Inhale. Exhale. Repeat.

     Oh what an experience the past 48 hours have been. Yesterday morning was the first I heard about the threat of snow in our area, and within minutes of hearing the news I found myself in a state of frustration. Why then, would something that I usually LOVE prove to be such a nuisance? Because I had plans of my own.

       In preparing for my trip, the plan has always been that I would meet the family that I will be living with in Ethiopia the day I hop off the plane in August; however, just a few weeks ago I got an e-mail that they would be in the states and passing through the area for a few days. Their trip here was unexpected and totally a God thing! Excitement set in faster than I could blink, and we decided on meeting up tonight. I have been eagerly awaiting this day since I Sharpied it onto my calendar. Naturally then, my frustration with the impending snow hit me like a ton of bricks. With all that is in me I wished away the flurries. I spent all last night checking the forecast, looking at the radars, and wishing that the weather man was wrong. He wasn't. When I saw the first flake fall this morning I fell once again into the trap of worry.

      During this time I had to remind myself to inhale, exhale, and repeat. This was out of my control. The weather is so far beyond my spectrum of influence and there was nothing at all I could do about it. What a scary feeling to have. Knowing that my plans, my once and done opportunity to meet my host family, could be pulled out from under me and I had no power over the situation. Inhale. Exhale. Repeat. That's all I could do.

       I was reminded of my mom's favorite verse... a verse that softly filled my heart when I stopped worrying for long enough to let it enter.

 

      As the case has been time and time again, God worked out the details and I was able to travel home to meet the Bridges (my host family).  Their unexpected trip home, the opportunity to meet, and being able to get to know one another before touching down in Africa were all such God things. I felt very good about them just through our e-mail conversations, but after getting to meet them in person I am even more eager for all that the next year will hold. 

 

     If I'm being completely honest, I was almost as nervous about getting to meet them as I was excited. However, within just a few minutes of meeting, I felt like we had known each other for years; all of the "what ifs" faded into nothingness. I cannot wait to be a part of what is going on over there, and now I am even more eager than ever to embrace the Ethiopian lifestyle. Tonight I am feeling very blessed by how the evening turned out. What an experience it has been. All I can say is: to God be the glory!

 

Now only 175 odd days until I board the plane to rejoin this fabulous family of four.... but who's counting?    

 





From Him Alone

 

 



     Tonight, I had the honor of watching God at work once again. This time, He came in the form of peace and inspiration.

      I've said before that I know that this calling to missions is a God thing. Why? Because I have peace. My life is often controlled by fear of change. Though I hate to admit it, nearly every unfamiliar situation shakes the walls in my life. Simply said: I HATE CHANGE! So then, how do I explain the overwhelming peace and excitement I have about leaving all that I know to spend a year in a village in a country far from my own? The only, and I mean ONLY explanation is God. He began working in my heart years ago, giving me a love for a world I had never been to and people I had never met. He slowly opened the doors of my heart to the idea of serving on missions, and when the time came for His call, He had fully prepared me to go. I am ready to go, ready to follow His calling in my life. I am in awe of the peace that has taken root in every aspect of this trip. I serve a remarkable God--not only do I have peace about the journey ahead of me, I have a passion and excitement for it.

     Earlier this evening, I went to a dinner to raise support for The Forsaken Children. I heard the stories of the children whose lives are being changed day in and day out because of God's work through TFC. Nega, who is the hands and feet on the ground in Addis came and shared. He spoke about how this work has changed his life, as well as the lives of countless others. Nega has a passion for the street children of Ethiopia, I could see it in his eyes from the minute he began to speak. He lit up as he spoke about the children, and broke down as he told their stories of restoration. As if hearing Nega share his heart wasn't powerful enough, he concluded his talk with "as long as I live, I will serve the street children". That, my friends, is God at work in the life of an obedient servant.

     I went into the evening ready to absorb anything that I could about this organization that God has brought into my life. I was ready to immerse myself in the reality that the children that Nega talked about would be faces I will meet, people I have the opportunity to serve, hearts God will allow me to love. Within a year, these children will not just be faces, they will be friends.

      After hearing all that Nega shared about what is going on in Ethiopia, and all that Joe, the founder of TFC, had to say about the work in Africa, I am even more excited to go than ever before. I really did not think I could be more eager, and I was fully convinced that God could not equip me with a greater calm in going. And yet, He has proved His providence yet again.

Today I am praising God for paving the way for me, and thanking Him for inspirational people like Nega who live to serve.  

Passport in Hand

      

     Today I returned home to the greatest of all surprises: my passport! I did not expect it for another 5 or 6 weeks, but the minute I saw that envelope my heart began to race. The excitement that came with holding the unopened piece of mail, knowing the priceless worth that it held, and knowing how many doors it opened for me was enough to put a smile on my face and an extra skip in my step. I had not been home for more than 3 minutes and I had already run to every room in the house showing it off. I felt like a little girl on Christmas morning. There is just something about holding the power to take adventures that is unexplainable!

