GOD’S OTHER PLAN

When the State Department offered my husband a two-year assignment in Bosnia, I felt overwhelmed with questions. I wondered if I should stay in Virginia for the sake of our 18- and 19-year-old children. I also had recently started the Stephen Minister training and had made a commitment I hated to break. There was so much to consider.

Pastor Noland encouraged me to continue with the Stephen Minister training, telling me it was a skill I’d be able to use anywhere. As the weeks passed, I found myself more uncertain about whether to go or stay. It did cross my mind as I trained to help others, that perhaps it was me who needed help with this decision that seemed to grow bigger each day. I wondered where our children would stay, who would rent the house. One day I decided to go, and the next I decided to stay. One day I woke up feeling I just would not be able to support my husband and accompany him on this hardship posting. My decision was to stay in Virginia.

How like God to gently move in our lives and silently say, “I don’t think this will be the best thing for your growth.” Unbeknownst to me, God had other plans. Everything fell into place so rapidly that I’m still in awe. Our 18-year-old son became uncharacteristically vocal and insisted that I not let his father live by himself in Bosnia. Our daughter who did not want to leave home suddenly decided she wanted her own apartment. To complete the picture, a dear friend who was in Stephen Ministry training with me became aware of a family who wanted to rent a house in the area.

The family had been living in England with a son and daughter about the same age as our son and daughter and had been experiencing the same set of emotional questions. It was strangely comforting to meet another family with an identical situation. Both families have no doubt that, after much prayer, God arranged this transatlantic rental. The family moved in at the end of August, and our posting began the first week of September. The timing was perfect; God’s timing always is.

Describing God’s awesome attention to detail in our lives is still something to marvel at. Experiencing the day-today reality of feeling sad and lonely and so vulnerable in a country recovering from war continues to challenge me. My faith allows me to know that if I remain patient and Christ-centered, He will lead me through this ever closer to Him.

— Bonny Pasowicz

Courtesy of The Church of the Good Shepherd United Methodist