Plans unfolding at my feet, pt. 3

          Since I first started praying about going on this trip God has been slowly and continually unveiling my eyes to see the path that He is laying before me and to behold the plans that He is unfolding before my feet. Little by little He has been revealing to me His sacred plan for my life in intricate detail. He is taking the blinds off my eyes and allowing me to see.

        I have always wondered why God would make me to be a quiet, shy, “background” girl who is nervous and uncomfortable around crowds and strangers, just to scoop me up and put me in a different country surrounded by crowds of strangers. To me, that never seemed like the best idea. I mean, I wanted to go, but I had absolutely no idea how I was going to be able to fulfill the things He asked of me when I had these characteristics that I had considered “character flaws” in a missionary.  It never made sense to me until now.
        Being with these children I now realize that they don’t need a talker, many of them just need a listener. They need someone who will just sit there and let them talk. That is my natural inclination. Someone who will be a quiet sense of support and encouragement without feeling the need to talk. That is my personality.  Someone who will catch on to their hurt right away and be in prayer for them without trying to “help” them talk through it. That’s the way I am. Someone who will love them for who they are and befriend them out of love. That is my heart for these kids. 

        I now see that God has supplied me with the very characteristics that are needed when I am to be working with hurting orphans. These children need someone they can sit with to receive love and support.  For many of these children, they are still trying to work through their hurt and overcome their pain. They are still searching for a different kind of love, a love that only Christ can give them. While I cannot give them that, I can still be that quiet supporter who is there to love them and receive them with open arms just as Christ does. I can be there to help point them towards God and help them see and experience His love. I can be another tool in their lives to help deepen their relationships with God and help them come to know Him as their loving, caring Heavenly Father.

           I realize now that God knew exactly what He was doing when He made me this way. Though for many years I have wondered at His “odd” choice of personality for me, I now see that He had a reason for giving me these characteristics. Even when He was still forming my character, He was looking ahead and molding me into the person that is most needed by the orphans I will be working with. My life is an example to me that God does not make mistakes, especially when He is shaping His children into the adults He wants them to be. He always has a plan, and a purpose for everything. “Not without design does God write the music of our lives. Be it ours to learn the tune and not be dismayed at the ‘rests’.-John Ruskin

                                                               “For the glory of God!”

        “ I know that everything God does will remain forever; there is nothing to add to it and there is nothing to take from it, for God has so worked that men should fear Him.”
 Ecclesiastes 3:14

Plans unfolding at my feet, pt.2

            I have already told many of you this story, but it's one that I have been thinking about a lot since I have been here and wanted to share with the people back home some of the things that God has pointed out to me about this story. Everybody knows how I felt God impressing upon me that He had an African mission trip planned for me for this summer. But what many don’t know is all the “behind the scenes” aspects of this story.
             As 2012 came closer I felt that call getting stronger until I knew I had to figure out what He had planned or I would be walking in deliberate disobedience to His call. I set out online, researching for organizations that work with orphans in Africa. From the moment I stumbled across EOH, I knew that this was where God wanted me.  Once I had called to inquire the possibility for an internship or volunteer ministry, I got a peace and an eagerness that I knew had to be from the Lord.

             Within a couple of weeks the intern director called me back and we started the application process. From then on there were several phone calls and emails that were exchanged between us, and I started to receive many affirmations from the Lord that this was the right path. My parents on the other hand were not so sure. For the first couple weeks they were really adamant about not feeling this was right. Finally one night, we sat down and had a long talk about it. In the end they agreed to keep praying about it and to call the director themselves to inquire in the trip.

             After the first phone call my mom told me they felt more comfortable with it and a short time later they agreed to let me apply. In one of our phone conversations, the director told me that before my application was even turned in she knew I needed to go on this trip, that God has indeed called me here, and that I was already accepted onto the team. So once I turned in my application and was formally accepted, I immediately started brainstorming for fundraising ideas. 

              One night my grandma came home from a church function with cake pops for us to taste. Looking at those cake pops, all of us got the same idea: my “first” fundraiser would be cake pops. I would make those for “special occasions” with different decorations and themes.  Little did we realize how great of a plan God had in mind for those pops! 3 months later I was fully funded and God had even supplied more then I needed to go towards my next trip, and the majority of the funds had come from cake pops. God had faithfully supplied me with daily orders that kept me busy for 3 months. In addition to the cake pops, God had moved 2 churches to support me with huge amounts, while leading various donors to do the same. Overall, my church backed me up the whole way, weekly purchasing pops or cake jars and even giving me donations along the way to continue helping me. It was an incredible, faith based journey.

               Throughout fundraising, I felt led by God to not count my money myself so as to keep my faith based upon genuine faith and not be based upon numbers. This had it’s ups and downs. I had many days when I was struggling with my resolve and was very tempted to count the money, but each time I would turn to God and He would supply me with the strength I needed to resist this temptation. Coming out of my fundraising process, I found that my faith was stronger than before because of the trial of relying upon God, turning the situation completely over to Him, and trusting Him to supply the funds even during the most stressful times in the fundraising process.

               God was totally in control of those months and was leading me and guiding me in the way that He wanted me to go. With each new obstacle in my path, He was steadily revealing Himself to me in ways that He had never done before. He was little by little unveiling His plan for me and directing me down the path that He laid for me. That whole fundraising process and the faith trials that came with it was all part if His plan to show me where He wanted me to go next and to prove to me that He is a great God, capable of many wonders, who is always in control of my life. I discovered that even fundraising can become a “God hunt”, when you are really searching for Him in everything you are doing.

                                                           “For the glory of God!”

 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."

                                                                  Proverbs 3:5

Plans unfolding at my feet

        For 9 years God  has kept me in the dark about His plan with just a sliver of light to show what He wants me to do, but now He is slowly putting the pieces together and allowing me to see why certain things have happened as they did and why others did not. For the first time in my life I understand His purpose for creating me the way He has.

          Being quiet, I have never had very many friends. I had my handful of friends, but only 1 of them was really close with me. I went through a stage where I was hanging out with my friends more and getting closer to them, but then when I entered high school I started drawing away from them again. During church on Sunday mornings they went to the high school youth group service while I sat in the main sanctuary with my family, so we didn’t see each other a whole lot. Gradually I drew away from all but my closest friend. And even then, we were drifting apart.

           At first I did not understand why God would bring this sweet friend into my life and have us be super close for so many years only to weaken that friendship as we got older. I watched over the next couple years as she got more involved with youth group and college group while my family switched churches and got more involved with the ministry over at our new church, until we very rarely saw each other anymore.

