ as his Lord & personal Savior. He later went onto India to graduate with a Masters of Divinity & a Degree in Biblical Counseling. Today, he lives in Kathmandu, Nepal serving as a pastor as well as a Bible Professor at a Bible College. His heart's desire has been for a godly wife & to one day, begin his own church in which he will pastor & together, he & his wife would start a variety of ministries from. In addition to our spiritual commonality, God has shown me that He really does care about the little things in life too. Everyone knows I do not travel anywhere without my camera & I LOVE taking pictures & am not too bashful about taking pictures of myself either. I have met my perfect match with N.P. He too loves photographs & enjoys hamming it up before the lens. We both enjoy a variety of sports (1 of us likes to play them while the other prefers to stand by, watch & support the team). We love ice cream. We love to sing. We love acting goofy. We are both cold natured. These are just a few things & we are so excited to get to spend the rest of our lives learning more & more about one another as the days go by. Now, N.P. will share....

N.P.'s Side:

I am very glad to express the leading of God in my life here on the blog of my fiancee, Heather. We know for sure that the sovereign will of God comes to pass in the life of His children. Whether His children realize it or not, it is so true. It happend in my life. God's will is that no one should perish but have everlasting life.Though i was born into and brought up in a very Orthodox Hindu Bramain family, I had to surrender myself in to His hands. The great barriers to meet Christ was broken and I was made free to walk with Him.When I became God's child, I started to see His hands around me and also His leading so I responded to that. His leading in my life was training me in His words to train others to bring His kingdom here on this earth as it is in heaven. He was teaching me everyday to see His heart for sinners, His love for sinners and His concerns for sinners. I told Him, "Lord, I am gonna proclaim Your hearts desire to others and I am committed for that. I also know that to do so, myself alone is not sufficient. I need someone who will be giving her hands for that glorious work,and pay great value to the work of God as I do,who also is a noble girl as mentioned in Proverbs 3; a God fearing girl who loves the Lord unconditionally." I started to pray for a girl having such qualities.So long, God was silent in answering my prayer but I did not stop pleading to Him for that. In right time, He has brought Heather into my life. Heather is an answer of my many years of prayer. She is more than what I was praying for. I am sure that she is God loving, she gives great value to God and His work. I also believe that she will support me in doing the will of God and she also will strengthen me in the ministry. Over all, I can tell her that "Heather, you are a virtuous women designed by God for me." She also has great passion for Nepalis dying without Christ just as I do.

Heather was so convinced that we are for each other and started to tell me so but it took some time for me to know this was God's will for our lives. I continuously pray for His will, seek the guidance of my friends and also see the passions for Heather & me which are going hand in hand. So far, there is not any point on which we disagree. I believe firmly that God is gonna do great things using us as we, together, serve Him after our wedding. I am convinced that Heather is for me & I have no problem marrying her on the day that we will meet, because our marriage will be done on the basis of faith in God. When you put your faith in God for anything, He will bring it to pass. God will never let His children down. I am so happy about Heather. I love her so much and I believe she loves me too. Our love for one another is rooted on the cross and it will be ended when we both will be with the Lord in the air.

The Here, the Now & the Road Ahead:

