First of all before I begin, I can’t believe it has been so long since I wrote my last blog! With a new year and a new country I really want to begin being more consistent with my blogs. Just a prewarning this may be a heart spill of my thoughts, prayers, stories and adventures, I hope your ok with that. : )
Sitting squished in the car, driving to the New York airport with suitcases falling on my head as I write this. 3 girls + 3 guitars + 7 suitcases + 3 purses + box of my favourite cereal = We’re REALLY DOING THIS. It’s really crazy that this big moving day has come and with that being said, I am flooded with all sorts of emotions. (For those of you who don’t know and possibly are stumbling across this blog, I am moving overseas. Today consisted of packing, re packing, and then packing one more time with a grand finale of jumping on my suitcase to get it to close. SUCCESS!
With the last sweep of the floor, lights off, and door closed on my once nicely decorated and filled room, amidst the sadness of the season ending, prayers of thankfulness left my lips all day today. As I handed in my keys to my house and began to reflect on the purpose of the last season, I couldn’t help think of a moment with the Lord that I had awhile back, about 4.5 years ago after a completely life changing season of being in Africa. I was back in my hometown in Canada (before I had ever heard about Harrisburg), and was being totally wrecked with the Lord’s heart for the poor, the broken and the people who no one else wanted to reach. I was really wrestling with God about what was the next step for my life, and because I really believe there is always an invitation to respond, I began to seek Papa as to how I was to respond with my life to what I had just seen in the nations. The moving on my heart was so strong, I just wanted to leave everything that minute, leave the West for good and move to Africa. In that wrestle, I felt the Lord speak to me so tenderly, but with such firm importance and clarity. I felt Him say “Kelsie, my dear, I want to put you in a family. I want to put you in a family that you can be sent and received from, that you would be set up for long term success.” I really believe I had a choice, I could have moved and I think He would have blessed me, but I knew in my heart when He spoke that, that He had something way better for me and that His timing was perfect. Even though everything in me was screaming to just DO IT, I felt Him grab my hand and tenderly speak “wait, just wait a little longer and follow me some place a little different than you thought.” Having absolutely no clue what was next, where I would move or if I would ever move, He began to speak to me. He began to share about family and the importance of longevity and that His desire for me was not just for me to move by myself and be “ok” and maybe do some great things for the next 6 months or 12 months, but that His desire for me was that I would have long term success. He lifted my eyes beyond the immediate circumstance I was in, to being to see glimpses of the next 5-10 to 20 years and that for me to do all He was called me to do. . . I couldn’t do it alone AND honestly it wasn’t even about me in the end. I needed family and I was called to bring others with me, so instead of Africa like I thought, He sent me to Harrisburg. Huts to a mansion in the inner of city. Rainy jungle to snowy bridges and city blocks. Internally displaced people to the homeless of Harrisburg. Fast forward to today, closing the door on one season and walking into something completely new, I see the faithfulness of God and I think I possibly might understand a little bit more of what He was telling me that day. As I reflect on this past season, I begin to think about all the people I have gotten to run with, those who stayed and those who passed though, the rich relationships gained, my church family, the list goes on. So many things come to mind when I think about Harrisburg and before, but one of the biggest lessons I feel the Lord teaching me was my need for family and the importance of building history with Him. You know whats funny is the move overseas really isn’t that much different to my move to Harrisburg. The move to the States was a very big step of faith for me as I really didn’t know anyone, or know what I was going to do, but just knew that Jesus was inviting me to follow Him there as His friend. The past 3.5 years have been filled with scary trust falls and also beautiful dances with the Lord as I have grown to trust Him deeper through the struggles, hard times and through the amazing times. I am beginning more and more to get a glimpse at the Lord’s plan to send me in this season not alone as a rogue missionary, but I get the privilege to go out prayed for, believed in, and SENT. I have so many relationships and people I consider family now from places all over the world, and we get to run together, encourage each other and cheer each other on! And I am not going alone, but instead have an incredible team both with me and Stateside that we get to do this together!! It’s definitely not when I thought I would be moving overseas, nor is it the place I thought. . . but in all of this I am so confident that I am right where I am supposed to be and wouldn’t have it any other way! Such thankfulness for my friend and family in Canada, the States, UK and abroad that have stood with me through the years, various transitions and missions the Lord has brought me into over the past seasons. Couldn’t do it alone.
A lot of people ask me about why in the world I would be moving to the area I am moving too, or ask what would lead me to the decision to want to live in a war torn place. Even though that can be a really hard question to answer, I think in the end it possibly has a very simple answer. I might say in response that simply, I have a friend who cares so deeply about the people that live in this country and that if I can in anyway bring those people closer to my friend, than it’s worth my time and my life to do so. Location can change. People change. Country situation can change. But what will stay the same and what I hope will be the anchoring factor in my life is that I am in love with a God who cares about every heart, including mine, and that He will take care of me in every situation. Believing that the best place for me to be is in His will. I want to be someone who sits really close. Maybe even annoyingly close, 🙂 like right up tight where if He wants to share His heart, I will be right there wanting and desiring to listen, ready to respond because it always requires a response. It is such a scary thing doing something you have never done before, and really walk blindly into something you don’t know the outcome of and yet I know the more I trust, the more I find freedom to follow Him.
Well this is a short first blog, mainly because we are quickly approaching the airport! That might be a ramble of thoughts as I process my move. . . but there it is. 🙂 YAYYYYYY. But in closing this blog, if it even needs a closing because its been so long since I have written one of these things. . . I would say that I am so excited to see what He will do with our little lives and be apart of what He is doing in the Middle East! He is moving, working, breathing, singing, dancing over this land. FOR REAL though.
Thank you for your prayers and support. I couldn’t do this alone or without many of you in my life. I really mean that and thankfulness fills my heart as I think about all the texts, emails, calls etc as I have been getting ready to journey over the ocean.
More to come. . . ..
Sincerely,
Kelsie
P.s if you do not yet receive my update emails and would like to, please email me at kelsiep@theburn247.com and I will add you!
The Great Exchange 