I leave in 2 days... 2 DAYS!!! Yup that's right and it doesn't feel like it's that close at all. I feel like Just yesterday I got the call saying that the internship program was cancelled and just a week ago I learned I had been hired as an intern. Well that didn't happen yesterday but it wasn't even 4 weeks ago that all these plans changed and the 4 of us became a team instead of interns.
God can make crazy things happen in the time span of 4 weeks. Just this afternoon I learned that God has brought in almost $45,000! That's almost 8 and a half houses! Crazy isn't it?!? If we are able to raise just a little bit more money we will be able to spend the ENTIRE summer building houses! YAY! God is so good and He WILL provide! And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus ~ Philippians 4:19
Two weeks ago I was given the opportunity to speak to my old youth group about Casas por Cristo and what my team is wanting to do in Juarez this summer. I never have had a fear of public speaking, actually it's quite the contrary. I love giving speeches, I love when I'm assigned a presentation, and I love talking to people yet this time something was different. I got nervous, really nervous and for a second wanted to back out. It had to be Satan. I know for a fact that he was trying to stop me from spreading the news about how God works in people's lives. Thankfully There was a worship song right before I was scheduled to speak and it helped me be able to focus on Jesus. But then I was introduced and got in front of a bunch of high schoolers that I don't even know and the nerves came rushing back. Thankfully I know that we can go to our father in times of need and He will be there for us. When we are weak, He is strong! I was clearly so very weak at that point so I asked everyone to join me in prayer and God took over from there. I can't tell you what happened after that really. I had planned points I wanted to say and verses I wanted to use and I had a slideshow to use as a tool. If you asked me to repeat what I said I couldn't. I do know that a lot of things flowed better than I'd expected and most importantly some of the high schoolers were moved to action. I had people wanting to know more and wanting to help. Granted they are in high school and probably don't have much money and their parents won't let them come to Juarez to build with us this summer, God was able to plant and water seeds in their heart that I hope will grow into a beautiful passion to serve His people.
This past week an amazing source of support fell into my lap. I grew up going to Mount Pleasant Christian Church. Throughout my years I've seen the church "send people off" to go into Missions. When they send people off they bring them in front of the church and have people of the congregation come and lay hands on them and pray for them. I remember thinking at a young age that it was so cool that these older men and women were going off to travel the world and how awesome it would be to be up there about to go across the world and do something for God. At that age it was purely selfishness of course cause looking back I had just wanted the attention and the opportunity to travel. Forward like 7 years after I've grown in my relationship with God and realized that missions is all about serving Him and is an overflow of worship. I get a call this week from Rob Weisbach (one of the leaders of the mission trips I've been on to Mexico before) and he tells me that Mount Pleasant wants to help give the money for a house and send me off at church on Sunday. I didn't really know what to expect at all but I found the Chris Philbeck (our pastor) before the church service and he kinda told me how it was gonna go down. At the end of service they started talking about missions and my heart started beating really fast... nothing quite like seeing your name and mission field up on a powerpoint slide in front of the congregation. Chris called me down and of course I would trip up the stairs due to a deadly combination of nerves and a poor shoe choice. Chris asked for friends, family, youth coaches, or anyone who has been on a mission trip with Casas before to come join me in the front for prayer and I can say that there is nothing more encouraging than being prayed for with the people who have impacted your life the most. I want to thank each and every one of you who did come to support me Sunday morning and who will be praying all summer long. It brings me to tears knowing how much you all love and support me in this mission to make Jesus' name famous in Juarez, Mexico.
OK I've rambled on long enough for this post and I have lots to still do before I leave which technically is TOMORROW since it's just after midnight... weird...
Pray ~ That I do not get brought down and discouraged by Satan.
No comments:
Post a Comment