Currently, Heather is in the U.S. continuing her work at the credit union & from time to time, still volunteering with & ministering to International Students at Lindenwood University. N.P. remains in Nepal preaching & teaching. Though we had planned a January 12, 2013 wedding to be held here in St. Louis, N.P. was denied the visa to come to America. That being said, plans have changed. Though disappointed at first, we both realize that this if for the best. Heather has booked a flight & will leave on January 10, 2012 to fly to Nepal for a brief visit while N.P. will still be free as he will be on Christmas Break from teaching. This will be her first time flying so very far by herself & though not overly eager for that, she is anxious to finally meet N.P. as well as see the land to which God has burdened her heart for. While there, Heather & N.P. will not only get to spend much time together, but N.P. will be introducing her to many of his friends & God-willing, some of his family members. They will spend a day visiting the families of some of the Nepalese Students Heather had befriended & cared for in St. Louis. They will do a bit of sight-seeing even though that is not the primary focus. Both Heather & N.P. wish to see one another in the ministry setting. Together, they will serve while Heather is visiting. Heather will also have the opportunity to speak to & share with some women & children within churches among Nepali Villages too. Heather will return to the U.S. on January 27th & begin working again on January 30th after resting a couple of days. N.P. will go back to teaching at the beginning of February. The school year ends & graduation will be held in June & N.P. will be free by the 3rd week of June. By that time, he will have reapplied for a visa & we should know if he will be coming or if he will not be granted one again. Should he get the visa, they will then marry here in St. Louis in the summer & when he leaves here, Heather will be leaving with him to make her permanent home with him in Nepal. If he is denied the visa, Heather will at some point (most likely during the summer), go ahead & move to Nepal & they will then marry there. They know not what God has in store for them but they know that He will guide them when they seek Him & He will grant them wisdom when they ask for it. They do so. They look forward to & are excited to  see how God will use their marriage to be a reflection of His love for the Church to a lost & dying world.

Please, continue to pray for us. The days apart from one another are difficult as we long to be joined as one. However, we know that in this waiting period, God is using it for His glory. May we both be used right where we are at this present time. As one would assume, there will be much cost involved with preparing to not only marry but to move to another country as well as begin ministry. One of Heather's friends felt led by the Lord to start a site in which individuals that feel led can gift Heather & N.P. Please, feel free to check this site out:

http://www.youcaring.com/fundraiser_details?fundraiser_id=11654&url=showerheatherwithblessings

We thank you for your prayers & your love!

God Speaks At the Grocery Store...

One wouldn't think a quick trip to the grocery store could be so profound. Yet, it was. Yesterday, I was off work for the day. I had volunteered to prepare dinner for my family but needed the ingredients to do so. After finding all but 1 item needed at 1 store, I hurried along to another store. Aside from thinking of cost & guessing that this particular store would be less expensive, I've no idea why I chose the store; I never go there. Still, I went in & thankfully, found what I needed right away. I then raced up to the checkout line only to discover that all of the open ones in which cashiers were working were busy. Granted there was only one customer in line & their transaction would have been complete with in a matter of moments, I did not want to wait that long. So, I said, "Forget this" & went to the self-checkout because it's all a matter of convenience & having to wait would require being inconvenienced. I proceeded with scanning my items, bagging them, got them paid for & was on my way out the merry door. As I was returning to my car, I began to think about this society...America. Everything is about "me" & "my time". We are an impatient people. Drive-thru Fast Food establishments have been set in place for many years but we now have drive-thru windows at gas stations that enable us to simply drive-thru, tell the attendant what kind of soda we would like & she then delivers it to us. We have drive-thru's at our financial institutions because we don't want to drag the kids out of the car to go inside the bank. As many are aware, there are even drive-thru wedding chapels. As I thought about these things, I thought about how hurried I am generally. Unlike most countries in the world, we have booked our lives so jammed packed that we leave little time for those things really matter; things of eternal, lasting value. I wondered, how many opportunities have I missed because I've been too busy to even notice that God had opened a door?  Matthew 5:42 says, "Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you." Praying that His desire to use me for the furtherance of His kingdom would far outweigh any agenda, schedule or plan that I have of my own. Am I willing to be inconvenienced for the sake of the Gospel? I pray it is so. Should it mean that I may not get to do what I want to do, or that I don't get to do what I think I need to do, may I do so without grumbling or complaining but an open heart & eagerness. Thankful that He uses tiny things to speak to me in big ways.

My Sister, the Radiant Bride

A couple of weeks ago marked 6 months from our accident in Nicaragua. Much has occurred in our lives in the last 6 months & I've now realized that while I wrote about our difficulty in Nicaragua, I have yet to write about our happiest moment. As Haley & Jesus just celebrated their 6 month anniversary on July 21st (though they are miles apart from one another), I want to make sure I share about one of the most important days in my sister's life as well as the life of our family.

