Welcome to Never Away from His Presence!
Almost half of my life has been spent living overseas. I studied abroad at the age of 20, returned to China to teach English at the age of 23, interned in Singapore at the age of 25, taught in Uganda at age 26 and also began my now 17-year career as a Foreign Service Officer at age 26.
People often ask me, “How can you just pick up and move every few years; it’s so far; aren’t you nervous?” Of all the things that I love about God, the quality that I love most is His omnipresence. I can go wherever He sends me, because I know there is no place in the world I can go where He is not.
It can be exciting to move to a new country every few years, meet new people, learn new languages, experience new cultures, and taste authentic international cuisines. It is heartwarming to watch your children speak foreign languages to others and develop a global mindset. But this lifestyle also comes with challenges – moving every few years, helping your children navigate their emotions as they say goodbye to best friends, ensuring your spouse is happy given employment constraints in different countries, trying to care for aging parents while thousands of miles away from home, not to mention the physical aspect of packing and unpacking your household every few years.
Never Away from His Presence (NAFHP) offers encouragement for the expat and offers practical Points to Pack with each blog post. Points to Pack may include scriptures, quotes, songs, or interactive activities. So journey with me, my family, and a few friends as we share countless stories from our lives. My hope is that you will come to know that – no matter where you are in the world – you are never away from His presence.
To learn more about Never Away from His Presence, check out our About NAFHP page.
Points to Pack:
- Genesis 28:15a (NIV) – “I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go.”
Worship: Hillsong Piano Instrumental by Dan Musselman