Living on the end of the branch

Elijah watched and waited.

He sat by the stream and watched as it dried up, as the birds and beasts stopped coming for water and as the last pools disappeared. He waited until The Lord told him it was time to move. Then when directed Elijah moved in full confidence of faith.
For me waiting is one of the most difficult aspects of the Life of faith. Waiting upon The Lord. Waiting while praying and not seeing the answer. Waiting when circumstances and fears seem to demand my action.

We have have been in Italy for over nine months now. The Lord has demonstrated His faithfulness to us at countless times and in numerous ways. Sometimes we feel like we are living on the end of a branch with no net to catch us if we fall. But that is, of course, just feelings and not reality. We are as secure as any child of God in the hands of a loving Father.

In our lives now we are waiting on The Lord to learn Italian. The waiting involves working, which for us is studying and practicing. Sometimes progress is evident to us, sometimes we can't see it. But it is a process that requires time. "There is no royal way to the wisdom." It is a humbling, slow, difficult journey. In the process we are building friendships in the community. People are aiding us and caring for us.  Without this process of language learning and our resultant dependance upon others we would miss out on so much of what it takes to become a part of the community. We would be independent but would have fewer friends.