          For months I struggled with loneliness from missing the friend that I had at one point seen on a weekly basis, and was now lucky to see once a month. I was very sad and hurt that this would happen. This went on for months while I turned to God in my time of “distress”. With His help I finally came to accept the inevitable and became so close to Him that He became my best friend. After I had established my friend relationship with God,  my sister and I started getting more chances to hang out together. Now, 2 years later, Shaylah is hands down my best friend next to God. A closer, more reliable, and more loved human friend I have never had. She is truly my closest companion!

         I now see that had I been a “typical” American teenager and had a huge group of friends, it would have been more difficult for me to follow God to Africa. But more then that, I would have never had the spiritual walk that I have now nor the relationship that I have with my sister. Having a group of friends would have deterred me from spending so much time both with God and with my sister. I now realize that though it was hard at the time, drawing away from those friends was one of the best things I could have done for my relationship with God and my sister.

       Through this seemingly simple experience, I have come to better understand the truth behind Romans 8:28 and fully believe that “all things”  really do “work together for good to those who love God..” as He has shown me again and again. This is yet another example of how He was preparing me for the mission field even when I did not know it, and in ways that I never would have recognized as “training” while it was happening. His “works are wonderful I know this full well!” (Psalm 139:14)

                                                        “For the glory of the Lord!”

         "But He is unique and who can turn Him? And what His soul desires, that He does. For He performs what is appointed for me, and many such decrees are with Him.” 
Job 23:13-14

Day 14: Lusaka children!!!

         Yesterday we were able to go see some of the Lusaka children again.  One of the local pastors was there and he had set up a this ‘schedule” for us to do with the children. We broke them up into 4 groups according to their age groups. Then each of us interns chose a station to be in charge of. Each group of children would rotate through the designated groups so that the interns and children were able to get to know each other better. We had a Bible station, a talent station, a get to know you station and a school station.

          I had the 'get to know you' station so I had the gift of sitting with these children and learning a little bit more about them. With each new group that came to my station, I was able to bond with them in the few minutes that they were there. It was such a sweet time of fellowship and laughter. After each group had filtered through all the stations we played a big group game that the pastor had come up with to help us interns learn our Nongia words. Children were chosen by the interns whose turn it was, to come up and read off a Nongia word. With simple clues we were then required to guess what the word meant. If we guessed right we won a point, but if we did not then we received no credit. In this clever way we were able to learn several new words. We finished off the afternoon with a prayer from Ednah, one of our sweet Lusaka girls.

          This was such a fun time to get together and get to know these precious children. I was touched by the faith that many of them displayed and was amazed by their simple childlike trust in the Lord. But the thing that touched me the most was when I asked the oldest group to tell me one thing that God has done for them and with tears in her eyes Ednah replied, “He has given me a new family.” The truth and hurt behind that statement made me ache for her! This poor girl has been at EOH for years and she still struggles with the hurt that her losses have caused her.

          This simple statement made me resolve all the more to be a friend and an aunt to these children. I want to show them more clearly the love of God. I want to shower on them, the love that He showers on us. Lord willing I will be able to make an impact in their lives and point them towards the Lord so that they draw closer to the Great Comforter and experience a deeper love then they have ever known before!  I want to show them that they are precious and beautiful in the site of God and the people who are caring for them. I want to show them that their hurt has a Healer and their pain can be washed away through God. That is my prayer for this summer.                                               
                                                       
                   ( Esther, me and Grace...2 of our Lusaka girls )

"For the glory of God!”

  "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."

James 1:27

“Blessed be Your name!”

          “Blessed be Your name, in the land that is plentiful. Where Your steams of abundance flow, blessed be Your name!”

           “When I’m found in the dessert place. Though I walk through the wilderness, blessed be Your name!”

          “Blessed be Your name, on the road marked with suffering. When there’s pain in the offering, blessed be Your name!”

         “Every blessing Your pour out I’ll, turn back to praise! When the darkness closes in Lord, still I will sing..”

       “Blessed be the name of the Lord! Blessed be Your name! Blessed be the name of the Lord! Blessed be Your glorious name!”

      “Blessed be Your name, on the road marked with suffering. When there’s pain in the offering, blessed be Your name!”

      "Blessed be Your name, when the sun’s shining down on me! When the world’s all as it should be, blessed be Your name!”

    “Blessed be Your name, on the road marked with suffering. When there’s pain in the offering, blessed be Your name!”

       “You give and take away, You give and take away. My heart will choose to say, ‘Lord blessed be Your name!’”

-Kathryn Scott, "Blessed be Your name” 

                                             ~~~~~~

          Tonight that is the cry of my heart as I think about all that I have been through and am going through. All the joys and sorrows of life and death we face in this world, and still He has been enough to us and given us enough for our hearts to sing that song. We go through wildernesses and valleys of abundance on a regular basis, and still He does not fail us! We fail Him, we turn from Him, we abandon Him, and still He seeks to woo us and win us back to Him.    In moments of deepest revolt and sin He is there, pleading with us to turn from those things and come back to Him.

         We in our sinful nature stumble and fall daily, yet He never fails to lift us up, free us from the chains of sin, and set our feet upon a rock. In Him and through His resurrection and abundant mercy, we are forever free from sin. Free to live eternity with our Heavenly Father in the place that He has prepared for us.

       Because of this, I find that I owe a lifetime of praise and gratitude to the One who has set me free. As I sit here and ponder this, my hear is filled with praise for my God. My heart has indeed learned to bless His name. Now this song has a new meaning for me. It is no longer just a song to me, it has become my heart’s cry, an eternal reminder to me that no matter what happens I need to be praising and blessing my Maker.  It has become the anthem of my relationship with my Father. 

                                  “For the glory of God!”

“I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth” Psalm 34:1

"….blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise!”  Nehemiah 9:5

“Pour out my heart”

              “Here I am, once again. I pour out my heart, for I know that You hear. Every cry, You are listening. No matter what state my heart is in, You are faithful to answer, with words that are true and a hope that is real. As I feel Your touch, You bring a freedom to all that’s within.  

        In the safety of this place, I’m longing to pour out my heart, to say that I love You. Pour out my heart, to say that I need You. Pour out my heart, to say that I’m thankful. Pour out my heart, to say that Your wonderful!!”

