#10 “A Lois- sized leap”

Thats me... on the left. 😊 I don't know how I did that 😊

Breathe Lois, this needs to be real, honest and open... Now breathe again…

It's been 10 years in this country and 10 days in this new city. As I take a quick look back over my journey, I'm just in awe of Gods goodness in my life.

10 years ago on the 15th of November 2006 I got on a plane and took the biggest leap of faith, and said yes to change.  

At first I thought I was just going on a holiday but after a month here and several conversations, I gave my Yes to God. I left behind my family, my friends, my culture, my country, the career I’d been working toward, my comfort zone, my home and moved to the United States. A series of events that I can truly say was God ordained. I gave a courageous Yes to whatever was ahead. 

I was 26 and super excited.

If I am honest, my intention was not to move here, I was simply visiting. I had work lined up back home, taken on responsibilities and my parents had just moved to Johannesburg to be closer to us, so I just knew that I was coming home. But while I visited Houston, it was clear to me that God had other plans for me. The first few months here were super exciting and new. My life changed tremendously over night, because of two amazing individuals who said yes to God to be the vessels He used to change my life forever. What was meant to be a month of a vacation for my first thanksgiving and Christmas ended up being a whole year and then 9 years. My life changed rapidly! I got the opportunity to travel the world with my one of my favourite singers and what an amazing Journey the last 9 years have been.Too much to write in a blog:)

Now here is the the real part….

Life happens and seasons change, as do we.

The hardest part of moving to another country is trying to fit in. I changed a little more every year. I got lost along the way.... and I didn't even know it. I was so consumed with fitting in that I forgot that all God wanted was my yes and not for me to fit in. Gosh have I learned lessons along the way. 

This past year I was pushed in ways I never imagined. From my job at the Dry Cleaners to my job as a barista/hostess/cashier at my friends new coffee bar, to my various other jobs, while building my jewelry business. I stopped singing for a long time. My father kept asking me to sing again… but I lost my love for singing and I didn’t enjoy it anymore. I sang here and there but I just didn’t even like music for a while. So I threw myself into other things while my heart healed. It has been a great year of healing, learning, and development. It still is.

I had to unlearn certain things that became my way of life and let go.

I learned that failure is simply a part the process. I gained so much freedom when I no longer placed unrealistic expectations on people. I had to learn trust again… Trusting that Gods plan for me was still good. I saw God literally take care of me, miracle, after miracle, after miracle and was reminded that his plan for me was still good. 

IS STILL GOOD!

I had to learn how to Pursue Peace. I’m so excited because I had to learn these lessons to move forward.

Peace brings me here…

10 days ago I moved to a new city… on the 15^th of November 2016 was my first day in my new City. I left behind my family in Houston, my friends, my new found culture, the career I’d been working toward, my comfort zone, my home and moved and said yes to change.

I’m 36 and I’m Super Excited.

I’m singing again. Smiling and laughing again.

I took another leap and released my first single last week. 

Please feel free to check it out and support.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/city-without-you-single/id1174273335

In a farewell card I received when I left Houston one of my friends wrote…

“ This next step won’t be anything short of a Lois-sized leap”

And in another card I received this song:

“Many things about tomorrow, I don’t seem to understand, but I know who holds tomorrow and I know who holds my hand.”

As we celebrate Thanksgiving tomorrow I am so grateful! I look back over the last 10 years with absolutely No regret Only Gratitude and Thanksgiving! I’m excited about what lies ahead. I’m in awe of Gods goodness! Just a few days ago, a friend of mine who once told me she didn’t believe in God came to the revelation that there is a God and He has a plan for her…. (But you’ll have to wait till the next blog to hear her Amazing story) WE HAVE SO MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR!

In closing…

LEAP!
Don’t try to skip your process. One step at a time…

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Cheers to the next ten. Pursue Peace Always
lois

In Transit... I missed my flight

Yesterday was a great day! I stayed up most of the night before, preparing for my trip.
I had a few stops to make before getting to the airport, but I was running about 30 minutes off schedule because I had to return the car I was using the last few months (Thank you Pastors J&J)
On our way to the airport, I got a notification that the flight was delayed.

Delay number 1...
I checked my bags and then was able to take the car to through the car wash and just spend some much needed time with my trini sister, catching up and talking.
We headed to the terminal, said our goodbyes and then when I got to my gate, I thought I was right on time, to my dismay, the gate was still open but they had already given up my seat... No biggie.

