“ The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you;
he will never leave you nor forsake you.
Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
Deuteronomy 31:18 NIV
As I scrolled through my instagram feed The Well Studio‘s picture grabbed my attention. Obedience > Outcome. Before I had a chance to read the blog it was promoting, there was already so much clarity. Obedience > Outcome is what it’s all about, it’s what I have been striving for. Jenn Sprinkle, one of the founders of the well studio wrote this beautiful blog about struggle, doubt, and people that want you to change your dreams; all things I have struggled with.
Five years ago I could have never dreamed this is where I would be or what I would be doing. It was just about 5 years ago that I went on my first mission trip out of the country, to El Salvador. I went with a small team including Jake, the director of my program in college, his wife Christy, and a bunch of people I had never met from California.
We served with Habitat for Humanity and spent a week or so digging ditches, sifting sand for concrete, painting and sipping gatorade which was a gift from God on those long hot days.
Looking back it’s pretty clear God was preparing me for a life on mission. He was romancing me with the beautiful people of El Salvador and the sights and sounds of a nation I had never seen. Now that is something that feels pretty normal and it stirs something in my heart I realize has always been there.
On one of the last nights our whole team crowded into a small room and had our final devotion. We went around the room and each person gave a word of affirmation while Christy wrote them all down for us.
She handed me that paper and everything changed. The page was filled with words I would never use to describe myself, yet this is what people saw in me. This page was filled with little gifts, a sweet reminder that God makes us what we are not. He works in our weakness to create something great.
That trip was walking out obedience. I only knew two people in that trip and not very well. It was a step of faith and God took care of the outcome.
Fast forward five years and here I am again ready to embark on another adventure for Him. Each day he calls me to obedience when the outcome is unknown. Daily it is a call to faith in him, his timing and his provision. Some days are harder than others but this week has been easy because he has showered so much provision and confirmation, through you! He knows what he is doing, his timing is perfect.
I still go back to that tattered up piece of paper I got in 2010. It reminds me who He says I am and gives me strength to be those things when I don’t feel like it.
On the back of this paper is the Deuteronomy verse, what a sweet gift.
The paper reads
Happy, Energetic, Fun-loving, Humble, Supercalifragilisticexpealidocious, Real, Skies the limit, Gentle spirit, Big hearted, Confident, Passionate, No fear, Intuitive
There are more words and more stories, more people that have changed me forever; but it all started with that little trip to El Salvador.
In three short months I will be in Mijas studying and pursuing what God has for me at G42 and in January I will launch with a bunch of young people stepping out in obedience, ready to find out who God says they are.
Funding:
G42= $6,300 tuition + $1,200 plane ticket =$7,500 – $3,560.10 RAISED!!
Current G42 needs = $3,939.90
To donate towards G42 you can do so here
http://www.g42leadershipacademy.org/donate
Alumni Squad Leading= $6,500
Words can not clearly express how grateful I am for your support, obedience, and generosity. Glory to God, he is so good.
