It’s hard to believe we’re enjoying the LAST day of 2016 today. As I sit here and reflect on this past year, I can’t help but think of all the seasons I’ve gone through this year-the good times that were full of love and laughter with friends and family, the hard times I’ve experienced full of sadness and hurt, and I think of all the changes that I’ve gone through including starting a new job, moving out of the comfort of my own apt, and taking the huge step of faith to quit that new job, fundraise like CRAZY, put my life here on hold, and follow God’s calling which is going to take me across the world for the first 11 months of 2017 loving His people unconditionally like we so undeservingly receive. No matter what season I was in throughout this year, one thing has remained constant- God’s faithfulness. He continuously showed me that no matter what season I am in, he was there guiding me and loving me all the way.
So, what does 2017 look like? I will be stretched to my breaking point, I will have times of being extremely homesick, I will have times where I ask myself and God why the heck am I even doing this? BUT I will have MORE times of seeing God’s grace and beauty in full action, I will see him heal the blind and the sick, I will see him pour his unconditional love out on his people, I will gain new brothers and sisters in Christ. I will get to see people experience pure and joyful love like they’ve never experienced. I will see Him move mountains. I will grow in my own spiritual walk and learn how to rely even more on our Abba Father. I will be pulled even deeper into his sea of love… How rewarding and fulfilling that will be. I KNOW that God is going to do BIG things this year! I sit here in disbelief that the time has arrived for me to wrap things up here in America and begin packing because one week from today I’m boarding a plane to Atlanta and won’t be coming home until next November. This time between training camp and leaving has just been a glimpse of how quickly I know this next year will go by, but I am learning to live in the present and experience all God has to offer in that time. I’ve had a lot of people lately ask me if I’m nervous and truthfully no, I’m not. Anxious? ABSOLUTELY. Excited? TOTALLY. Emotional? GUILTY. I’m sure when we board our flight to India on the 10th, nerves will kick in but not just yet. My last day at work was yesterday and was also my first round of goodbyes and boy was that tough but they sure did send me off so lovingly. I mentioned in an earlier blog ways that God was revealing to me and confirming for me that this was where he wanted me and one of those ways was opening the door to a new job back in Feb to a place where I have received nothing but support and encouragement by all the ladies AND the doctors! Yesterday was just the cherry on top for it all. Just so much love! This last week will be filled with running around doing last minute things and continuing the train of goodbyes and “see you laters” to friends!
As most of y’all know, INDIA is going to be our first stop! A few days ago, we received an email that contained our ministry placements for our time in India! For safety reasons of course, I can’t give our host names but my team along with our 2 co-ed teams will be working in Nalgonda, India with Indian Christian Ministries. This ministry focuses on church planting, relationship building and poverty relief. We will have the opportunity to go into villages and pray over families, speak at church services, AND even help build church structures! WOW!! To be super honest, when I first read what I’d be doing, I panicked a little bit. We’ve been told we will be giving our testimonies a lot as well as preparing sermons to preach! I’d be lying if I said that wasn’t a little overwhelming BUT I immediately was reminded that God has me doing this specific ministry this month for a reason and that I can trust him to carry me through! Most importantly, it’s not about me, it’s ALL about Him. I know I will find myself probably in more uncomfortable situations than I will be in comfortable situations but we, as Christians, aren’t called to be comfortable, we’re told to simply GO. This is going to be an incredible way to start off the new year! I’ve been told that India is actually a very challenging month for World Racers, I’m assuming with just how different the culture is from America (spicy foods constantly, left handedness is considered unclean and rude to use… and what do ya know, I’m left handed so I’ll have to be careful, and really just the ways of living), but I am truly looking forward to delving into their culture and investing in relationships with such BEAUTIFUL people!!
>>What can you do?<<
I am fully funded as of October (God provided $17,000 in just 5 months- how cool is that???) so I don’t need support that way BUT I do need prayers!!! Now that we know what our ministry looks like this first month, we can pray more specifically for these people so please join in and pray for all the people we will be in contact with and that they see God’s love and mercy through us and our stories! Please also be in prayer for myself and my team as we finish last minute preparations this week, it’s a little stressful and scary thinking we might forget something! Also, for our hearts as we DO say our final goodbyes, it’s never easy of course and being gone for so long doesn’t make it any easier. Also, be praying for the teammates and squadmates that are still in financial need! I love each and every one of you so much and am so appreciative of all the support and encouragement you have extended to my family and me throughout this whole process! It’s about to be a journey of a lifetime and I am so happy you can be apart of this! I’ve been asking friends and family to write me letters so I can take with me to read on those hard days. Some have written “open when” letters (birthday, a special date, or a just “open when you need some uplifting encouragement or a good laugh”). If you’re interested, get with me for my address for you to mail to me OR just give it to me in person, depending on where it’s coming from it might not make it in time before I leave, but I appreciate the thought! Also, I’ve had people ask if they’ll be able to send me things such as care packages or letters while I’m on the field and unfortunately the answer is no. Because of safety reasons, we won’t be able to give out addresses of where we’ll be staying and also, the postal systems in other countries just aren’t like here in America so chances of me actually receiving the items before I leave for the next country, much less receive at all, are very slim. Some of the places I’ll be won’t even have post offices but again, I truly appreciate the thought!
Next time you hear from me, I’ll be coming in live from India!
-Leah
