Be honest, we all have moments of doubt. When God asks something of us or promises something, there is usually a moment of hesitation and doubt sometime during the process. Is that really what God wants? What if I didn't hear Him correctly? Should I go through with this?
Truth be told, the past couple of weeks I have been struggling a little with this. I have still been very busy with preparing for vacation, being sure I get things finished before the conclusion of the school year, continuing to prepare for Puerto Rico, etc, etc. But thank God for His grace!
So in the constant busyness and rush of life, I have been unable to find time to attend the ASL Socials that are held twice a month at Wegman's Grocery. I have sorely missed hanging out with the members of the local Deaf Community and I have missed signing so badly. Sure I sign with my mom and interpret the new songs I hear, but it's just not the same as chatting with a deaf individual! And knowing that God has called me to work with the Deaf, I have been fighting with feeling guilty about not being able to communicate with them more often or working harder to perfect my skills. Also, I have been considering RIT/NTID, a college in New York that offers a degree in ASL Interpreting and I have been in frequent contact with the directors there. Note, I have never been entirely excited about the prospect of college and have never planed on going until last summer when I thought God was leading me to pursue ASL. But with all the stress and questions regarding ASL, college and a career, I have begun to feel as though I'm not on the right track. Doubts began to seep in unnoticed and I started to rethink things. Is ASL really what He has planned for me? Is attending college included in these plans? Is this my intended purpose?
Feeling rather disheartened and discouraged, I packed my bags and left for vacation with my family; our final destination being Sandwich, MA. With only five hours on the road, we stopped for yet another potty-break...Wendy's being about the only viable option. While there, we decided to have lunch, may as well kill two birds with one stone, right? So standing in line waiting for our order, I thought about the past couple weeks. I needed a sign. Just something to assure me that I was still on the right track and that I was still in the center of His will. 'Ya know, it'd be so awesome to meet a deaf person while we're on vacation,' I thought. I would love to say hi if I should meet someone. Mom laid a hand on my arm, bringing me back to the present. "Do think we'll meet any deaf people while we're on vacation?" she signed to me. "I dunno," I signed back, "I was just thinking about that."
But I still needed that sign--I decided that if I met a deaf person sometime during our vacation, that would be my sign and I would know that I was exactly where He wanted me to be. I was laying out my fleece, so to speak.
So we got our meal and returned to our table. I no sooner sat down when I noticed a family sitting at another table--SIGNING!!! (Seriously? Wow, that was quick!) Excited beyond words, I stopped them before they exited the restaurant and said hi. We signed together for a while and I learn that their beautiful two year old daughter was born deaf! She was the dearest little thing I had ever seen! She'd just had a birthday and told me that she had just gone to see Elmo. Just before they left, her mother turned to me saying, "Thank you for what you're doing (becoming an interpreter!) I can't say how wonderful it is to meet people who want to help those like my daughter (the Deaf.) Now you have a face to remember and to remind you to continue doing what you're doing! And who knows, we may see each other again!"
My heart leaped--and I knew this was the sign I had been praying for! (No pun intended.)
So now I am reassured that I am indeed in the center of His will and I am where He wants me to be! Signing with that beautiful little girl was a blessing that made my day and was a kiss from the King. It was also just another reminder that He hears our every thought and He delights in giving us the desires of our hearts!
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