-Mary Barrett, “Pour out my heart” 

                                 ~~~~~~

       This is another song that is in my heart tonight, another tune that my life is singing, and another cry that is rising from my heart to that of my Maker’s. This is one of the songs that speaks volumes to my heart and challenges me to live with this kind of mindset. This song says it all. All that I desire right now. Tonight, I am truly “longing to pour out my heart” with all the gratitude, love and praise that I could ever confess! I thank God that I can “pour out my heart” in prayer. Oh the gift of prayer! One of God’s greatest blessings to His people!

                           “For the gory of God!”

“Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.”

Psalm 62:8

Day 13: Smiling interns, laughing children, and braided hair

           Today I am counting the blessings that the Lord has given me on this trip.  We went to see some of the Lusaka children  today, and once again it was a time of laughter, love and joy as we all got together and hung out for the afternoon. A lot of the children we trying to teach us inters some of their games…..most of which include rhythm and let’s just say….I don’t have enough rhythm for their games.  I was getting very mixed up and lots of laughter was involved with trying to help me get it right. I think….think being the key word, that I figured it out by the time we were done. The real test will be how I do next time we see them!

           After we played those games several of the girls sat down and started to play with  our hair. It was so special to me to be sitting there listening to those precious girls chattering while their sweet hands played in my hair. It was a blissful, sweet time for me, being with those children again and being able to shower more love on them and bring more light into their day. If sitting there letting them braid my hair is what it takes to make their day special for them, then they can braid my hair as long as they want!

         After we left their house we went and sat in the office checking emails for the next hour. During which time three of us were having cross conversations  between each other on Facebook while we were sitting in the same room. It was quite funny to think that I was sitting next to the person I was messaging, while all he had to do was look over my shoulder to see what I was saying…(that is if he didn’t want to talk). It was pretty funny!

         Now it is past midnight and I cannot sleep. I am sitting here with my mind running wild as I ponder my day. I am wide awake and  know that I could not sleep right now even if I tried. As I sit here I am once more going over all that God has been doing for me and in me on this trip so far. I have learned so much it is amazing! I have already come to look on God in a totally different aspect. To write all that He has already taught me and  revealed Himself to be to me, would take up an entire post all on its own, so I will suffice to say that He is one amazing God!!!

                                       “For the glory of God!”

"When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?" Psalm 8:3-4

Day 12: learning to combat spiritual warfare through Christ

                Today is only my 12th day in Zambia, yet in these past 12 days spiritual warfare has become so real to me. Satan knows why I am here and more then that, he knows to what I have been called and that this trip is the stepping stone toward that ultimate call, and he is obviously doing everything in his power to stop me.
                I can honestly say that prior to this, I have never had any doubts or fears about being called to Africa or about the truth and reality of my call. Deep inside I know that this call is real, that I have a sacred duty to perform on this earth, and that God is going to see to it that I accomplish His will, and His purpose for me. So I know that these doubts ad fears are nothing but warfare. I have been struggling with this a lot, especially these past 2 days, and no matter how much I prayed or read the word I could not get over this and shake this dark, depressed feeling. Until finally tonight, I had an encounter with God that changed my outlook on warfare, that shook me out of this and brought me out of this battle. An encounter that strengthened my faith and once again left me in awe of the might and power of my God.

            I was listening to my ipod when two back to back songs about fighting warfare and overcoming Satan came on, and suddenly I felt God’s presence surround me, and I felt Him nudging me to pay attention.  As I listened to the words of these songs, tears started welling up in my eyes, as I felt God speaking to my heart and impressing upon me the need to go away and get some alone time to pray.   I quietly slipped away to the bathroom where I started crying as I cried aloud to God to “ please hear me”. As I sat I there praying, I felt that my heart was going to burst from the deep feeling of His presence that suddenly rushed in and engulfed me.

      A deep sense of peace and joy welled up in me as I continued to pour out my heart before my Maker. As I told Him all that was in my heart and all that was happening…(things He clearly already knows), a sudden sense of strength, victory and stubbornness rose up in me and I knew that the battle was mine through Christ. As I verbally rebuked Satan in the name of Christ, I literally felt a great weight lift from my shoulders and deep peace fill my spirit.

       I now fully understand that in Christ I have the upper hand and will conquer Satan. It is none debatable. I have a weapon the enemy cannot defeat: I have Christ. I have the One who holds life and death in His hand fighting my battles for me. All I need to do in order to overcome Satan is to turn to God and surrender the fight to Him, knowing that He will surely free my soul from the battle that is raged against me. (Psalm 55:18)

       So once again I repeat, “That is my King”. The One who has the power to defeat Satan. The One who guards my heart and values my soul as precious. . That is my King. The Warrior on the front line, the Captain of my soul, the Victor of this battle. That is the King that I adore. The King who has again taught me another lesson. A lesson that I shall never forget for as long as I live. The same lesson that Amy Carmichael told the world when she stated that “faith is the victor” and “Christ the conqueror". This statement is so true, and He is just waiting for the chance to prove that to us. As I have discovered, all we need to do is turn to Him, to personally experience the incredible truth of this statement.
                                            “For the glory of God!”

Day 11: Pray this…

        I found this prayer on Roy Lessin’s daily devotional site, “Meet Me in the Meadow”. This prayer impacted my spiritual life and challenged me to prayer more fully and devotedly. It challenged me to pray for change in both my spiritual and earthly life. This is a prayer that I will definitely be praying more often.

       “Father, change me. Change my heart to love You more deeply, change my mind to know You more fully, change my will to serve You more completely. Change me from the inside out. Change my interests, my motives, my desires—may the things that are the most important to You, be the things that are the most important to me.

         Jesus, change me. Bring Your mighty rivers to the dry places of my soul. Feed me with the living bread that can satisfy my hungry spirit. Immerse my heart in the fountains of Your all-redeeming love. Change my ashes into beauty, my sorrow into song, my restlessness into peace, my darkness into light. May the pathway You want me to walk, be the pathway I fully follow.

       Holy Spirit, change me. Be my Teacher— if I am to know truth it must come through Your revelation; if I am to have understanding it must be heard through Your voice; if I am to have clarity it must be seen through Your light; if I am to have wisdom it must be known through Your instruction; if I am to experience change it must come through Your power. May the anointing of Your abiding presence be the oil that is poured upon me.”

        An amazing prayer that every hard core Christian should pray! The only way we’re ever going to grow in our walks with the Lord is through change. Change is the essence of spiritual growth. We cannot expect to grow if we are sitting in one place, content with where we are at. No, we need to be praying for change so that our walks can change for the better.
         Here are some of the verses that Mr. Lessin sited for the content of his prayer:    Psalm 51:10, Ezekiel 36:26-27, Psalm 40:3, Isaiah 43:19, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Galatians 6:15 
              
                                                                                "For the glory of God!"

