This is my last week at home in Missouri. My last week sleeping in my own bed. My last week seeing familiar faces every day.
My last week on American soil…for 11 months.
11 months. 47 weeks. 334 days. 8,035 hours. 482,120 minutes.
(You get the picture…it’s kind of a long time)
My emotions are crazy right now. One minute I’m talking nonstop about this journey because I’m so excited, the next I’m literally shaking because I’m terrified.
I’ve been stressing about trying to fit everything that I need for the next 11 months into a 65 liter backpack. I’ve been stressing about how many deodorants to bring, if I should bring an extra pair of jeans, if I need lice shampoo.
I’ve been stressing about the limited amount of time that I have to play with my niece and hold my new nephew. Stressing about spending enough time with the people that mean the world to me, laughing and making enough memories to last me 11 months. Stressing about seeing my friends before I leave and reminding them how grateful I am to have them.
I’ve come to the realization::
Yes, I will forget to pack something that I think I ‘need’.
Yes, I will get homesick and miss certain people so much that it hurts.
Yes, I will miss out on memories that are made without me.
But I’m choosing to look past all of that.
I’m choosing to give it all to God and focus on the task at hand.
I’m choosing to love the people that I am serving and the team(s) that I am serving with.
I’m choosing to deny myself and take up my cross daily to follow God.
Jesus said to His disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? Matthew 16:24-26
In a few short days I’ll be flying to Atlanta to reunite with my squad (A Squad) and fly to Puerto Barrios, Guatemala where we will serve for the month with Shofar Ministries.
http://shofar-ministries.com/sm/
Please keep us all lifted up in prayer as we say our goodbyes and leave our homes to go out into the Nations to proclaim the Gospel.
Also, I’m almost 50% funded!!! Thank you to everyone who has partnered with me financially and prayerfully!!
My next deadline is April 1st.
If you feel led to donate please click the link “Give” on the left side of the page or send a check to:
Adventures in Missions
PO Box 534470 Atlanta, GA 30353
(Be sure to include my name on the memo line)
or
Jorden Phillips
6245 E Gilpin Rd Ashland, MO 65010
(My mom will make sure it gets into my account)
Stay up to date with my blog posts by subscribing to email updates on the left side of the page!!
I love you all!!!
Guatemala, here comes ‘A’ Squaaaaaaad!!
