Pray for: My Family Abroad

     I mentioned in my post a few days ago that through all of this I have gained a family. When Africa was first on the radar, something I really desired was to be in a family setting. I have a five-star family here in the states and I wanted more than anything to be in a similar environment while serving in Africa. While I am in Ethiopia, I will be living with a family of four: Jon and Jess and their two kiddo's. I was blessed to get to meet them mid-February and have felt like they were my family ever since. I have spent a week with their siblings while training in Mississippi: LOVED them! Over the past two weeks I have spent some time with their parents: LOVED them, too! How great is our God that He would meet my desire to have a family abroad so abundantly.

       Today, as my family in Ethiopia is nearing the city where they will pick me up, please be in prayer specifically for them! What a joy it has been to get to know them over the past seven months, and my prayer is that the next twelve or so are as much of a blessing as the first few.

       Pray specifically for:

• Transition as a family: we are all excited about what this will mean for each of us, but still pray that the transition goes smoothly.
• For the kids: that we will grow together and have great adventures along the way, but that as they adjust to a new adult in their family that it would be a natural and fun transition.
• Our service: pray that God would provide opportunities for each of us to serve independently and as a family, and that in those opportunities we would know how to best support and build up one another.  
• Praise God for bringing me to this family, and for their willingness to serve not only the people of Ethiopia but me in my time there. Pray that God would bless them abundantly as they continue to give of themselves in order to further the kingdom of God.

Pray for: Safe Travels

Two. Days. Left.

       Today, please be in prayer for safe travels on this excursion.

For my travels:

• Pray that maneuvering the airports goes smoothly and that my flights all go according to plans.
• Pray that the departure is a time of great joy and vision of opportunity. 
• Because of the time difference, I'll leave early morning our time and arrive "25 hours" later their time--pray that I'd be able to rest on the plane and be ready to face the day upon arrival.

For my Ethiopian family's travels:

• Pray for my family in Ethiopia as they travel to the city to pick me up, that things would go smoothly for them and they make good time.  
• Begin praying now for our travels down to Chencha early next week.

    Pray that in all things, that God's hedge of protection would be around each of us as we travel.

      

Pray for: ME!

       What a journey these last seven months have been, and what a journey the next phase will be! It is easy to make this whole thing sound like a walk in the park, and in comparison to many people's experiences, my preparations to leave have been. However, there have been days I have wanted to quit, days I have struggled with my own emotions over leaving, as well as tried to carry the emotions of others, days when I struggled to make the people I love understand WHY I have to do this, and days I took on the guilt of the world because of time that I'll miss while I'm gone. I have gotten overwhelmed by the details, stressed over things far beyond my control, and missed countless opportunities to turn to God for what I needed.

Just keeping it real here.

 

       Through all of the ups and downs, I have found myself to be blessed. Yes, there have been times that preparing for this new phase of life was not easy, and yet, when did God ever promise us that following Him would be? Beyond that though, I have had opportunities to open up a window into my heart for the world to see. I have been able to share my deepest passion and craziest dream with the people that I love most. I have been able to watch God at work in my everyday life and observe Him personally putting the pieces of my life's puzzle together. I have gotten to meet and share with so many more people than I ever would have had the opportunity to before. I have been able to watch firsthand how God's people come together to support something that God lays on their hearts. I have gained family and gotten closer to friends. Most importantly, I have been given opportunity after opportunity to put my faith in God and watch as He did a great work with it.

 

       Today, as I continue to go through the roller coaster that is mission work, I am asking you to pray for me personally. I leave in 3 days, 7 hours, and some change. I cannot even begin to imagine, much less describe, all that I will experience in that amount of time, but know that your prayers make a difference!

• Pray that I would continue to be overwhelmed with God's peace in this great change that is on the horizon.
• Pray that my transition into the Ethiopian lifestyle goes smoothly without too many embarrassing flubs on my part ;)
• Pray that I would have patience as I enter a culture where time-frames are not a thing, and that I would not be discouraged when things don't happen right away.

