Hi dear family and friends!
I simply CANNOT believe how quickly the time is flying by! It is hard to believe that I will be at my training camp in Georgia in only 32 days, and I leave for my first destination in only 70 days!!! WOW where has the time gone?!? Just a little more than 2 short months and I will be learning how to adjust to missionary life, starting in Albania!
I want to take a second to say again how grateful I am for everyone that has stepped up alongside me thus far. Out of my $16,277 total fundraising goal, you have helped me raise over $7,000! This puts me way past my first deadline and SO close to my June deadline of $7,500! I am truly grateful for you, your generosity, and your open ears to the Holy Spirit’s leading. God has really been teaching me more about trust in Himself and in the body of Christ during this process, and my faith has been growing in new ways through it. So thank you, I wouldn’t be able to do this without you!
The realization that I am ACTUALLY doing this has been sinking in a little deeper with each passing day. I am beyond excited for this incredible year ahead and am thrilled to see what God will do, but I also need to be real with myself and others about how I’m processing all this. That being said, here are some ways (in no particular order) you can lift me up in prayer these next couple of months before I leave.
1. Pray for direction. It’s my desire that God would go before my team and I in every way as we step out: in our training, developing relationships, traveling, etc. I don’t want to move in any way disconnected from Him. I believe this year will be a prophetic launching pad for me, pushing me more directly toward my calling in Christ. I want to learn how to be so dependent on the Lord’s leading this year that every step is in line with where He has already laid out a path before me.
2. Pray for connection. It’s no secret that it can be harder to pursue relationship during busy seasons of life. This has been a busy season and when I’m not spending time with Jesus, it shows. Please pray for my heart to remain open and vulnerable to Jesus and for a steadfast hunger/discipline. Going on a missions trip doesn’t automatically make you closer to Jesus; spending time face-to-face with Him does, and I want to grow deeper in this area this year.
3. Pray for provision. As I stated above, I have been so blessed already. But the reality is I still have a ways to go! And on top of that are added expenses that I am personally budgeting for such as gear, vaccinations, and other travel expenses. Money has been a stronghold in my life at times, and I am learning how to lay that at Jesus’ feet and trust Him this year. I have also been pursuing some ideas for a worship night fundraiser, but really need some practical things to move forward for that to happen. Please pray for open doors!
4. Pray for the people. This is obviously a huge one, but I will keep it brief. I want to see peoples’ lives transformed by the power and love of Jesus this year, and I will! But with that comes opposition of the enemy. Satan hates that people will hear the gospel for the first time this year, get healed and set free, and turn their lives over to Jesus, and he will try all kinds of things to keep that from happening. Please pray for open hearts of the people we will be ministering to and a spirit of discernment as we face new people/situations every month. Jesus already has the victory!
5. Pray for boldness and confidence. I will tell you straightforward that I am NERVOUS for this year. Though that’s pretty normal, this is personally a big prayer request for me. I have dealt with a good amount of fear in the past: fear of failure, fear of the future, fear of rejection, fear of man. I have been delivered from a lot of it, but the enemy knows this is a past weakness and has really been going after this area of my life. I am confident that God is going to blow my mind with all the ways He will use me and change me, but I don’t want to fall back into old thought patterns of fear. It’s a waste of time, and I am MORE than a conqueror with the Holy Spirit on my side. Please pray for a strength that comes from Christ and a boldness not from myself but from the power of the Holy Spirit in me.
Thank you again, my awesome friends and fam. You are a blessing to me and I love you all!
-Kirsti =)
