Have you ever been playing at a play ground and gone on the giant stepping stones? The plastic ones that usually connect two towers of playgrounds? Or the stones in a creek? When you’re a little kid it feels like those stepping stones are in the middle of the ocean and jumping from one to the next is the most terrifying thing in the world. Giving the tiny little you the biggest adrenaline rush that a kid can get. That is about where I feel like I am at. I cannot go back to where I came from and the next step is big and far away. My family and I moved to Arizona. First big move where my entire home base changed in my 24 years of life. And this season feels much like one of those stepping stones.

I won’t be here for more than a few months and that doesn’t really give me room to settle down, make connections, build a foundation. You can’t build a life on a stepping stone. Now I have been talking to the Lord about it a lot as my humanness seems to be screaming at me that we made a mistake. “We have to go back! This isn’t what we know!” or “We’re doing something absolutely crazy! There isn’t comfort there!” or “What are we actually going to do when we get to Korea? How are we even qualified for this?”… and of course there are plenty more brain thoughts that like to make me very uncomfortable in the road that the Lord has obviously asked me to walk in. I think that is very normal for all of us when we are about to make a big change that is quite out of our comfort zone. And to be honest, I know that is where the Lord works best.

I have had a heart for Korea for the last four, almost five, years of my life. I cannot tell you exactly how it started and I don’t have a great explanation of how it all lined up in the first place. That’s I feel like when you know the Lord planted those seeds and not you. But even with my little garden bed full of Korea seeds in my heart, I still have this desire to cling to this little stepping stone season because jumping into the next one is terrifying. I have been thinking of Abraham a little bit lately… Do you think that he questioned whether going on a destination-less journey without an end date was worth it? I feel like I am the wrong person to encourage you to jump from your stepping stone as I myself am looking over the edge and wrestling with not being super excited about the jump. But may I just remind you of God’s goodness and his faithfulness in all of those terrifying jumps and leaps faith. Abraham is pretty cool when you think about him just trusting God that way to get out of his comfort zone and leave everything he has known. Now I’m feeling a bit inspired as I write this.

So back to my garden bed. My mom gave me a great analogy (gotta say that it was probably Spirit led) about seeds and garden beds. Over the last few weeks, I have had quite a bit of “Oh no” and “What am I doing with my life” moments as I am finishing preparations for Korea. And I am going to be honest, I have both cried and felt terrified of this next season. But this what she told me – “Emilee, the Lord gave you a desire for Korea, He planted seeds and he has been watering them for the last four years. And now their starting to sprout. You shouldn’t stay in Arizona because you know there are no seeds in that bed. You don’t go and water empty dirt. You go and take care of what the Lord has called you to take care of and water what He asks you to water. And so with confidence you can move forward and go to Korea. And you simply walk in His steps until He tells you to go and water something else.” That is what I needed to hear that day. And the relief that I felt when I realized that I shouldn’t be watering a stepping stone was amazing.

Now I still have some nerves and anxiety because I am human and all the puzzle pieces have yet to fall into place. However, there is a renewed confidence that I have to move forward with whatever the Lord has. And so my friends, may I encourage you to water the gardens that the Lord gives you. Even if you are scared of the unknown and the future. Because I believe that if you go and do as the Lord asks – What an adventure that will be. And what beautiful things will grow out of that obedience.

In the simple Korea news, I am finishing my applications and I am starting to prepare my visa. I have found a place near the school that I will be studying Korean at for about a year and will hopefully have that all secured in the next few weeks as well. I am waiting hear back from the ministries that I have contacted about serving and excited to see how I can be of help. If you would pray for and with me as these applications all continue to move forward and as my financial situation is worked out that would be the biggest blessing. I thank you all for the support and I am so grateful for each one of you!

Blessings to all of you!

Emilee