 

And as always, pray as you feel led. I'm giving you creative freedom to take the gaps and run with them. You're welcome. :)

 


Pray for: Relationships

      Mom suggested I keep things simple today. Pray for the people of Ethiopia because they have NO idea what they have coming. :) As valuable as her insight was, we will take it just a tad bit deeper.

     God created us to be relational, to need people, to need to connect and bond with others around us. I am very much a "relationships have a purpose" person--I take quality over quantity and invest all that I can into the people I am blessed to have in my life. Now there are two completely different sides to this prayer request. In my time in Africa I will be building new relationships daily, and for those I will ask you to pray for opportunities to share Christ with people. Then there are the relationships that are established here in the states, the ones that, at least for the next year, will take on a completely different status. Right now, the transition seems to be a natural part of going onto the mission field, but I'm sure in about 6 months (or less), it'll be difficult as connecting won't be quite as simple as it is here in the US, and I'll want to share life and experience that cannot possibly be relayed.

      Today, I'll ask you to pray for my relationships: both at home and abroad.

At Home...

• Pray that my close friends and family members and I would stay connected and not lose the value of the relationships we share
• Pray that we would continue to support one another, and pick up where we left off when I get back
• Pray that God would use this year to mold each of our lives and give us all a desire to seek Him first and our earthly relationships second. 

Abroad...

• Pray for me that I would be open minded and yet wise about the people I allow into my life and the people's lives I invest in
• Pray that God would open doors with the people of Ethiopia, young and old, to share the Gospel, and pray that I would be confident and bold in doing so.
• Pray that the language barrier would not be a hurdle, and that I'll pick up on the language quickly!!
• Pray that God would bless me with one or two GOOD friends to be in community with

Beyond that, pray as our Heavenly Father leads you in regards to the way this trip will affect relationships both at home and abroad. 

Pray for: Dad and Mom

      My parents. I could write for pages about how amazingly wonderful they are, but that would not really help you know how to pray for them. For the sake of keeping things short and sweet, let me just say I could not have been more blessed in the Dad and Mom dept. From day one they raised me to love and follow God. They did not know all those years ago that that would mean putting me on anairplane  on course for Ethiopia, but I have no doubt the lessons would have remained the same. It takes strong people to say "OK" to what I am getting ready to do, to be content in sending a piece of themselves across the ocean for a while, but their faith in God's plan is far greater than any reservations they may come across.

       If you are already a parent, then I don't think you need any direction in how to pray. Lift Mom and Dad up to The Lord in the areas that you would want somebody to lift you up.

       My mom has declaired 1 Thess. 5:16-18 as her life verse during this new phase.

                                  

For my parents, please pray that:

• They would be strong and support one another as they make this adjustment together
• Pray that God would give them an extra does of strength to support Emma and Noah 
• Pray that they would continue to hold fast to the charges in 1 Thess. 5:16-18
• Pray that fear and the distance between us would not be a struggle, but a reason to turn to God and seek comfort in His ever present love 

Pray for: Siblings

     It is less than a week away. Seven days from this very moment I will be in an airplane over the ocean well on my way to the year of my dreams. So with the last seven days before my departure, I want to ask you to join me in prayer as you have been so faithful to do. Each day I'll be highlighting a different area for you to focus on specifically, as you feel lead throughout the day. 

     Today, I'm feeling a particular pull on my heart towards my siblings: Jacob, Holly, Emma, and Noah. 

• Pray that they would understand the why?
• Pray that God would be so very real to them during this year. 
• Pray that our relationship would continue to be as tight-knit was we are now, maybe just in a different way. 
• Pray that they would adjust well to the new family dynamic.
• Pray that they would be one another's biggest supporters. 
• Pray for me as I experience life apart from them, and all that goes along with that. 

 I believe with all my heart that the best gift our parents ever gave us was each other. We go through the typical ups and downs of being brothers and sisters, but at the end of the day I could not dream of a life without them. Lift them up to The Lord with me today, because after all, this decision to GO affects so many more people than just me. 