Day 9: Only in Africa……

           Lions and cheetahs and elephants, oh my! Yes, that is what my day has entailed. I will suffice to say that I have had an incredible day!! I have gone on a safari, very nearly had a huge male elephant charge our car, came close to causing an elephant stampede, petted a large male lion and lioness, ridden an elephant, and walked a cheetah. Only in Africa can you spend your day like that!!

          We started our day with the safari, where we saw nearly all the African animals there are.  At one point we were even nearly surrounded by a herd of elephants, but the herd leader was nervous about us and looked like he wanted to charge. He even stepped toward us a couple of times. At 2 o’clock we went on a ‘lion walk’, where we got to walk with and pet a lion and lioness! That is something you can only do in Africa!! Petting a lion is something I have always wanted to do, so it was such a special moment for me, when I got to touch Simba and Shungoo for the first time!

        After we finished with the lions we got to ride some elephants. That was really neat to be able to ride such a large and unique creature! It felt like riding a huge horse! When our elephant ride was over, we were able to hang out with the cheetahs. Cheetahs are such gentle, docile creatures that they let us pet them anywhere we wanted. When they got antsy we took them for a walk. Literally a walk. We put them on a leash and walked them around a trail for an hour. I got to walk Lilly, a large female cheetah who usually dislikes women, but for some reason, today she made an exception and allowed us to bond with her.

         Today was such an incredible day that I know I will always remember it. People don’t just walk cheetahs down the street, ride elephants in the park, or play with lions in their everyday life. Stuff like that just doesn’t happen back in the states! Only in Africa can you make such amazing memories about such incredible things. This day was truly a once in a life time event!

           Getting to hang out with some of these amazing animals that God made, truly made this trip, this day, a memorable day that I will never forget as long as I live. I mean after all, how often is it that a US city girl gets to do these things? Only when you’re in Africa. 

Day 1 in Livingstone! VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

                                       “For the glory of God!”

Day 10, part 2: Victoria falls

           We just got back from our adventure at Victoria falls, and all I can say is wow! Victoria falls is amazingly beautiful!!  I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything so beautiful. When you’re walking down to the bridge, all you hear is a deafening roar from the falls, that is so loud you hear it from the parking lot. Everything directly above the falls is  blanket of mist so thick you cannot see in certain places. There are rainbows and streaks of sunlight peaking out throughout the mist. It is breathtaking!

         When we first walked down there we were totally dry, but by the time we were finished we were drenched from head to toe! It was amazing! Walking down there is like walking through a rainforest. A rain-like mist fell everywhere we walked, giving everything a blurry, tropical look, and causes all the plants to sparkle like diamonds in the sunlight. It literally looked, sounded and felt like a rainforest.

         Directly in front of the falls is a small bridge that goes across the river. Crossing this bridge you get absolutely drenched from the heavy downpour of the falls. The bridge is covered in puddles, and mini water falls that run down the steps. Standing in the center of this bridge you cannot see a thing to your left because of the falls, but when you look over the right side, you can see clear to the bottom of the falls where it joins up with the river below. It was absolutely incredible!

           Getting to see one of God’s wonders, which also happens to be one of the 7 wonders of the world was such an incredible experience. Looking over the rail at all the water that was pouring down into the river below, I was in awe of God. To thing that He knows exactly how many drops of water are coming down that fall every day of every month of every year, is an amazing thought. Then to go even further, and to realize that in spite of all that water emptying into the river below, the top part of the river never runs dry. God is daily on the watch to make sure that even something like that doesn’t happen.  How amazing is that?! Or more to the point, how amazing is our God!!

            Let us evaluate this more, God is not only the Creator of the universe, the Guardian of our hearts, the Lover of our souls, and the Savior to the world, but He is also the Master Gardener and the Almighty River Care Taker!!! In the words of Pastor Shadrach Meshach Lockridge “That is my King!!” He is truly a One of a kind King!!!  Hallelujah!!

Victoria Falls! VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Day 10, part 1: Lizards in the house

               Here is a little look at my day thus far.  Right now I’m sitting in the back bedroom with the girls, nervous to go back to the living room because there are lizards in there. Earlier, when the door was open these two snuck in and are now taking possession of the windowsill and under the couch. For those of you who know me, you know that I am super afraid of snakes and lizards. Since my brothers have gotten their lizards, I have become less afraid of lizards, but they till make me nervous when they are running loose….which is exactly what these two are doing. I have tried to let them out but they don’t go out…so now I’m hiding out with the other girls.

              I know what some of you are thinking…"why go to Africa if you’re afraid of reptiles? Everybody knows Africa is practically ‘reptile country.’”   The answer is as simple as this; I am not about to let a little fear get in the way of a big plan. I know that God will help me overcome this fear since He is the One who called me here in the first place….although I do wish helping me overcome this didn’t include being locked in the house with two lizards! Somehow that was not what I had envisioned all those times that I have prayed for help in overcoming this fear. God truly has a sense of humor, as I have experienced  several times since being here!!

                                       “For the glory of God!”

Temporary update

       Well, I have 3 new posts for all of you, with pictures included but right now blogger will not allow me to post them due to a malfunction with the site. I don’t want to spoil the new posts for you, so for now I will suffice to say that I am in Livingstone with the other 3 girls. We have been here since Friday afternoon and we will be heading back to Lusaka tomorrow morning. We have been busy with a lot of fun activities these past 2 days, of which you will get to read about in my upcoming posts.

       God been so present with me this past week. I am growing in my walk and daily seeking Him each morning before I go about my day. He has revealed Himself to me several times, in very unique ways. I look forward to being able to share my adventures with all of you back home. Blessings from Africa!

                                   “For the glory of God!”

Day 8: Livingston!

         At the beginning of our trip we were told that we have one weekend of “vacation time” before all the camps start. Since this  is the last week before things get busy around here, we all decided to take our vacation time this weekend and go up Livingstone for their safari.

        So after a long 6 hour bus ride, we are here! We were met at the bus station by Mr. Sanderson and his wife, a sweet couple who has been working in close proximity  with EOH for several years. Mr. Sanderson and his family have been more then hospitably, welcoming us to this town and lodging us in their own home for the weekend.  Mr. Sanderson is also organizing our weekend events and helping us make sure we get the best deals on all our activities.

