The End Is Just The Beginning

10 months. 10 months of hard work. 10 months of hard work, tears, change, transition, homesickness, challenges, loneliness, frustrations, visa problems, delays and homework.....oh the homework! 10 months of language school, probably one of the hardest things I've done in my life, has come to an end! When we started in January I remember thinking that we would never finish and yet here we are,10 months later and looking back on all that we have encountered, all that we have experienced, all that we have learned. And yet I find myself looking ahead at all that is still left to learn. The end of language school has arrived but I feel as though it's only the beginning because I have so far to go. In school, things made sense on paper and I got great marks on my exams but when it comes to speaking in Spanish.....yikes! It leaves much to be desired and much to be frustrated about. As excited as I am to get to La Paz and to get settled, I am also worried because my ability to speak Spanish is so poor. How in the world am I going to be able to build relationships and bridges with others? How long is it going to take until I can communicate and speak in Spanish well enough to be able to participate in the things I love to do? People encourage me by telling me that it will come but I think I have fallen prey to modern day thinking that says, 'I should be able to do it now!' 'Instant results without the effort!' I remind myself that I need to take my own advice given to my children. “Anything worth having is worth working hard for.” Ahhhhh, but the pain and sacrifice is difficult. 10 months down and many years to go. When I look at it this way, I find myself giving in to defeat and wanting to just escape from what lies ahead. Some days it would be easier to pack up and move back to Canada. I knew there would be days like this. So I return to my stake in the ground, the verses that God used to confirm His call to Mexico.

“I have called you back from the ends of the earth, saying, ‘You are my servant.’
For I have chosen you
and will not throw you away. Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”

Isaiah 41:9-10

Only for me right now they might read more like...

“...Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you to learn and speak Spanish...”

10 months...and the end is just the beginning.

In addition...

I didn't post this blog right away and now I know why. It's always amazing how God works! I had decided to leave this sit for a while and percolate because sometimes it's better not to share certain things and I was wondering if this was one of those things...But then I went and checked email and there, out of the blue was an email from a friend. How wonderful it is when the Holy Spirit prompts a person to encourage another and they follow through on that prompting and then you turn out to be the person to receive the encouragement! After reading her timely and encouraging words, I knew that I had to share this as a way of giving glory to God for the ways that He chooses to work! Interestingly enough, He used some of my own words to remind me of where to keep my focus!

This friend had just been listening to a repeat program of Joyful Praise (the radio show that I used to host and produce when in Canada and which I hope to pick back up again once we are settled in La Paz) and she had been encouraged through the program which was an interview with Brenton Brown. She pointed out some of the things that he had shared that were uplifting. Then she went on to remind me of some of the things I had said when closing out that hour and I was encouraged, challenged and convicted all at the same time....

“The Lord is God – He’s beyond us, He’s above us, His ways are not our ways...”


“He loves us, He’s a God of compassion...”


“God calls us to follow – even to places where we feel vastly under qualified, we have to trust he will be with us all along the way...”


“Remember the Lord is the everlasting God, the creator of the heaven and earth, he does not grow weary, he gives power to the worn out...Wait on the Lord, find new strength, rise up with wings as Eagles...”


“Take courage – the everlasting God is carrying you! He will give you the power and strength to carry out what he has called you to do!”

...there's nothing quite as convicting as hearing your own words, meant to challenge others, come back to you. But as I reflected on them, not only was I convicted that I need to take my own advice, I was also encouraged to remember that indeed God is the Everlasting God and He will give me the strength I need to become a proficient Spanish speaker!

Yes, the end is just the beginning........but I know who holds all my beginnings and ends in His hands! And there's no one better to hold them, then Him!

Moving Forward!

We wanted to leave early to pick up our Temporary Resident Visas! But first we wanted to fulfil our commitment to practice Spanish. So right after we had a short session with our good friend, Carlos, we excitedly left. He was understanding as we cut our session short to head downtown, around 10 o'clock. Just as we were to head out on the main street, Karlene asked if I had the papers with the numbers we needed. I had everything but those papers. So we quickly went back home, picked them up, and headed out again. We met some friends and fellow missionaries who were doing the same thing. They had been there for an hour already. The office was fairly busy, but not as bad as before we arrived, we were told. We were a bit nervous and hopeful that the visas really were ready. After all, it was in half the time that we had been told they would be ready, and we had expected it to take longer!
Soon after our friend was called, I was called, and we got 3 of the cards. I notified the lady we were missing Karlene's and in a few minutes we had it too. Then I had a strange experience. A fellow asked me if I spoke Spanish, and I told him with a laugh, a little. He asked if I would translate for him! I did, and managed to get across to the lady that he had been waiting since 9:30 when his wife and child got their cards, but it was 11:40 and he didn't have his. I was happy to be able to help out - in Spanish!! I was also glad I had asked immediately about Karlene's missing card rather than sitting and waiting.

Now we are going to be looking for a moving company more fiercely. Hope to get that sorted out by early next week. Then we should be in La Paz before the end of November, and we are so looking forward to settling in there, getting to know the church plant El Faro, La Paz and the Baja California Sur! But we will miss Guadalajara and the people we have come to know and love as well. :(