we're getting there

Seems outrageous to already be talking about what's next for us considering we've only been in Virginia for 4 1/2 months. Somedays it feels like we just left North Carolina to embark on this journey, and somedays I feel like we've been in it for years.

We found out a week ago that after Brian's May TBS (the Basic School) graduation, our time here in Virginia will be over and we will be headed to Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, NC. You may ask, are you excited about this? And I would answer you by saying: We are getting there. It's not at all what we expected, but the Lord is doing a major work in both of our hearts, and we are getting there. So here we go... (Sidenote: forgive the excessive military acronyms. I swore I would never give in and start using them.. but alas, I now speak in letters instead of words...)

Brian has been doing very well all throughout TBS, ranking high in his platoon and company, and we thought we were sitting pretty when it came time for MOS (his job/specialty) selections. We didn't say it out loud, but we pretty much had the next phase of life planned out; thought we knew exactly where we would be, what Brian's job was going to be, etc. But you know, like the good Christians we are, all along we were praying Proverbs 16:19 "Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand." So we were praying it, but remember, we already "knew" where we were headed.



And then, BOOM, humbled. We find out Brian has been assigned the job of Ground Supply Officer. Not even on the radar of jobs he was thinking about. Not at ALL what we thought he would get. And in that moment, God clearly spoke to both of our hearts, "Do you still trust Me? Do you still believe My way is the good way? Even when it isn't what you wanted?" And to be honest, my first reaction was to say WHAT? This isn't FAIR. Brian worked HARD. We DESERVE what we want. And my husbands response without batting an eye, "This is God's will for our lives. It's going to be a good thing." (And that right there is why I married him.)

You see the more we think about the situation, the less and less we understand it. Why would someone ranked so well in the company receive a job ranked so low on their list? In the way of the world, it doesn't make sense. But then again, we are not living for this world. So in all the confusion and the lack of understanding in our small human minds, we realized something: this could only be the Lord. Romans 11:33 says "Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!" I, for one, am thankful to serve a God who's wisdom and knowledge is beyond my comprehension.

So our time in the Marine Corps is going to look a lot different than we expected, but how sweet to know that we are walking down the path that God has paved for us and not one that we laid for ourselves. And we are believing Him for big things down the road ahead. And one thing I know for certain is that I will follow this man anywhere...