Delay number 2.
I went to rebook my flight. The nice lady at the desk explained that there was no guarantee that I would make it on the flight but that I would be on standby. As I walked up to my next gate, a tall gentleman who I saw at the gate of the flight I just missed was Also on standby. He was very friendly, said hello, had a  very strong "Spanish" accent but I wasn't sure where he was from so I asked. He said he was Mexican, I said wow you're so tall. He didn't go into much detail but explained he was half Israeli, It then made sense to me. Anyways we both made the flight and actually ended up sitting in the same row on opposite sides of the plane.

When we arrived i had about an hour and a half of a lay over so I decided to write. I was so engrossed with my writing and focused with the worship I was listening to waiting for my flight, that i missed it. Only to find out I was never waiting for a flight but a bus... I completely forgot that the bus ride was a part of my itinerary as I booked the flight so long ago... So I missed it again...

Delay number 3
I felt peace as I messaged my roommate who was waiting to pick me up and just sat there and chuckled at myself. As I stood in the line to have my ticket rebooked for the second time, there was a lady ahead of me Crystal and another behind me Jennifer who was on the phone really not happy. She started crying and Crystal explained to me that she missed her flight and that it was her wedding the next day. So we hugged her, loved on her as she waited in the phone while the agent was not very helpful. At this point Crystal and I were encouraging her to remind them that her wedding was the next day and that they had to get her out. She was in tears. Crystal and I holding her and her bags and stuff so she could drink some water. Eventually the agent said go to a certain gate and see if you can get in the line. I decided to run with her as she was so upset. As we ran the agent hung up on her. She was completely confused saying "I don't know if she's rebooked me. I really need my luggage to make the flight so my wedding dress is in there..." Thankfully I was able to call the the premier line and begged the gentleman to please help her. In his tone I could hear confusion, He said... So this has nothing to do with your reservation? I said  I'm delayed but can you help me assist the lady in line with me? He said... So this has nothing to do with you I said yes sir humanity... kindness...

He then hesitantly started looking over her information and was able to reroute her so she could make it to Ireland 45 minutes before her wedding, not ideal but she'll make it...
I said Jennifer relax now, you're getting married tomorrow:) the relief on her face as we made jokes about how she should just put on her wedding dress and make up when she gets to London and fly that way.... We exchanged information. She was so happy and so was I! As I walked back to the service desk where Crystal was holding my spot. Turned out that the next bus was the next morning but the agent explained to me that I could take a different bus and that he would just help me  that I would lose my return ticket.

As I walked downstairs to wait on the next bus I saw Victor, my tall Mexican Jewish friend and he said don't feel weird but I'm going to give you a hug, it's been a long day. So we hugged and then we sat down for about an hour sharing about his stay in South Africa, the different languages we spoke. We spoke about the meanings of certain Jewish words I was interested in, the differences in Christianity and Judaism as he was on his way to celebrate Rosha Hashanna (Jewish New Year) with his family. I just loved every minute sitting there outside of Dunkin' Donuts talking to him.

When I got on the bus at midnight I sat with all my thoughts thinking about each delay. How Amazing God is! If I didn't miss my bus after missing the first flight I would not have been standing in front of Jennifer in line to rebook our tickets and i would not have overheard her on the phone crying, I wouldn't have been able to call to help her...
I would not have met my new friend Victor.
If I was so consumed with getting to where I needed to be in my time, I would have missed out on being a blessing to others in my delay...

God is orchestrating our every move, even in the delays of life. If we would just be present in the delays as we are in the good and busy times, we would find hidden blessings or moments to be a blessing to others. As we wait in Transit let us be aware that God is never absent or fazed by our waiting in fact he strengthens and rejuvenates is in waiting. As I start out this new season of fall, this new month of October I'm grateful for this lesson and reminder.

“He gives power to the faint and weary, and to him who has no might He increases strength [causing it to multiply and making it to abound]. [II Cor. 12:9.] Even youths shall faint and be weary, and [selected] young men shall feebly stumble and fall exhausted; But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] shall change and renew their strength and power; they shall lift their wings and mount up [close to God] as eagles [mount up to the sun]; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired. [Heb. 12:1-3.]”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭40:29-31‬ ‭AMPC‬‬


Let us not despise the opportunities we've missed in waiting...
Rest in the fact that there is purpose in waiting!


Grateful for new friendships and connections!

Beautiful bride to be Jennifer

My new friend Victor

Random thoughts On a flight to Trinidad!

I was getting ready for my flight last night and so many thoughts came to mind when I took out my passport. So I decided to write.

The last time I was getting ready for a flight, I was scheduled to leave South Africa on my standby buddy pass ticket on the 6th of March 2016.

