It's really hard to not think about everything that needs to be done and all the money that must be raised every second of every day. There are days when I despair and think that there is simply no way that I can do this. I don't have enough money. My friends don't have enough money. My family doesn't have enough money. Then my mind switches to everything that needs to be done. Go to the doctor. Try and make time for friends and family. Spend more money at REI than I ever thought possible.
Then God spoke to me out of Job 38. Many people read this passage and they veiw God as a loud and overpowering entity who wants to put Job in his place. That was how I used to read this; now I read this passage as being reassuring. God is trying to show Job that he is in control and there is nothing that can get in the way of God's plan.
"Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
Tell me, if you have understanding."
"Have you an arm like God,
and can you thunder with a voice like his?"
God is not like us; he does not see the impossible. He sees us striving to do that which is impossible without him. These are our greatest moments. These are the moments that clearly point to the power and strength of the Almighty God. They are the reason for our existance- to bring glory to God.
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."
Jeremiah 29:11
I always read this verse focusing on the fact that God has a plan for me forgetting how miraculous that plan is. He plans to make us whole; he is going to fill that void inside of us that we have been trying to fill for so long on our own. And for so long we have been failing to make ourselves complete. Second, his plan for wholeness takes us away from evil. We had been living our lives either embracing evil or running from it and never being able to get away. God has released us from the hold that evil had on our lives. That brings us to the next part of the plan… We get a future and a hope. Both of these are given to us from the blood of Jesus Christ. Outside of him, we have nothing. We are nothing.
The impossible has already been done when God reconciled us to himself. Next to this amazing feat, what is really impossible? This trip is not impossible. The sum of money is not impossible. The buying of and paying for gear is not impossible. The prayer support is not impossible. The safety of our team is not impossible. The impact on our lives and the lives of those people we will encounter is not impossible. With Jehovah God, nothing is impossible.
That being said, here is a little update on what's going on with my fundrasing and such.
God has provided $3,377! Praise be! That is only $123 away from my first deadline.
I have also been given a tent by some dear family friends and it is awesome!
This is my tent set up in my living room.
Through an REI garage sale, I was able to purchase a sleeping bag for considerably less than it should have been.
I have since purchased a sleeping pad and spent the night in the living room testing them out.
I woke up a lot that night but not for a lack of comfort. I expect it was just because I'm not yet used to it.
Finally, I have a cedar chest that my grandfather made for me in my bedroom.
They are commonly refered to as "hope chests" and girls are supposed to fill them with things for when they get married.
However, mine has recently been overtaken with World Race gear. The smaller items, that is.
It is so exciting to think of all that God has provided in the past couple of months and I can't wait to see what He still has in store.
