Delays Aren’t Denials — An Update from Rachel
If there’s one thing I’ve learned in this season, it’s this: Just because it’s slow doesn’t mean it’s not sacred.
The visa process for Brazil has hit a few snags—wrapped up in bureaucracy that moves slower than dial up. Things in Brazil don’t click into place with the same ease we're used to here in the U.S. We live in a country of sin a world of Amazon Prime, DoorDash, and instant downloads. Brazil? Not so much. It runs on a different rhythm. A slower, relational, analog one. And some days, that’s hard to sit with.
But even in the waiting, the story keeps unfolding.
Just a few weeks ago, I got a message out of the blue from a couple who knew me back in the day at New Life Church. Long-time friends. Faithful people. It turns out they’re preparing to move back to São Paulo, the very state I’ll eventually be heading to.
They’ve lived in Brazil on and off for decades. They know the systems, the culture, the pace. But more than that, they know the people. And, they’re introducing me to their network—leaders, visionaries, legal resources. It’s a total God-orchestrated plot twist. The kind of behind-the-scenes movement that reminds me of Exodus 14:14: “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”
This doesn’t mean I have a move-in date just yet. There’s still uncertainty, especially with new presidential rulings in the U.S. that are causing ripple effects across international policies. Brazil has responded with equal reciprocity, meaning visa processes (even for travel) have changed since April. Add on top of that the spike in tariffs—especially on textiles—I have had to pause the clothing drop and find a new manufacturer. It's a twist and a turn. It's real. But it's also something I trust God with. The mission hasn’t stalled. It’s just being strengthened in the silence.
So if you’re praying, please add this to your list:
Continued breakthrough in the visa process
Favor and wisdom in finding the right manufacturer
Provision and protection through every unknown
In the meantime, I’m still here in California—freelancing, designing, dreaming—and watching God open doors I didn’t even knock on. I'm not surviving. I'm seeing miracles.
Deuteronomy 31:8 has been anchoring me: “The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
There’s a line I heard once that says: “Delays aren’t punishments. They’re protection.”
That’s what I’m holding onto. Maybe God’s keeping me from something I can’t yet see. Or maybe He’s making room for something far better than I had planned.
A Word for the Waiters:
Let me shift gears for a second—because I don’t think this delay is just for me. Maybe you’re reading this and you’re in your own waiting season.
Can I encourage you?
Waiting isn’t wasted.
It’s where God stretches your faith and strengthens your roots. We want mountaintops, but God builds endurance in the valley.
So while you wait:
✅ Worship anyway. Worship is your weapon.
✅ Speak life. Don’t let delay change your declaration.
✅ Keep building. Even if the dream is on pause, your purpose isn’t.
✅ Lean into stillness. Still doesn’t mean stuck. Sometimes still just means safe.
God doesn’t play chess with your life. He’s not figuring it out as He goes. He’s intentional. He’s strategic. He’s good.
Galatians 6:9 says:
“Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
So don’t give up. Don’t give in. Don’t let the silence make you think the story is over. God’s not done. He’s just getting started.
Let’s keep walking this out—together.
The next chapter’s already written. And it’s going to be better than you imagined.
Either way, I’m choosing to trust Gods timing isn’t late—it’s just layered.
So thanks for sticking with me through every plot twist. This Brazil project is still coming. The kids are still waiting. The dream is still alive. And when it launches, it won’t just be on time. It’ll be divine.
With hope,
Rachel