     Along with my excitement came yet another dose of peace and assurance as I am now another step closer to following God's call. Each and every detail seems to be working out; I know without a shadow of a doubt that I am doing exactly what I am supposed to be. God has been working in my heart for years, and I see it now more than ever. In a time when I should be scared to death about all that is changing, I am overjoyed and resting in the comfort of the One who is sending me. My sole fear at this point is taking bucket baths, which is a teeny tiny idea to get used to between now and August. God continues to amaze me each and every day. With each new discovery He proves to be laying the way. With each day that passes He proves to be holding me close as excitement grows and fears diminish. I serve an amazing God who has called me to do amazing things: what an honor to say that I am His.

     Tonight I'll fall asleep with a smile on my face and joy in my heart as I think about all that He has entrusted me to do.

A New Year

 

     It is 2:52am on New Years Day and I have just finished my support letter. Clearly I am welcoming 2014 in style. It seems only fitting to spend the first hours of the year working on the biggest thing I will be a part of this year. As I sit here in the wee hours of 2014, I think about all that this year will hold: my college graduation, my brother's wedding, my puppy's 10th birthday, and let's not forget that little thing I've taken on called a mission trip. What a year it will be. There is quite a bit of change on the horizon, and unlike most times where I cringe at the thought of even slight alterations to life, I find myself refreshingly excited about all that is to come. And with that, the countdown must begin.... Only about 215 days until I am Ethiopia bound.

Zero to Sixty

     Zero to sixty. That's how things feel like things are moving with all of my plans. A little over two weeks ago I was in a position where the whole mission trip thing was real, but it still seemed to be in the abstract. I knew that I was going, but I did not know much else. Since then frequent emails back and forth to Ethiopia have turned this abstract dream into a very REAL reality! Each and every email makes me feel closer and closer to the life God has called me to. With each new message I get a better peak into what my life will look like at this time next year. It is amazing to me how quickly life can change. This time last year, I only had a faint idea of where I would be heading after graduation (and as you already know, those plans bit the dust). I look at my life now, my life a year ago, and even my life two weeks ago and am in awe of how quickly we come to encounter newness. Though I am one who hates change and struggles daily with fear of the unknowns in life, I have a peace about perhaps the biggest change I have ever faced. At this point, I have no fears about what is to come, just a calm that can only come from the One who holds my future in His hands.

     In the Christmas season, as I think about how life can go from zero to sixty in the blink of an eye (or two weeks as my case may be), I cannot help but think of Mary. At this time of year we celebrate the miraculous birth of Jesus to a virgin woman called by God to mother the savior of the world. Talk about zero to sixty! One day she is going about her everyday life, and the next she is preparing to be the mother of Jesus. Was she afraid? Did she experience a sense of calm? Did she have any idea what her future held? That winters night as she and Joseph ventured to Bethlehem, she was still dealing with the abstract idea of what God had called her to, and yet later that evening she brought Jesus into the world, and all of the sudden her life was changed forever. Her abstract became a reality.

     This year, perhaps more than others, I can appreciate her side of the story. My situation is about night and day from hers. I'm following God's call to Ethiopia, not mothering the savior of our world. Yet, to some degree I feel like I can relate to Mary. Her life changed overnight, she faced the unknown and yet was still willing to trust His plan. I can only hope to follow God with the same grace and faith as Mary.

     I am sure that there will be bumps in the road, in fact, I rest assured that there will be hiccups along the way, but for now I am enjoying this phase of discovery and newness as I learn a little bit more each and every day about what the future looks like for me.

Welcome!

     Welcome to my mission blog, thank you for stopping by! I am so excited to share my journey with you. Let me start with a few basics on what I'm doing here.

     My main goal in keeping this blog is YOU! I want to share my experiences with you. For those who are currently supporting me, and for those who are considering joining the team, I want you to be a part of this journey and see what is happening through my eyes. I could not do any of this without you, and I want you to be able to experience a piece of what your support has made possible! Great things are and will continue to happen because of my prayer worriers and financial sponsors-- sit back and enjoy the ride along with me! I want to remember my experiences, remember how God is working, and be able to look back down the road and see how this amazing journey played out.

     You'll notice along the top of the screen there are some tabs that will take you to different pages. Be sure to check them out! The first tab, and perhaps the most important one for you to read is "My Story". Here you can read all about how God brought me to this point in life, along with the ups and downs that came along with the call. I have shared this story with many of you, but here you'll find perhaps a more in depth look at how the story has unfolded thus far. The next tab is "Giving 365". The basis of this tab is ways you can help. I will be gone for 365 days, so a fun goal for people who want to give is a breakdown of donations in increments of 365. I of course appreciate and can use any and all donations, the 365 is just a fun way to challenge people. Check it out, there are some fun ways you can help out!

     I am very excited about sharing my journey. Be sure to check back in often, and see what is going on. Keep up with prayer requests, find out how close we are to reaching my support goal, watch how God continues to work, and see how He chooses to use me when I reach my destination. The story is only just beginning, and I'm so glad you have chosen to be a part of it. Happy reading!