To Him be Glory

     Single digits. With 9 (yes, you read that correctly: NINE) days to go things in my life have slowed down considerably. I have let go of all of my responsibilities and am taking the last week to spend with my family and tie up loose ends. With that slow down I've had time to process my thoughts and return after over a month without posting here. Finding something to post about was easy this time, it pretty much slapped me in the face last night and I was like--GOD MOMENT. Must share.

 

       With so few days left I have been reflecting on and thinking back over the 7 months of preparation that has brought me to this point. During this time of reflection, whether it be at the stoplight on my way to work or as my final thoughts of the day pass through before drifting off to sleep, I have been reminded of so many details both large and small in which my only response remains "to Him be the glory".

 

 

        The largest area in which I struggled to give control over to God was when it came to money matters. When Ethiopia came onto my radar and I had committed to traveling there, my family in Ethiopia helped me figure out how much money I would need to meet my needs while in
Africa. The number: $14,000. Now to a girl who just graduated college, this seemed to be an astronomical number, which had a lot to do with my reluctance to give God the reigns. How in the world was $14,000 going to fall out of the sky? God said to me, "Child, I have brought you this far. Don't you know I'll make sure your every need is met? Put your faith in me." Well, now with roughly $17,000 and counting I am wondering why I ever doubted that the money would be there. God did not just meet my needs, He provided far more than I ever could have imagined, and He continues to provide! Each and every dollar that comes in now goes beyond my personal needs to God's plan for me while I'm there. I am overjoyed as I continue to watch hearts soften to the need to further God's kingdom in Ethiopia. I am overwhelmed to think of all the ways I can bless people because of people here that have and continue to choose to give. God has a plan for each and every dollar He provided, and all I can say is "to Him be the glory".

   

        Looking back on the past 7 months, I think of the people that God has allowed me to share my faith with here simply because of what He will have me do in the coming year. People at the churches I have been to, where I have been able to share with them a passion to spread the gospel. Random people in the store who have commented on the copious amounts of stuff I was buying--ever shopped in advance for a whole year? The man at the phone store. The lady at the post office when I got my passport. My eye doctor and dentist. Random people I talk to who ask me what I'm doing now that I graduated. The list goes on and on. What a great opportunity to share my faith and open that door with family, friends, and complete strangers. To Him be the glory.

 

        My family. Let's talk about them. I have my parents, 2 brothers, a sister, and a sister-in-law. When we are all home together our house erupts with laughter. Of all the things I enjoy in life, my family is at the top of the list and laughter comes shortly thereafter. I come from a close knit family, so naturally this up and coming change (while extremely exciting) will mean some days of wishing we were all together again. I try to always embrace time with my family, but here recently I have worked on taking in each moment. As we sit around the table for dinner and join hands to pray together I get this surreal feeling like, if it were not for these people and the faith that they poured into my life, I would not be the person I am, nor would I be traveling across the world following the calling of a lifetime. This love, these roots of mine..... To Him be the glory.

 

       Suitcases. I can fly with two large suitcases maxing out at 50lbs. Today I began packing my bags. And by began I mean, my plan was to begin, but reality is I was so excited about doing it that I ended up packing everything but my carry on! If only we had pictures of the bag-weighing process. 'Twas quite a show! I hopped on the scale as Mom hoisted the bag onto my back. I stood there hunched over like a turtle only to discover that bag numero uno was just at 50lb. Onto bag #2. I filled it up with nearly all the items I needed and once again hoisted it up to weigh. 43lbs.. Phew. I made the cut-off. With all the items left to stuff I'll be right at my limit. Post packing, there are two things on my mind... First, I'd love to meet the man who came up with the 50lb. max and give him a little talking to (I say man because no woman in her right mind would put a weight limit on luggage). Second, I am praising God that all the items I need for a year weigh a total of only 100lbs. To Him be the glory.  

 

     Four scenarios, all completely different, in which I find myself looking to God and praising Him for the ways He is in control of every detail both large and small. I return once again to Eph. 3:20-21

 

 "Now to Him that is able to do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine, according to His power

that is at work within us, to Him be the glory."