Let me start by saying that I’m so sorry that I haven’t written a blog lately to update all of you on how things are going. They are crazy busy, that’s for sure, which is my reason though I know it’s not an excuse. So here it goes on trying to get you caught up blog style . . .
An Update on Me
I just want to give you an update on where I am personally right now so that all of you will know how best to pray for me in the coming months as I prepare to leave on this amazing journey.
Last week I moved out of my apartment and sold most of my furniture and material possessions. This was an important step of faith that the Lord had given me peace about, though I’m not sure you can ever be fully prepared for it. I current reside back home with my parents (and occasionally with friends to give the parents a break) . . .they could use your prayers too, as having your 33 year old daughter back home isn’t really a parent’s dream!
I will be travelling to training camp in Georgia 10/16 – 10/23, so please keep me in your prayers during this time that my heart and mind will be open and able to absorb what I need to learn during this time. I am also very excited to meet the others that will go on this journey with me . . .can’t believe that I will be there in 3 days!
Upon returning from training camp I will have a conversation with my employer to request a LOA for next year while I go on the trip. Please pray that the Lord will prepare the hearts of those that must make that decision to respond according to his will for me and that I will receive the outcome with an attitude of openness and willingness to accept God’s purpose.
Support Raising Update
The Lord is continuing to provide financially for this trip, as I have always known that he would. Currently my account shows . . .
- $4431 in received donations
- $6220 in additional monies pledged to my account to be paid in monthly installments through November 2012
This brings my total raised to $10,651! I am 68% funded! PRAISE THE LORD!!! I continue to be amazed by God’s provision for what he has laid out for me to do in the coming year.
***As I’ve noted before, it can take several weeks for online donations to post to my account, so if you have made a donation and I haven't included it here or thanked you, then I just don't know about it yet. I definitely appreciate all of the support!
Quick Personal Story of God’s Provision
Last Saturday, after moving most of my personal items out of my apartment, I headed to REI with the money that I had saved from selling my furniture and other items to purchase my gear for training camp and the trip. I counted my envelope before leaving the house and I had $760, which is what I expected.
After several hours in the store, and lots of help from some amazing employees, I headed up to the counter to determine the total cost of all of the items I had accumulated in my cart (the packing list of gear). The cashier rang it all up and told me that the total was $868.
Well, I knew that I had been as thrifty as possible, but I wanted to have what I needed and to have quality gear for such a long trip. So I decided that I would “borrow” the extra money from my food allowance for the month and just resort back to the “ramen and oatmeal diet” of college. However, when I pulled out my envelope, I counted $860, where only $760 had been a few hours earlier.
I counted this twice and then asked the cashier to count because as I told her, “I must be so tired that I can no longer even count.” She also counted $860.
Wow! Where was my faith?! The Lord had recognized my obedience to him and had provided exactly what was needed for me to do what he had purposed for me to do. I am embarrassed to admit that the Lord’s provision still surprises me at times like this and quite frankly brought tears to my eyes in recognition of just how Awesome he really is!
I hope that this story reminds each of you that God has a purpose for all of us and that he WILL provide for that purpose.
As always, I ask that you keep me in your prayers during this preparation phase that I will stay focused on what the LORD wants and keep His purpose for me in all of this as my purpose. This is my daily prayer.
Joyfully,
Kristin