I bought a buddy pass because the ticket prices were ridiculous that time of year and I really wanted to get home for the holidays as I hadn't been home in a year so, having gotten thy ticket through a really amazing friend I was able to go. What a blessing.
I needed that time with my family!

It was a Sunday afternoon and my family usually gets together for a big lunch before I leave the country and so we had a big party! It was pretty emotional this time, like I wasn't going to be back for a while.... Mmmh... a few of my closest friends were there and my immediate family and some cousins. It was such a special day. We ended it with encouraging words. I felt so loved! So Since my friend Melissa lives close to the airport she decided that she'd drop me off on her way home, and so we headed out.

I knew that there was a possibility that  I may or may not get on the flight but I was confident that I would make the flight because going to South Africa was so easy, no hassles at all.
However as life has it there was a pit stop in my confident plan to leave that day.
Not only did I not get on the first flight, I didn't get on the second, third or 6th or 7th...
Cargo takes preference in Johannesburg so it was a waiting game for so many of us on standby that week. By the end of the week, I knew the desk clerks and some of the passengers waiting. That Friday night, after yet another no, I was exhausted mentally, physically and  emotionally from driving back and forth to the airport and then, after sitting there for a few hours every night, being told No, you didn't make it on the flight today, try again tomorrow for the 6th time, I broke down and just cried. My friend who had come back and forth with me every day saw my exhaustion she was equally tired of the back and forth, so after checking the possibilities of me getting on a flight that Saturday and realizing that they were slim we made an executive decision to not go to the airport that Saturday and decided to stay home. So I went to see my parents and ended up attending my nephews wedding that Sunday morning. I guess it all worked out exactly the way it was meant to.

Over the past 10 years the term "home" has become quite a debatable word for me,  through travel and my journey I've taken more of a fluid approach to the word. I have a home now in a few countries, but home is so much more than a building. That week "home" was with my childhood friend, Melissa. My parents live about 45 minutes away from the airport and it made no sense to go all the way back and forth with Jo'burg traffic, so Melissa offered for me to stay at her place till I got on the flight. We thought it would just be that night you know, when she took me to the airport that Sunday she had no idea that she would have to take me to and fro the airport for a whole week, she just said Yes!

Sometimes in life we have no idea what we are saying yes to. Especially when God is in the driving seat of life. We say Yes and God takes over, in our obedience of yes may come an immediate result of a pause or a not yet or a No...  It is in those times that faith is tested!
Our patience is tried, our emotions are on a 100 and our feelings are easily hurt!
We are vulnerable, at times broken and sometimes we need to break.

I realized that week as I waited, that I was waiting on so much more than my flight, i needed to be quiet, (Sometimes God needs us to be Quiet). During the day my friend went to class so it was just God and I in that apartment and I'll be honest... I did Not hear him speak in a loud clear voice, and perhaps I wasn't listening close enough or maybe I was distracted but I felt quite alone and far away from him! I had so much to process and it just felt like i was alone.
Here's the thing about relationship, sometimes there are quiet moments, does that mean that love changes? No! Sometimes there are breaks, necessary ones, doesn't mean that love has left! Not at all. Love waits through silent moments.So quietly I waited. I went through that week, with a myriad of thoughts and intense introspection. it was the quiet i needed away from the noise of life to be able to hear the voice of God. After 6 days at that airport I unconsciously decided to rest! It's crazy how the rest in our life is so important and yet it's the one thing we neglect. So i waited and through waiting i learned to rest. I made peace with my situation and just enjoyed my time with my family at my nephews wedding. We ate, we danced, we laughed. All of us together.

That Sunday afternoon after my nephews wedding, i headed back to the airport against my family's will and again I wasn't able to get onto the flight...

I think God was secretly preparing me for what was lying ahead in this season of waiting.

See those 8 colourful little stickers on my passport aren't just decorations.
Those are reminders of the test I was given and needed to pass and reminders of the many more tests that lie ahead. Here I am on a flight to one of my favourite countries Trinidad. This is my second trip with this new passport, my first was after the long wait earlier this year.
I anticipate more adventures in this new season of continually waiting and trusting and resting in God. I think about all the other passports in the past, full of stories, memories, tears and proof that God is in control of my life's flight.

I realize all the more how His hand is in it all!
I may question at time the direction and navigation but I tell you something...
God knows my destination!
As this plane prepares to land, I'm looking forward to what God has in store!

Singing...
Thank you Lord for your blessings on me...

Quietly waiting on Love's Direction,
I say Yes again

I REST IN LOVE