In 2004, Haley traveled to Nicaragua with a team in order to build homes for hurricane victims. While there, she met a young man named Jesus; a native of the country as well as one in which they were building a home for. She knew there was something very special about him & felt close to him; hating having to leave him after only knowing him for a few short days. In the years following, Haley would return to Nicaragua numerous times for further missions projects & later, to spend time simply visiting with Jesus. You should know that Jesus does not speak English (though he is now taking English classes) & at the time, Haley did not speak Spanish very well. Their conversing took place through the use of translators. Even after Haley would return home, the two would correspond through letters & she would have one of her Hispanic Friends here translate. I know to many of you, you will find this to be the most beautiful love story. For me, I always thought it a bit strange. I envisioned the two of them sitting there. I pictured Jesus wanting to kiss her. Meanwhile, the interpreter sat between them. I wondered...would Jesus then say to the translator, "I'd like to kiss her."? Then, would the translator look at Haley & say, "He'd like to kiss you." Now, I must admit, I've never gotten an answer to any of this & I guess it probably doesn't much matter now but curious minds want to know. Haley, you want to spill the beans now? I questioned...how can 2 people that can't communicate clearly be in love with one another? How can you grow to love someone you rarely get to see/talk to? Seems God's plans are not necessarily our plans, nor is it the norm or what we think it ought to be oftentimes. After numerous return visits, Haley moved to Nicarauga & lived there for 9 months further getting to know Jesus' & becoming fairly fluent in Spanish. Long story short, they fell in love & decided to join their lives as one.

Jes seeing his bride for the first time!

How my sister managed to plan a wedding without being near the groom or being at the location is a wonder to me but she did it & she did quite well. Thankfully, her wedding coordinator in Nicaragua was incredible. After several days touring Nicaragua & my parents & uncle getting to know Jesus' for the first time, the big day had come. Haley, our Cousin Lisa & I spent time poolside relaxing in hammocks while reading. Later in the morning, our dad drove us to the wedding site where we spent the early afternoon being pampered & getting beautified. Haley had arranged for manicures/pedicures for the three of us & the lady also was kind enough to style my hair as well as Lisa's too. I knew it was going to be an interesting day when the wedding coordinator & made mention of the wedding beginning at 4PM & Haley told her 5PM. Thankfully, she seemed to be OK with that. We were going to have some real issues if the wedding was to begin at 4:00. Primarily because Jesus' would not have been present yet. My dad was scheduled to pick Jesus' family up at 4PM & then bring them as well as Jes (Haley's nickname for Jesus') & my mom & uncle up at 4PM. Haley did not seem too concerned or panicked by any of it though; just anxious to marry Jesus'. Lisa & I helped Haley to get her dress, jewelry & head piece on (well, Lisa helped. I mainly acted as photographer). My sister looked so beautiful! Once the three of us were done readying ourselves, we went outside to begin pictures. Haley kept checking the time wondering where Jes was. She did not fear his not arriving; she was just eager to see him & see his reaction to her in her wedding dress. He was left nearly speechless when he did arrive. As is typical Nicaraguan Culture, the ceremony did not start on time. Nicaraguan Law requires (from my understanding) that a lawyer officiate the ceremony in order for the marriage to be legal. Family & friends were not the only ones late to arrive; the lawyer was as well.  Finally, the lawyer had arrived & it was time for the ceremony to begin.

Jes awaiting his bride at beautiful Laguna De Apoyo 

A miracle that our dad was still alive & able to be there to walk his youngest daughter down the aisle to her groom!

