Dreams Do Come True...
Not many people get to say that in their early 30’s they lived there ultimate dream…I do!
In 2007 I was in a business coaching program and we were to set quarterly goals. We had to make a list of dreams and each quarter take one small action towards one of those dream. For me my list included: write a book, get on oprah, learn a language, live in Africa for 6 months…
Well folks the time has come, the dream is done and I am heading back to Vancouver…
My Zimbabwe Visa Appeal has been denied and I finally see that my time in Zim has come and past and I am actually meant to go ‘home’- a very lucid concept for me right now- and see what the next chapter holds.
Many things are confirmed that this is the right course of action ie I even only had sponsorship up until the end of the year and I actually have a great sense of relief… followed by massive panic… about going homeJ
You see when I left I sold almost everything including my business…what shall I do you say…well I think deep inside you all know Starbucks has actually still been in my heart and frankly I think it would be super cool to give it another try…while sorting the next step out…who knows I could do my masters, join a missions organization and go to Asia??? It is all up to God really…
All I can say is that life is going to have to be MUCH simpler than when I was in Vancouver last…the money and the fast paced life I think has been transformed for me now and my priorities have shifted.
What will I do…
So to start I will come back, stay with my mom in Downtown- yep the fast paced hub of it all- and then just see. … I will currently plan to return in January after a bit of a vacation through some of my favorite parts of southern Africa…a kinda farewell tour I guess you could say…
The other day I was thinking what will I do? I have lived my dream I don’t have much to pull me forward anymore…then I got thinking. I want to learn a language, I want to fix my knee and start running again, I want to learn to play tennis, I want to visit China, Thailand, and India, I want to teach- maybe not prenatal classes maybe how to and how not to be a missionary, I want to live, I mean just really do it…and I get to do it now with more wrinkles, more stretch marks, more wisdom, and more grace…awe yes sweet, amazing, Grace will have to follow me home as well. You see I was barely a Christian for a year while I was in Vancouver last so now it will be a whole new life to walk back into the same old Vancouver and survive to bring the ONE thing that only Christianity, not Buddha, Allah, Nature, or even Yoga can bring…G R A C E… we are enough, he loves us just the way we are- with all our wrinkles and stretch marks, and he even died for us…yep folks get ready here I come!
There was this song I used to sing in Sunday school as a kid it goes like this:
“I got the love of Jesus, love of Jesus down in my heart!
Where?
Down in my heart!
Where?
Down in my heart!
I got the love of Jesus, love of Jesus down in my heart…
Down in my heart to stay.
And I’m so happy, so very happy I got the love of Jesus down in my heart!!!"
Hey is He in your heart?
Here We come!
Signed: Elated and did not realize I really was ready to come home!
hey - now - when u get back - time to write ur book - on how not to do it maybe or some of the things you learned - about ur self and others?? Grace is good too!
Love Ya
Keith
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Hey Justine. Happy and sad for you at the same time, but mainly happy for as you said you're lucid and you've lived this dream.
And certainly teaching people how to and how not to be a missionary is a needed task. Maybe some day we'll collaborate as I'm a writer/journalist besides being a missionary, and this morning woke up thinking, 'I'm really ready to write. It's time.'
Anyway, a Masters program I may do (and though I'm in my late 40's, many who do it are in their 20's or 30's) is called Matul (Masters of Arts in Transformational Urban Leadership). The name doesn't excite me nearly as much as the details. In fact, if you go to the website, the 'tagline' for it is: "Do Justice, Love Mercy, Preach Grace."
And Viv Grigg who has been a mentor for me for more than 25 years is the New Zealander who founded it and was able to convince Azusa Pacific University to 'sponsor' the program. The 1st 4 months are downtown L.A., and then the rest is in one of 5 international locations, although they will work with you if you have an interest/opportunity in another location.
Here's the link if you're interested for some time in the future:
http://www.matul.org/
Have and will continue to pray for you. Though we've never met, you are indeed a true sista in Christ and I'm rooting for ya.
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Hi Justine What an amazing 3 yrs you have had!!Get ready for God has another amazing year for you. You are such a sweet and loving woman with so much grace and I will never forget you or your beautiful smile. You have a real servants heart and you reflect Jesus!!Thankyou for your loving words of encouragement. If you are ever in Florida be sure to email me and come and visit me or even if you want to visit you are welcome. Love Suzette from Mozambique Pemba Iris mission school
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