In two weeks, I leave for approximately 265 days. 9 months.
I can clearly look back to nine months ago. I can probably even remember what happened exactly 265 days ago. But I can assure you I did not wake up on that day and say, “Yep. This begins the next nine months of my life. This is a season, set apart from the rest of my life, that I will seek God and His miraculous power and strength in my life more than ever before in. I will do everything God asks of me.” 265 days ago was a Monday and I went to school just like every Monday and my plans for Tuesday were not life-changing either. I’ve never counted my life by periods of 265 days.
On September 8th, I can guarantee you that I will feel a change. I WILL wake up and say, “This is the start of nine months. I WILL see God move in the most miraculous ways I’ve ever seen during this year, and I WILL follow Him, even to the ends of the earth.”
I’m shaking just thinking about saying that. How scary is it to follow a God that promises that we will have trial and hardship, and that the narrow road is lightly traveled for a reason? He knows the mountains I have to climb and the valleys I have to walk through in the next 9 months.
“Well then what on earth are you doing this for?!” (I know I ask myself the same question every day)
I was reading a book, written by Seth Barnes, called The Art of Listening Prayer. In one of the first chapters, he talks about continuing to learn new things about His wife even after many years of marriage. He says, “And even now, if I pay attention, I can learn new things about her every week.”
After reading this sentence, God immediately said to me, “And even now, if you pay attention, you can learn new things about me every moment.”
What. A. Promise.
Especially considering the things I already know about God.
My God:
Knows all of my needs and meets them (Matthew 6:32)
Gives good gifts to those who ask Him (Matthew 7:11)
Is my refuge in the day of disaster (Jeremiah 17:17)
Sets prisoners free, opens the eyes of the blind, lifts those up who are bowed down, loves the righteous, watches over the sojourners, upholds the widow and the fatherless, brings the way of the wicked to ruin, made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them, keeps faith forever, executes justice for the oppressed, and gives food to the hungry. (Psalm 146:6-10)
Leads me beside quiet waters, restores my soul, is with me through the valley of the shadow of death, anoints my head with oil, overflows my cup, and invites me to His table (Psalm 23)
Make no mistake. I cry every day thinking about leaving home, familiarity, comfort, and the people I hold closest to my heart in the whole world. But what would happen if I passed this opportunity to see God expand on all of THAT?! There’s more?! If God is even stronger, even more good, and even more loving, then I WILL go. I will. Someone very wise said that God’s grace gives us the strength to do every thing He asks of us, and when we see a mountain ahead, all we need to do is look at Jesus. Because He’s much more good than that mountain is tall.
God says, “I will do all of that and more.” And so I will say, “I will,” 265 days in a row.
