At One Year

So here we are. One year later. Exactly 365 days ago today, we got off a plane and into a taxi that ushered us to our Taipei home. Home. It's still a little strange to both of us that it feels like home after only a year. We feel a deepening sense of homecoming with each overnight trip outside Taipei. We no doubt still miss our families back in Illinois (our "real home," we call it). But we certainly feel settled here.
We've learned a lot this year--not least of which how to be newlyweds in a foreign country. We kind of wish we had stories of how stretching and difficult our first year was--typical knock-your-socks-off missionary stories of how God came through for us in such an obvious and spectacular way that would encourage anyone's faith. But (and this is by no means a complaint) this year really wasn't too difficult. Sure, we got in the typical married fights under the stress that comes with any big transition; and we're much more familiar with the health care system than we planned to be. But all in all, God has provided much more than we ever would have expected.

It's been a great year. We've made lifelong friends, adjusted to a new culture, learned just enough Chinese to embarrass ourselves, learned a heck of a lot about each other as spouses and as people, and learned to laugh at our numerous mistakes as TV teachers.

We're standing on the one-year mark, looking back in gratitude and forward in anticipation. For one thing, now that we've officially worked for our organization for a year, we can finally start taking some vacation days! (Though I must say that for a former school teacher and campus minister, we've survived pretty well on a diet of weekends and holidays.) But ultimately, we're most excited to see how God wants to use us this next year. Is he going to use another year of prime time TV to hone our skills and prepare us for a successful future in televangelism? (Hope not.) Or maybe Sesame Street personalities? (Ah--that's more like it!) Whatever He has in mind, we certainly have a sense that He's preparing us for something. Not sure what. Not sure where. But until we know, we'll keep serving daily, praying continuously, and leaving the rest to Him.