So there I was in the hallway and I finished up my crying and my sister grabbed a bag and I grabbed a bag and we headed out to the sanctuary. A few moments later, one of the ladies from the church gave me a basket and a box full of supplies for the trip and spoke such amazingly, kind words over me and sent me on my way.
I went out to the vestibule to set up my t-shirts and donation information table and just soaked in the last of everything. The last time talking with the world's smartest 1st grader-Sidney Rideout, the last time watching my dad preach on the screen, the last time praying for the people walking by the church. And as time began to wind down, I iced the cupcakes with my sister Janesha and prepared the chocolate chip cookies for the bake sale and readied myself for the people as service ended.
Before service ended, my aunt had given me $200 and she'd already given money toward my journey, so I was blown away. And then the people began to pour out of service and person after person came to buy their t-shirts and their cookies and cupcakes and I had lost track of the money coming in and was just trying to say goodbye to as many people as possible.
After a while, I had only 6 t-shirts and 9 cupcakes. God had shown up big.
On top of that, people were giving so sacrificially. People who have been out of work for some time. People on fixed incomes and health problems. People who don't even have a place to live.
I was astounded. I was moved. I was blown. God is a God of wonders and He never ceases to amaze me.
I didn't leave the church till almost 3, feeling it necessary to linger in my home away from home and when I left, it was just as sad as last year when I left for Michigan, but once again necessary.
I spent the rest of the afternoon and evening with one of my friends who's now a freshman in high school and we had a blast, spent an hour with my friend Jerelene and her family and so it was after ten when I arrived home and I was too exhausted to do much of anything.
So Monday afternoon, I laid out everything and began to count. 100, 200, 300, 400…and I needed 700 to hit the $10,000 mark that I had prayed to God to hit before I left. 500, 600, 700, 800…I had just passed the 700 mark and had definitely raised $10,000 before Launch. 900,1000, 1100, 1200…my God is more than enough. He does exceedingly abundantly above all I can ask or even think. 1300, 1400, my God had provided double!!!
IS THIS REAL LIFE!?!?
I ran upstairs to share the news with my family and we danced and rejoiced because the message on Sunday was about being blessed double. Receiving double what you expected from God and this was truly a moment of confirmation. I danced and I screamed and I danced because this is real life. I do serve a real God with unlimited resources who is very much alive and well and willing to bless we, His people.
I am so grateful and so thankful to be writing out another check to Adventures in Missions and for all the kind words and supplies given so generously. Thank you thank you thank you for joining me on this journey, may God bless all of you!
I still need to raise about $5,500, so feel free to click the "Support Me" button and feel free to follow my blog (look on the left side). Live a life of freedom. Live Chainless!