          To start off our weekend, we are going on the 7am safari tomorrow morning. Then starting at 2pm, our afternoon is booked with fun things to do with the African animals. I am super exited!  Tomorrow night I will tell let you guys know how things went, and which events we ended up doing. Until then, blessings from Africa!

                                        “For the glory of God!”

Day 7: Developing spiritual growth while waiting for the Lord to move

            Today is another slow day over here in Zambia. We haven’t quite figured out what the staff wants to do with us until Camp Hope starts. Once Teen Mania comes to do that, things will kick into action and it will be none stop chaos the rest of the summer, but until then…..it is slow.
            We really haven't been able to be with the children as often as we would like to yet. Because of the passport issue, we couldn’t go through with our plans to visit them either Tuesday or Wednesday. Then waking up this morning, most of the staff members are still in Chongwe from yesterday, so we can’t go there and we can’t be at the office all day. So we are literally sitting around…blogging and talking. (That’s why I am blogging on my day way earlier then I usually do.)
               I am trying to seek the Lord in this, and figure out what the outcome of this week has done for me, and why He has given us so much down time when we should be…and want to be…busy.  Personally, I have discovered that  this week has given me a chance to grow in my walk and strengthen my prayer life. In the past 7 days, I have had more quiet time with my Father then I have ever had in such a short time. I have learned so many things, and my walk has sprouted abundantly!! I have come to a new understanding of what walking with God  and leaning on Him means.  I cannot speak for my teammates, but for me personally this week has been immensely powerful in my walk, and has been a huge tool in puling me closer to the Lord. 

             Even though I am still itching to get out there with those kids and get busy doing the work we are supposed to be doing, I am content to wait upon the Lord, knowing that His timing is perfect. I know that there are still many things that He can teach me through this down time, and I eagerly search for each new lesson that He would have me learn.

  “For the glory of God!!”

“Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

Matthew 11:29

A whisper in my ear

     One of the things that God has been striving to teach me for several months now, is total surrender. When I say 'total surrender', I mean surrendering every difficult, painful, or emotionally trying situation into His hands and trusting Him to work it out. Over the last six or seven months, He God has given me numerous opportunities to put this into practice as stressful, chaotic, sorrowful, or humanly "impossible" situations have arisen in my life. Each time I think I am catching on and learning, He sends another test my way, and again I fail to surrender it into His hands before letting my human emotions get involved.

     In the short time that I have been on this trip, God has already been hard at work to put me through the refining fire. One of the things that He brought my way is the theft of my passport. Instead of going before His throne in prayer, I immediately began to stress and worry over the possible  outcomes of the situation.  Now, I don't know exactly why God allowed this to happen, but I  do feel like this is a test to see how I will handle it. 

     Before I fell asleep Tuesday night, I lay awake wrestling with my stress and fears until the Lord eventually filled me with peace and I knew that everything was going to be ok. The next morning I woke up, and had some time with the Lord. In the few moments I spent with Him, He pointed out passage after passage about total surrender, complete trust and the blessings that come from these. Then, later on when I was reading my Bible again, He started pointing out verse after verse about His plans and His purposes being unstoppable, as well as multiple verses about Him carrying our burdens, working out our problems, guiding us through life's troubles, being our avenger and judge, and working all things out for our good. It was so amazing for me to see how He was working to take care of this problem for me. 

      Something I have learned, is that God loves to put people in difficult, trying situations, so that He can come close and whisper into our ears, "it's alright. I Am here. I will NEVER leave you nor forsake you. Nothing you will ever face can surprise Me, for I have preordained all that will happen to you in your lifetime. No matter what you face, I am still here with you. I have this all taken care of. Trust Me, lean on Me, surrender this to Me, and I will work it all out for your good. I love you and I care about you. I Am here to carry this burden for you. All you have to do is rest in Me and leave behind all fears and worries. I will NOT let you down.  

      This is the lesson that God has been teaching me for months. I still have not arrived at complete trust nor total surrender, but this time, God finally got through to me. It was a difficult for me to surrender this to Him, but the Lord eventually succeeded in bringing me to my knees in humble submission to His will.  I still have a long way to go, but with the Lord as my strength,  I will one day have this kind of trust and will finally be able to truly surrender all to Him.

                                                      "For the glory of God!!"

              "Daily you must trust Me. Surrendering everything, 
including the breath in your lungs and the blood in your veins for Me to do with as I see fit.
 If you want to join up with Me, you must first let Me lead."

Luke 9:23, paraphrase

Day 6: New passports and today’s epiphanies of God

             Well, we went down to the embassy today and got everything taken care of…ok, I guess I shouldn’t say we got everything taken care of, because clearly God was in control of the whole thing.
             We went down there this morning at 10:30, only to find out that they wouldn’t let us in without an appointment. Discouraged and disappointed, we walked back to the car,  only to remember that we had a question about the passport. When we got back up there, the guard called me in and put me on the phone with an American lady from inside the embassy. I don’t know how it happened, but somehow God worked it out where the American workers heard about my situation and immediately set me up for an appointment the same day.
              I went back at 1:30, and within 2 hours everything was finished and my new passport was on the way. Other then needing a new picture, everything went smoothly, with not one problem.  I should be receiving my new passport within 10 days. God is faithful to those who call upon Him!!
              Throughout the whole day, it was clear to me that Someone greater then me was in control of the situation, working it out where we found favor with the guards, and I was allowed to get in without any problems. The whole day I felt like everything was surreal, and blurring by as God allowed Himself to be seen in the simplest ways. Even the way a couple of guards went with me to the main building, telling the other guards that I was allowed to pass, clearly smoothing the way and making sure no problems arose, was a sure sign to me that God was working behind the scenes to make this work.
             Today God clearly showed me  that “all things” really do “work together for good to those who love God…” Though I have yet to see why my passport was stolen, everything at the embassy really did work for my good. I know that God alone has the power to have made the day go like it did today, everything that happened is no “mere coincidence”. My God is great and greatly to be praised, as He has again shown Himself to be today!!
                                         “For the glory of God!!!”