Prior to my dad walking Haley "down the aisle", I gathered my dad, Haley & Lisa together & prayed over the ceremony. We started walking & I realized that I must hold the train of Haley's dress. Now, this "aisle" was not your typical aisle. For starters, we were outdoors, on rocks, going down steps, etc. If you know me, you may be aware that I'm not the most graceful or coordinated individual. As Haley was nearly running to get to Jes, I was trying to slow her down in hopes that it would prevent total chaos. I was envisioning (as was my dad) holding on to Haley's train as well as the box with the wedding rings, tripping & falling which would then cause Haley to fall, her bouquet flying out of her hands, their rings flying out of my hand & well...you get the picture. Would not have been good. Fortunately, I was able to maintain my composure & not have an accident. Once dad "gave" Haley to Jesus, it occurred to me that just as in American Weddings, I was to stand beside Haley as her Maid of Honor. That was new news to me as Haley had told the wedding coordinator that there would be no wedding party. I only knew that I was to be a witness. To me, I understood that to mean that I would simply sign the marriage license as a witness. I did not realize that as a witness, I was to somewhat act like a bridesmaid. I also was unaware of the fact that I would be an active participant in the ceremony. While an attorney had to officiate the ceremony, it was priority to both Jes & Haley that their Christian Faith & Christ as the foundation be incorporated into the ceremony. Therefore, Jes' Pastor was present & offered a prayer as well as scripture reading during the ceremony. As the ceremony continued & I stood there having no idea what was being said (everything was in Spanish. Haley's friend, Byron, was to translate but Byron arrived late. The coordinator pulled someone she knew but after about 5  minutes of not doing well with translating, he returned to helping out elsewhere & we were left with no translator), I heard "Jennifer Heather Wood" & the lawyer was looking at me. I was under the impression that she was awaiting an answer from me. However, I had not even a clue what she had asked me. Haley leaned over & said, "She wants to know if you know us". Though my Spanish is poor, I was able to respond with "Si". I figured I was done. Nope. Minutes later, I heard my name again. At least I knew I was again being asked something. Once more, Haley leaned over & said, "She just wants to know if you are going to support us & make sure that we stay together". I said, "Si" & my role was about done. Despite not knowing what Haley & Jesus were saying to one another, their love overflowing for one another was on display for all to see. They exchanged rings, used the symbolic Unity Sand to show the joining of their two lives into One &  the moment that most (I do not include myself in this) had been waiting for had come; time to kiss the bride.

Mr. & Mrs. Jesus' Ramon Perez

The reception was held at the same place as the ceremony: Villages at Apoyo in Laguna De Apoyo. The place was gorgeous & the place did a wonderful job of decorating & making things look great. When planning out the meal, Haley allowed Jes to choose the meat: Beef or Chicken. Beef was Jes' choice. After some appetizers, we were all seated to begin a delicious meal with typical Nicaraguan Cuisine for dinner. Not one to desire public speaking, I had a feeling that I might be asked to give a speech before the wedding toast so I had prepared some words. As I spoke, I encouraged Haley & Jes in their walk with the Lord together & told them to look to Proverbs 3:5-6 in their marriage. When I finished, Jes' brother gave a heartfelt toast as well. After the cake cutting, it was time to dance the night away. Well, we didn't dance the night away but we did dance for a while. I NEVER dance. I don't really enjoy dancing; maybe because I'm horrible at it. But...if there was one thing I knew, it was that it was my sister's special day & I was going to do anything for her. I wanted to party & celebrate with her. I danced more that night than I've danced in my life. Surprisingly, I had a blast too. If there area was not so dark, all would be able to see on the videos how horrific my dancing was but in that moment, it did not matter. How nice it felt to just cut loose!

So, after 8 years or getting to know one another & patiently waiting on God's good & perfect timing, my little sister (only sister) became Haley Perez. I am so very thankful to God for blessing her with an amazing, Godly man in Jesus. He loves her so very much. Grateful that my parents & I (as well as my cousin & uncle) were able to be there to support the two of them & to welcome Jes into our family. While two lives were joined as one that day, in the days that followed, two families became one. At this time, Haley & Jes are far apart from each other as they work hard to get Jes here on a marriage visa. Though it is hard to be away from one another, their love is strong & their faith in Christ is that much stronger. Daily I pray for them. Thank You God for the best sister a person could ask for & for this brother you've given me in Jes!