Wait

In February, I wrote a post, telling you all about a change happening, in which God was calling me on a new adventure. I had meetings. I made plans. I received training. I called pastors. I set up services. I did everything God told me to. Then I received a new command.

Wait.

What? Why would I wait? There’s no way God would call me to do something and then require me to simply wait. So I continued. I made more calls. I wrote more emails. I met with more pastors. I set up more services. But soon a conversation between my Maker and me happened, and I couldn’t ignore that word any longer…

(God) Wait Elisabeth. Wait.

(Me) Uh oh. He used my name this time. He means business.

(God) It’s time to take a break. You’re needed here.

(Me) How can I take a break? I can’t take a break from missions. You called me to work in Senegal. You called me to help my team. You called me to go and not stay.

(God) And now I’m calling you to wait. Missions will still be there. Senegal will still be there. You’re needed here for this season of life.

And with that, I knew. I knew what I had to do. I had to wait. And wait, I will.

While waiting here in the States, I’ll be honoring #5 of the Ten Commandments. I’ll be serving the two people who’ve taken care of me the past 29 years. My dad is recovering from his latest surgery and hospital stay. He’s still preaching. But as a result of extended health issues, he’s unable to work a job outside of that. And since his church is still in the small, beginner stage, he’s not bringing home a salary from that. And as we all know, as a grown-up, you have bills and the people sending out those bills want their money faithfully each month. Therefore, while I’m here in the States, I’ll be able to use my teaching salary to help supplement their income and pay what needs to be paid and to help out around the house as needed.

And as someone told me earlier today, this isn’t forever. We’re thinking this could be a couple/few years. But we’ll see. …because as God told me, I’m needed here for a season. And as soon as God gives me permission to do so, I’ll be on the first plane heading back across the ocean.

So what’s changing?

1)    My supporters will now stop sending in their monthly financial support in my name. If they decided to send in support to the Senegal Live Dead team, like some are considering, I can give them the necessary information to do so.

2)    I will still be fulfilling the speaking obligations I’d already set up. However, now any money I receive that is designated for ministry, will be forwarded on to the Senegal Live Dead team.

3)    While no money I raise will be used to support me/my ministry, I will still be speaking at churches, raising awareness for missions and the work the Senegal Live Dead team will be doing with the Wolof. Some pastors are still contacting me to speak. So I’ll still be doing that. I just won’t be considered an Itinerating Missionary with the Alabama A/G right now.

I’ll be visiting Dakar at the end of May/beginning of June for a 3 week trip, where I’ll get to retrieve items I had stored, visiting friends and missionary colleagues, helping my former Dakar Academy co-workers finish out their last week of school, and then helping my AGWM colleagues in their ministry outside the city, as well. This will also be my chance to say Goodbye or rather, See ya later to Dakar.