“And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Acts 2:21

Day 5: Smart thieves and stolen passports

         Today was day 5 in Zambia, and it just wasn’t a very good day at all. Being another slow morning at the of office, we all headed down to the internet café, La Mimosa.  We were going to cash some of our American money for Zambian money in case we wanted to by something, so I had grabbed my passport and wallet and put them in the bag with my laptop. While at the café we were all blogging, so my ‘empty” laptop bag was sitting on the ground next to our table…just like we’ve always done. However, when we got up to leave, I discovered that my bag was gone.  We searched everywhere, but it was no use, it was gone. Someone had stolen my bag.
          After hashing over how something like that could possibly have happened with all of us around the table,  we all realized exactly how it happened. All four of us girls remember seeing a suspicious looking waiter come over to our table and bend over as if he had dropped something, but we thought nothing of it until later.  So, whoever this man was, he obviously took off with my bag and all my important documents.
            We went to the police headquarters and filed a report for both the license and the passport. Thank God, the man who helped us was a Christian, so he gave us both papers for free, stating that he was doing so in “the name of Jesus for these missionaries”. While we were there, he also told us that some of the “honest” thieves will mail the documents back to the address that is on them..which in this case would be home…all the way over in the U.S.  Seeing as I still need a passport while I’m here, I will need to apply for a new one. So, first thing tomorrow morning we are heading down to the American embassy to start the process for a new passport. We shall see what he Lord will do.
                                    “For the glory of God!”

“…’Be strong; fear not!  Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.”

Isaiah 35:4

Beautiful Epiphanies of God

        “I have a Maker, who formed my heart. Before even time began, my life was in His hands.

          I have a Father. He calls me His own. he’ll never leave me. no matter where I go.

          He knows my name. He knows my every thought. He sees each tear that falls, and He hears me when I call.”

-‘He knows my name’ by Tommy Walker

~~~~~~

“Let peace like a river attendeth my way. Let sorrows like sea billows roll. Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say, ‘It is well. It is well with my soul! ”

“It is well. It is well. With my soul. With my soul. It is well with my soul!”

-‘It is Well’ by Horatio G. Spafford

~~~~~~

“When I found you...I found somebody who cares.  When I found you...I found love. When I found you…. I found the rest of my life. When I found you….I told all others good-bye. When I found you I saw my fears fly away like a dove. When I found you I found love”

-“I found love” by BeBe and CeCe Winnows

~~~~~~

“All to Jesus I surrender. All to Him I freely give. I will ever love and trust Him, In His presence daily live…..All to Jesus I surrender; Humbly at His feet I bow, Worldly pleasures all forsaken; Take me, Jesus, take me now……All to Jesus I surrender;
Make me, Savior, wholly Thine; Let me feel the Holy Spirit,
Truly know that Thou art mine…..All to Jesus I surrender;
Lord, I give myself to Thee;Fill me with Thy love and power;
Let Thy blessing fall on me….All to Jesus I surrender;
Now I feel the sacred flame……I surrender all,
I surrender all;All to Thee, my blessed Savior,
I surrender all.”

-“I Surrender All” by Judson W. Van DeVenter

~~~~~

           These are the songs that I am listening to in the office. These are songs that I have heard a hundred times before, but never have they impacted me like they have today. Listening to the African instrument accompaniment, and even just hearing them while I am serving my Lord over here, gives them a new meaning for me. Today these songs touch me as they never have before. The first two pierce my heart as they remind m that I’m not alone. That my Heavenly Father is here with me, looking out for me, and loving me through everything. These songs remind me that this summer was planned long before my birth,  and that He has held my heart since before the world began. 

           The last named song, sets my heart on fire as I once again think about the work God has ordained for me, and once more “surrender all”. Listening to this song, I have once more vowed my life, love, and faithfulness to Him for as long as I live.  This song is an epic reminder to me of Who I am serving, why I am serving Him, and what I need to do with my life.

         This song also reminds me that life is short, but eternity is everlasting. The way I live my life determines the way I live my eternity.  As a Christian, I need to live for eternity. I need to live as though each day were truly my last. I need to live I such a way as to prepare myself to meet my Maker in the blink of an eye. So once more, that brings me back around to my call; because I vow to live for eternity, I also vow to serve the Lord in Africa for as long as He has need of me! Whenever He calls me back, I know that I will once more leave all that I have to come kneel before the throne of my King.

“For the glory of God!”

“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own”

1 Corinthians 6:19

Day 4: Lusaka houses 1-2

            Well, today was day 4 in Zambia. Apparently Tuesdays-Fridays are the ‘real’ work days while Mondays are slower days that are used for running errands, grocery shopping, taking inventory, and bookkeeping. So we interns didn’t have anything to so all morning. Finally, around noon, we went and did our own grocery shopping while we waited for the kids to get out of school.

            So, after we got back to the office we waited around until the kids were out of school, then we all heading down to meet some of our Lusaka kids.  Seeing these kids struck a totally different feeling in my heart.  The Chongwe houses are out in the country with plenty of space, and they appear to be a little more well off then these sweet children in Lusaka. The part of Lusaka that homes 1 and 2 (the one’s we visited today) are located in, is the more run down, poor, part of town. Walking through the streets there is litter, glass, and dogs everywhere. Children run ramped through the streets, children in dirty, torn, occasionally oversized cloths, children who look like they have not had a bath in months!

            Then when we met our kids they were shy, and hesitant to open up. Behind their smiles I sense their pain and sorrow. This pain and sorrow I did not see in the long term Changwe kids. This is the pain of their loss and all they've been through since. Seeing such deep pain in the eyes of these children..and some of them being very young, yanks on my heart strings and makes me ache for them! I just want to take them in my arms and wash away all that pain, but I know that only God can do that.

             Today I saw first hand the hurt, impoverishment, and need that these people have, and it made me all the more resolute in my promise to follow through with God’s call, and reach out to the needy in Africa. Clearly God has called me to work with African orphans, and nothing can be more clear to me then that the only thing for me to do with my life is be here among these people, on the continent of Africa for as long as I can be of service to my King and the orphans. God has given me my marching orders and as a soldier of Christ, I go. Into the battle, into the fray, wherever He deems, lead me He may!

                                    “For the glory of God!!”

The heart of God’s plan

          Sitting at the café today and looking out the window at the market square, I was filled with love for these people and this culture. For 9 years, I have dreamt and prayed about this day. I have asked God a hundred times over to please give me the strength and the courage to leave all that I have and go to Africa.

          I have always loved this land, and have known from the start that because He called me here He would sustain me, but never in my life have I felt such a covering of peace, love, comfort, and protection over my life as I do here in this country. God truly is with me; leading me and guiding. Though I am in a strange place, I know that am in the country that God created me for, serving the people He has ordained me to serve, loving the orphans He has called me to love, and embracing the culture that He has predestined me to be part of.

