When you have a word!

The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. (Matt 5:8)
When God gives you a word, you have to hold onto it, even when you don't see anything changing in the physical realm. You have to believe what He said before it manifests. Some people won't believe it until they see it, so they will never see it. That is the world's way, not God's. Faith is believing without seeing. But the fact is- you DO see it before you see it! You must see it in the spiritual realm and then you will see it in the physical realm. Everything that happens in this world happened first in the spiritual realm. That is the way God works.So this Abu Dhabi adventure reminds me that although I don't see things happening, things are happening. I received an email yesterday to inform me that I have cleared security. Now they are working on my medical and visa. I don't have day-to-day contact with HR and don't always get a response when I write to ask questions- or I get a response that I don't understand (language barriers) because maybe they didn't understand what I was asking? However, I have to remember that just like with God- things are happening even when I think nothing is happening!

If I could bottle that...

I was at church tonight for Wednesday service. I love the energy in the air when God's presence can be felt. I closed my eyes and raised my hands and tried to memorize how I felt because I know one day soon this will be just that- a memory... I won't be able to grasp it any more than I could grasp it today. It's a fleeting feeling that you just have to soak up while you are in the moment... Thank God for live streaming but I will still miss my church. I will be able to see them but they won't be able to see me. I won't be able to hug my friends or shake hands with newcomers... Some days I just can't believe that my whole world is about to change... Really?? Me?? Wow...

Doing it WITHOUT ProEx (this time)...

I had all of my papers ready when I had my interview with ADEC. I authenticated my teaching license and my degree BEFORE I had the interview. I used the ProEx delivery service. Yep. I paid $125 for that service, plus the fees charged by the U.S. Dept of State and the UAE Embassy for authentication AND shipping charges... And then they DECLINED my candidacy! Well, their loss because I am an AWESOME teacher!
ADNOC requires me to authenticate my recent employment as well. A friend suggested I authenticate ALL letters of employment-to be safe. So I have to authenticate THREE. I also still needed to authenticate my son's birth certificate and my marriage certificate. We are also authenticating my husband's degree, just in case he finds a job over there and needs it. I read in a forum somewhere that it is easier to just get that done now before leaving, so we are. That's a grand total of SIX items, which racks up quite a bit of money in fees MINUS the $125 ProEx would charge.
I went on the U.S. Dept of State website to fill out and print the form I need. I wrote a check and headed to the post office armed with my 6 documents, the check, the form, and the address for the U.S. Dept of State. I purchased 2 priority mail flat rate envelopes. One of them I addressed to myself and put in the other with the paperwork to send to D.C.. When it all comes back to me, it is on to the UAE Embassy!

Foreshadowing??

I started a foreign coin collection when I was a little girl. My dad was in the Army and he brought me coins from places he visited. I also have coins that I have found or friends have given me. I don't have some stellar coin collection in a nice little case. They are actually housed in a small box in my drawer. The box use to house a small Amish doll my mom bought me once when she went back home to Pennsylvania and visited the Amish store. But I digress... One day, maybe a few years ago(?), I found this coin. The back of it is pretty scratched up. I probably found it in the road while on a walk. I can make out the country. I remember when I found it and read the back- I thought, "United Arab Emirates...? Where is that??" Funny.... Now I am moving there!

1 Dirham

Slow going... but it's still going...

Every once in a while, I've heard from HR this month- mostly in reference to my son. They are making sure a spot is secured for him at the high school. Today, I met two other new employees at my school! Well, not in person, but on Facebook. That was exciting though because I have been feeling isolated in my journey since most people I've met are going over with ADEC. Nice to meet someone in my same situation! Well, that's the only update I have for now...