Shattered

The week of Thanksgiving, our world was shattered with the news that we would no longer be serving at the International Christian School of Vienna.  In one moment, without warning, we lost our whole lives.  Our home, our job, our kid's school, our ministry, our income, everything gone.

Our pain was almost unbearable and then we had to tell our kids.  Bearing our kid's pain was excruciating.  Even several weeks later, the emotions and shock of it all are difficult to process and oppressive to carry.

We don't really have a plan for what's next and we don't really know how we are going to get back to America by some time in February.  This was not our plan and in the deepest, darkest hours, it is easy to nurse anger and bitterness and hold them close to our hearts.

In the first stack of papers I cleaned preparing for another huge, overseas move, I found this letter given to Joe at graduation this past year by one of our graduating students.

"Dear Mr. Overby,
This letter is just to express my appreciation for the patience, hope and support you have given me in my time in the school. You have truly helped me stand where I am today.  I will never forget all you have done for me.  You have changed ICSV for the better, you create an environment and mood in the school.  So thank you for everything.  I wish you and your family all the best in the future and I would really like you to know I would never be here today if it weren't for your support.  So thank you! And thank you again so much! - J"

The last 4.5 years of our lives weren't wasted if we helped this one student.

And God has a plan.  God's plan is always better than ours, no matter how much the plan hurts.