That is why Africa is part of me. Ever since my call, I have been African down to the very core of my being. For years I have longed for and prayed for this day, and now that I am here, I know that there is no other place in the world that I would rather be this summer, then here. For here in this little country of Zambia, is the heart of God’s plan for me. The first stepping stone towards His ultimate plan for me. I have taken the first step, and am now on a winding pathway towards my destiny. There is no turning back. So here I am now, embracing His will, following His plan, fulfilling His call. I have embarked on the journey of a lifetime, the first trip of many. The final step towards complete submission to His will…..Zambia.

                                 “For the gory of God!!”

“Then you will look and be radiant, your heart will throb and swell with joy;”

Isaiah 60: 5

Day 3: My first Sunday in Zambia

         Well, today was my first Sunday in Africa, and due to not being able to find out what time church starts, we elected to go to the café instead while we search the internet to find the right time. We asked a couple people, and each of them said a different time so rather then walk in late, where everybody will already notice us since we’re Americans, we all went to the café where I was again able to Skye my family.

        My sweet parents and sister have gotten up at 1am for two days to see me, and this morning my grandma and one of my brothers joined them. It has been so sweet and special to me to get to see their faces again. I am so blessed to have family like them who are wiling to get up at 1am to see me.

           One of the things I discovered today, is that it’s not uncommon for the public restrooms to run out of toilet paper. Something that seldom happens back in the states, yet the workers did not seem surprised or taken aback but it. They acted as though that is a common occurrence. Then I discovered that some people leave their bathroom stalls unlocked, so that people like me think those stalls are vacant! Very embarrassing!

         After we left the café, we went to the Mandahill mall where we walked around for awhile, looking at all the stores. When we were ready to head home for the night we called our taxi driver, only to discover that he had forgotten he had to pick us up and was headed out to Changwe…which is about a 30 minute drive from Lusaka.

              After our Zambian director had called anther driver for us, we sat around waiting nearly an hour for him. When he finally got to Mandahill mall, we went through several calls trying to help him understand where we were. Finally, during the last call he abruptly hung up and my fellow intern Christina was angrily telling us he had hung up when we turned around only to find him standing there. Apparently while he was talking he had see us standing there and had hung up since he’d found us. Then while he was taking us home, we got him so confused on where to go that we had to again call our director for directions to the college where we are staying. So that is how my interesting day in the city of Lusaka went today.

           I have to say, I found it really neat to see how far God has brought these people, and how much technology has impacted their lives. God is such a huge part of these people’s lives, and it has been amazing for me to witness first hand how some of my fellow Christians in Africa worship our Creator. I now know that I will potentially learn a lot from these people, if I will just sit back and let God teach me. This summer is going to be a huge growing process for me, and I eagerly await each new lesson that the Lord is going to teach me.     

                                    “For the gory of God!!”

“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.”

Isaiah 60:1

Day 2: God’s little blessings…and a day at the cafe

          My sister Shaylah once told me that my blog posts are always long, and I have to say she’s right. Even being here for just 2 days, there is still too much to write about to do a short post. So hang with me, and enjoy this little glimpse of Africa

           Today is my second day as an EOH intern, and my first free day in this beautiful country.  I started the day by sleeping in till 9, and waking to the sounds of Africa. Waking up to these sounds both mornings since I’ve been here has been wonderful! I think these are some of the most beautiful sounds in the world!  Each morning, after I’m ready for the day, I have loved being able to walk outside and breath in the cool African breeze, and take in all the scenery of the college campus where we are staying.

         During these past 2 days God has pointed out so many simple, yet precious little blessings to me. So here is a ‘multitude Saturday’ about my life in Africa thus far.

        1. Waking up to the sounds of Africa right outside my door

        2. smiling children eagerly grabbing for my hand

        3. The peace and joy that God has given me

        4. The ever present feeling of God’s presence with me

        5. The way the sun’s golden beams peek through the silvery clouds and bask the distant mountain terrain in their light

        6.  The local café where we have internet….and consequently Skype!!!

         7. My sweet parents and sister getting up at 4am to Skype me

                             (Thank you guys!!! It was wonderful to see your faces and hear your voices again!! I love you bunches and bunches!!!! xoxoxo)

           8. My funny sister and her Facebook posts

               (You are too funny an ornery Shyloh!!)

        9. God’s loving hands and daily comfort

        10. The feeling of God’s satisfaction and joy in me..nothing like it in all the world!!!

           After we got up, we headed to the street mall ‘Arcade’, where we spent the rest of the day on the internet, Skyping and updating everyone back in the states. Overall, it was a really good day. I greatly enjoyed getting to see the city, the people, and the culture a little bit more. That is how we spent our first free day. Hopefully next time I blog I will have pictures for you. Blessings from Africa!

                                       For the glory of God!!

Day 1: a day in Changwe

           Earlier today, I had the privilege of meeting the sweet Changwe children that I will be working with this summer.  There are 56 children in the Changwe ‘My Father’s House’s’, but only 17 of them will be under my care.
           Hanging out with these precious children, I was struck by how attention seeking and love thirsty they are, when the sad occurance  came to e]me that these children have hardly ever felt the love of a real parent. For many of them, their parent’s died when they were very little, so that they have no recollection of  that kind of love at all. With this thought, arose a deep desire within me to show them a love more powerful then any earthy love; to show them God’s love.
         All of us interns spent the rest of the afternoon, running and playing with these sweet children, and overall getting to know them a little bit. All of my favorite things that happened today, happened in Changwe with those children. One of these memories was playing volley ball with the big kids while they attempted to teach us their karate movies, all while keeping the ball in the air and chanting this awesome Nonga chant every time the ball hit the ground within the designated circle. That was super fun!
        Shortly after we arrived Obed, one of the older boys in the group, came up to Kate and asked her how it was possible that Christiana ( both of these girls are 2 of my team mates), could be both black and American. So it was after lot of confusion, that Obed went up to Christina and proceeded to ask her if a heavy amount of snow in Texas was what made her skin a lighter color then his. Later on, he again came up to Christina, and this time asked her if his skin would be lighter if he lived in he states too.  That boy is too funny! Of course, the whole team got a kick out of that. Even Christina.
             Later on, towards evening, I was sitting with some of the little girls when one of them, Precious, asked me if she could cut my hair. Of  course, I promptly and politely declined, and instead we all went and played “My Pony”.
      Hanging out with these sweet orphaned little ones, made my heart soar  to think that I was doing to very thing that God had called me to do: work with the orphans. My heart was filled to overflowing with the joy, peace, and love that was quickly flooding in. And the overpowering sense of God’s presence was amazing. It is absolutely incredible to know that we will be caring for the very people group that God solemnly promises to protect and preserve.
       To know that God’s special presence dwells with these very little ones that we will be ministering to makes me stand in awe. To think that we will be “partnering” with Jehovah Jirah this summer, totally makes all the sour emotions, and hard times that we will go through absolutely worth it %100!! So again, it is with eager expectations that await the works and the wonders that God will perform through us and in us!!!  For the glory of God!!!

