It will be a Happy New Year

Yes, it's been a while.
No, I don't have a good excuse.

I have excuses but they aren't amazing and they aren't really important anyways.
What IS important is what this post is about.

I'm delaying my departure 3 months.
Here's why.

My primary prayer for a long time has been about timing.
When will I return to Kenya? How long will I be at home?
What do I have time to accomplish while I am here?

It's been a year since I returned to Canada and a lot has happened that I was not prepared for.
Hard things, challenging things, turn me upside down things.
And I know without a doubt that during this time I was meant to be home, surrounded by friends and family who know me, and who supported me through the worst of it.

It's also been a time to focus on my identity. I know who I am but I think there was a brief period of questioning that. And one of the most important things in life is to know who you are and be confident in your identity. To know your strengths and your weaknesses well. In my case, that meant truly focusing on Christ's role in my life and how His presence is/should be in the forefront of everything I do.

That's just the past year. It didn't really answer my, "When am I going back?" question.

My initial goal was October.
I was planning to get back in time to apartment hunt with my former room mate who was also going to be settling in Nairobi in October.
Not long ago we talked and that plan has changed. We won't be living together and so apartment hunting together won't be necessary.

I then thought November would be a good return.
Simply because a fundraiser that I am having in November is hopefully going to raise the money I need for a plane ticket.

Well, those were my plans. And simply because I wanted to put a goal on paper when I started to seek out supporters. But last week My prayer of timing was answered.

I've been offered a job from early November to December 24.
Since being laid off this summer, I have had a few contract jobs that have kept me afloat but nothing full time.
Applications returned nothing and while I still sought out employment, the flexibility of time around my contract work really gave me the ability to accomplish things that would have been very difficult had I been in a 9-5 job. I wouldn't choose losing my job again, but I'm thankful for the time that has been made available.

The job I've been offered will only delay my return to Kenya by 3 months, and though I would love to be back in Nairobi even today, I know that there is a reason I'm not there right now. Maybe even a few reasons.
So January is my new departure. With this job, I will be able to put a lot more money into my ministry there and it will also allow me to spend one more Christmas with family before I head out for at least another 3 years.

This really is an answer to prayer.
Not an answer I could have ever called, but a great and comforting answer, none-the-less.