I left. I left everything I knew for this. I said goodbye to my friends, my family, and my comfort to pack up everything (basically everything) and come to Georgia. So yes right now I am currently living in my tent in the middle of the woods. I have to walk what feels like a mile to go to the bathroom… in a porta potty. This morning I took a freezing cold bucket shower-at 6:40am. (Feel free to ask me about how exactly a bucket shower works, I will tell you ALL the gory details!) I can already hear the people reading this thinking “Why in the world is she doing this!?!” Would y’all believe me if I said I am honestly having the time of my life! I have been here three days and the COMMUNITY here is amazing. It is truly a gift to experience this. Three and a half months of this!! Of waking up in the morning surrounded by people my age all chasing after the Lord. I wake up and have nothing to worry about-no job, nothing to pay for, nothing to plan. I get the opportunity to wake up and have one goal, which is to grow closer to the Lord. I AM SO BLESSED.
Also everyone here is so wise! They all are so in love with Jesus! It makes me realize how I want to be and makes me want to learn all I could from everyone here. Yesterday I was thinking about how many people back home have put their faith in me to get me to where I am. At home I wasn’t actively fundraising, I wasn’t constantly sharing my faith, or preparing to come here. It was all just completely on the back burner of my mind. Yet people were moved to donate to me and get me here. That is literally nothing but God! Praise be to him!! He moved in people’s hearts to sacrifice maybe their own desires and donate to me. Especially post covid-19. That is people having genuine faith in me. UGH!! Makes me emotional! And because of that I get 3.5 months of discipleship, growing in my relationship with God, and ministry here in Gainesville, Georgia.
The plan is to launch in January overseas to Romania, India, Costa Rica. With three months of training under our belts, we will be prepared to face a hurting world. No one knows what ministry will look like now because we are the first to face a post pandemic world. I think of Luke 9:1-3 a lot. “And He called the 12 together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to HEAL. And He said to them, Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money, and do not have two tunics.” This is especially relevant because we are called to proclaim the kingdom of God, but also to HEAL!!! That is what the world needs. Of course when Jesus told the disciples not to worry about packing-I had to pray about that one! Not over packing was a struggle and I still brought way more than I needed. Oh yeah did I mention I only brought one bag here?? LOL!
Here I am Lord, Send Me!!
With so much love,
Grace
