what we’re doing {sabbatical recap}

We moved to S. Africa in March of 2007. After traveling back and forth to Africa since 2000, our hearts were stirred for the millions of orphans, so we went there to simply love on them. Thus, Ten Thousand Homes, whose goal is to provide HOPE and HOME to orphans, was birthed. By March 2009, after 13 years in full-time ministry, I was exhausted. I was literally at the point where I didn’t have anything left to give. (This post and this post talks about my weariness.) In November 2009, we returned to the states for a little time off, a sabbatical.

By March 2010, we started our sabbatical. I was a bit ignorant on what exactly that meant. It wasn’t a physical rest but a spiritual rest. There was so much processing and talking to God that physically I was still exhausted, but all that brought a spiritual rest that overpowered that physical exhaustion somehow.

We spent a full year deep in the trenches of sabbatical. I’m sure that sounds quite foreign. Had I not just gone through it, it would sound foreign and a little kooky to me, too. It was a very deliberate stepping away, handing over of all our responsibilities, not having anything to do with Ten Thousand Homes over that year. Do you know how hard that is for a leader of a ministry? Oh, my goodness. Talk about giving up control and your way of doing things and ultimately trusting God with it. 

When I think of everything that happened over our year of rest, tears literally come to my eyes. If you read my guest post over the weekend, I talk a little about that. It just makes me overwhelmed with His love for me. I could talk on and on about everything that happened during sabbatical. Instead, I will highlight some main points that are necessary in talking about our future. In my next post :). I don’t like reading long posts so I would imagine there’s others in the same boat! Stay tuned!