“I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, and nothing can be taken from it. God does it, that men should fear before Him.”

Ecclesiastes 3:14

The beautiful side of love…loving with all your worth

         “Auntie Katy, auntie Katy!” The children all screamed as we pulled into the Changwe ‘My Father’s House’ community. 56 children surrounded the van in a screaming haze of excitement, all eager to hug ‘auntie Katy’.  By the time I was able to get out, the children had become aware of the new interns’ presence and were just as eager to meet us as they were to see Katy again.
        Stepping out of the van, I found myself surrounded by beautiful,smiling faces, and outstretched hands, and my heart immediately melted. As I gave out hugs, and shook hands, my heart quickly filled with love for these precious children who are obviously still hungry for love. From that moment on, I knew exactly why the Lord saw fit to place me here at this time in my life. I am here to love these children with the love with which Christ loves His children. I am here to show these children God’s love; a love that some of them may have never known before.
      God has shown me many things today. For starters, He has shown me how to love with all that I am worth, to rejoice with other’s joys, and to ache for the sufferings and losses of other’s.  Through all this, He has shown me a whole new side to the beauty of His creation. He has shown me how He is in all nations, planting churches in all cultures, with followers of all nationalities. But most of all, He has shown me the beautiful side of love.  He has shown me His love more vividly then ever before!

“The Lord has made all for Himself…..”

Proverbs 16:4

Zambia!!!!

          Well, we’ve landed in Zambia! We are officially in Africa!! The things that I was feeling coming off that plane and taking my first step onto African soil was the most overwhelming feeling I’ve ever felt. To know that I am finally in the land that God has called me to, in the place He ordained for my summer, standing in the center of His land for me is an amazing feeling!! 

           Somehow, stepping onto that last plane, arriving here, and going through everything up to right now, feels like daja vue.  Watching the scenery go by on our way to our dorms, even in the dark, everything looked exactly like I had ever imagined. Nothing felt unusual, out of place, weird, or new to me. It all felt like this was normal, that this was how things are supposed to be. So I guess one could say, everything feels the way God wants them to feel.

         It is such a reassuring, calming, peaceful feeling that washes over me and floods my entire being, as I think back to my calling and then look at where I am today, and realize that I am in the first step to completing that call.  I am finally in the heart of God’s plan for me, as I am stepping out to start my fulfillment of His divine purpose! Tonight, as I sit here in Africa, I am following through with my commitment to God: completing my promise to go where he leads!!!

                  

                 “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?”…..

                    ”Here am I! Send me.”       

        Isaiah 6:8

(for the record, this picture is not mine, it is the courtesy of Flickr. I was unable to get any pictures at the airport, but I wanted all of you to be able to see what we saw. I will hopefully have some of my own pictures to post in the next few weeks! )

To Zambia or bust!!!!!

          Well, I am on my last leg of the flight that will take me to Africa!!!!!  Even as I write, I am sitting in the plane, 3 1/2 hours away from South Africa. From there, we go straight to Zambia! We will land in Zambia at 8:30pm, and we’ll be to our lodgings by 11pm tomorrow night in Zambian time…which translates to 2pm in California time. Friday morning I will wake up in Africa!!!!
          Training went good. We learned all about the Zambian culture, including several new phrases in one of  the their languages, the proper ways of showing respect and so much more!!!! I have gotten to know my teammates, and am so excited to see what the Lord will do with us, in us, and through us!
           Right now, I am filled with such a  joy, and peace as I have never known before!!!!  I am so eager to be there, and have this calling fulfilled. The thought of serving my Lord in the pace that He has ordained for me, is more exciting then I have ever thought possible!!! 
             Listening to all the stories about how God brought each of us to this place, only confirm to me that He truly is in control of the situation, leading and guiding us in the way He would have us go. Directing us to the place and responsibilities He would have us go and do. God truly is in control, and this summer will be one crazy, amazing journey, as we learn more about our great God, as or faith grows, miracles are performed, and lives are changed..all by the power of God!!!
            It is with eager anticipation that I await the works that He will do,  and the wonders that He will perform in my life, and the lives of the others around me! Now  we go forth as 4 interns, 4 warriors for Christ, and 4 ambassadors for our King…all for the glory of God!!!!

              “….all the days ordained for me, were written in Your book, before one of them came to be.”

  Psalm 139:16

To Zambia on cake pops

    Well, I’m officially on my way to Africa. God did it. He is bringing me to Zambia on cake pops! I started to write on the way to Texas, but my laptop died and things have been so busy I haven’t had a chance to blog since I’ve been here. So, here it is 11:30 pm, and I’m sitting in Texas listening to a mix of thunder and “The power of our God” by Natalie Grant.  As I sit here listening, I am struck by how true the words are. I mean, I still cannot believe I m sitting in Texas on my first day of training, less then 36 hours away from being in Africa! To me it is crazy that God could bring me this far….from a dream, to reality. From leading me to go, to leading me there! It’s absolutely amazing! That truly is the power of our God!

     Never has spiritual warfare been more real to me then these past two weeks. For years I have been ecstatic to go follow my God, and do His work in Africa, yet now that I am 1 1/2 away from that ,I am suddenly filled with doubts. I know that is nothing more then warfare. I am still filled with peace, excitement, and joy at what I’m about to do, but I can honestly say it has not been easy. I have ever felt more lonely, sad, and frustrated then I am now.  Yet I know that this is what it will take to get me in God’s will and to get my walk where He wants it to be. One thing I keep having to remind myself of tonight is that ‘there are no goodbyes in Christ. Only farewells.” (Eric Liddell)

          So tonight, after a tearful good night to my family, I once more sought refuge in my Lord, and He has once more come near and comforted me. My peace and joy has been renewed. I can once more say I am  looking forward to what God has for me this summer. I know it is going to be an amazing, life changing experience. Thank you so much for all of you who have helped bring me here, and ensure that I could obey my Master and fulfill this call. For the glory of God!!

  “My sweet family, I love you guys and look forward to seeing you again! Thank you for always praying for me and supporting me. You guys have been wonderful throughout this whole process! Love you bunches!!!! <3<3”

“There are no goodbyes in Christ. Only farewells.”

Eric Liddell

 (I wrote this on the plane, but did not have internet to post it until today. )