For the last 12 days, I’ve been struggling with a decision. I’ve been up too early and too late, I’ve cried and worried and made up my mind and then changed it. Ten times. All this time, I was waiting for a feeling of peace, and it never really came. That’s what it can be like with big decisions. Until you decide one way or another, there actually is no peace to be found.

Sometimes you have to get your feet wet before the water moves.

And so last night, I got my feet wet. I emailed Shaun Groves and said yes, I will go with your team of bloggers to the Philippines. Yes, I will fly over the Pacific ocean. Yes, I will open my eyes up to see what Compassion is doing in the lives of these Filipino children and their families. Yes, I will write the stories I see. Simply, yes. And art takes on new life yet again. And yes becomes the pathway to peace. And questions and worry and fear scurry for shelter, at least for today.

My husband has wanted me to say yes from the very start. He is brave on my behalf. I had to sort through some stuff and some things before I could believe him. But here we are, and there we’ll be, and it is good.

I am so thankful for this opportunity to go and to see. I hope you will follow the stories as Kat, Linsdsay, Stephanie, Tsh, Keely, Shaun, Patricia and I travel at the end of May.