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| Maxwell Family Christmas photo 2014 |
What is the hardest thing that you have ever had to do?
For the longest time I thought closing my company ONYX
Marketing Group in 2004 was the hardest thing I ever had to do, leaving behind
influence, ego, wealth and income.
The next hardest thing was when we believed that God wanted
us to move to Georgia in 2006 leaving behind my mom, Ian’s family, friends,
school and neighbors.
Then there was the move to Africa in 2012 (well, that was an
easy one for me because my heart’s desire was to move here), but leaving
Georgia meant leaving behind our first-born son (Spencer was 18-years old at
the time), not to mention comforts and safety that we have always taken for
granted.
Next on the REALLY hard list was taking Chloe to High School in
Taiwan (!), with her leaving us behind in Africa, while Spencer was attending
University in Georgia. She really
wanted to attend the school and it seemed that ALL indications were that she
should go there. That was H-A-R-D, but we knew in our hearts that it was
the right decision, and it was.
I want to encourage you, the reader to know that throughout
these heart-wrenching, faith-testing, control-breaking decisions, we have always
felt the hand of God securely on our lives.
My point is this.
The Lord has asked our family to do some REALLY hard things in the past
10- years and He might be asking you and your family to make some hard
decisions in 2015. I am writing
this last blog of the year to bear witness and say that I am SO THANKFUL that
we didn’t say “no” to God because we loved our lifestyle in Canada or the
comfort and safety of Georgia more than we loved Him.
I am writing to say that there is life after obedience. And it’s life that is “exceedingly and abundantly
greater than we could ask for or imagine”.
In the back of my bible I have written, “Obedience precedes
understanding”. That is a statement
that has had a huge impact on my life and I hope it will on yours too.
I was just at the toddler home celebrating Gabriel and
Rose’s 4th birthday.
While I cheer and sing with them, my throat always almost closes shut
with the thought of where they might be if we had stayed within the comfort and
security of Canada or the US. I
have no doubt that God could have brought someone else to rescue these 84
babies, but the Maxwell family would have lost out on the gift that has been
given to us because of our obedience.
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| Happy 4th birthday Rose and Gabriel. I am so thankful that you are in our lives. |
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| A purse for Rose and a hat for Gabriel. |
Don’t miss out on His amazing gifts this year because you
are afraid. “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and
courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9
Live from Swaziland … Happy New Year everyone.
Janine
