After receiving my unofficial offer to be the new English teach on board the Africa Mercy, I had to undergo a medical evaluation by my doctor. Thankfully I was able to get an appointment within a week and went along for all the tests. After my appointment I needed to get a blood test. This was the largest amount of blood I have ever had to have drawn. 7 vials of blood later and the tests were all sent off.
A few days later I had the results I needed and submitted my medical report. I woke up the next morning to find out that due to something in my medical history I needed to submit a number of other blood test results. It took me a couple of days to get these results from my doctor but I finally received the results and submitted the medical.
I woke up this morning to the news that my medical results have been approved. I’m so thankful that all of it has come through. I’m still not 100% through the acceptance process yet, but hopefully I will hear in the next few days.
These last few weeks organising my medical approval have been a bit stressful and have been a good remind to trust God. I knew going into the process that there was something in my medical history that could disqualify me. And so at every step of this process I started to get very anxious and stressed.
Night after night as I went to sleep (and the admissions team in the US woke up) I worried and didn’t sleep very well expecting to wake up to an email telling me I was denied. Each night I would spend a lot of time listening to worship music and praying that God would help it all get approved. And each night I was reminded that God is in control. If this is his plan for me, then there is nothing that can get in God’s way.
I’m slightly embarrassed to say that it took a lot of nights of restless sleep and worry to even start to learn the lesson God was trying to teach me. I’m sure this is something that is going to be a reoccuring theme throughout this journey, but also the rest of my life.
I think that the truth that God is in control and has a plan is something that we all struggle with. As I think about this lesson, I’m reminded of the phrase “How much more…”. This is one of my favourite thoughts or concepts from the Bible.
Two of the times that Jesus uses this phrase can be found in the book of Luke. Firstly in chapter 11 Jesus is teaching his disciples about prayer. He says (v11) “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”.
In chapter 12, Jesus is talking to his disciples and instructing them to not worry. He says (v24) “Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!” and (v28) “If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith!”
These passages remind me that God’s love for me is so great. How much more does he love me, and how much more will he do for me. So much more than I can ask or even imagine (Ephesians 3:20).
Hopefully it doesn’t take you as many restless nights as I needed to learn to trust God and trust that his love for you is so great and he can do so much more for us, and that his plans are good.
Girl On Board 