What a Year Will Do...

A year ago I was moving home after graduating from college and a summer of sub-leasing an apartment with a friend to help some of our other friends out.  I had just worked a week at camp. I had no job, no apartment and what seemed as if I had no real purpose.  A year ago I was just searching for a job, any job so that I could start paying back my student loans and saving up for when I got out on my own. God had other plans in store for me. Plans so much better than what I could plan for myself. I've mentioned in earlier posts some of the difficulties that I've gotten through, not getting hired til November, my dad having a quadruple bypass, and other normal hardships of life. BUT had I gotten hired for any of the full time positions last fall I wouldn't be going and doing YWAM. I wouldn't have gone to Passion in January and I wouldn't have gotten called to do YWAM. I wouldn't be going overseas to learn more about God and his kingdom and about how to fight the injustices of the world.

I am currently in the midst of reading a few books to prepare and one is Love Does by Bob Goff. I am about half way through the book and absolutely LOVE it. The book is filled with simple stories from Bob's life and how love does. It's not just an emotion or something that you say but it is what you do.  The chapter that I just finished reading was about just saying Yes. This was a chapter about how Bob continued to say yes to what he thought was a practical joke from a friend but ended up being a real life situation of becoming a diplomat representing the Republic of Uganda to the United States. By Bob saying yes he ended up becoming a diplomat, he ended up representing Uganda. A quote from Love Does:

We were all meant to save many lives. God is always trying to save lives, and it seems like He usually uses the least likely people to do it.  So the next time God asks you to do something that is completely inexplicable, something you're sure is a prank because it requires a decision or courage that's way over your pay grade, something that might even save lives, say yes. You never know-there might be some cool flags in it for you. 

God wants to use us, to take steps of faith, to say yes. He only has great things in store for our lives and we just have to trust in that.

YWAM update: I have bought my plane ticket. I am leaving on September 19 at 6:30pm. I will fly from here to LA where I will have a 2 hour layover and will be leaving from there to fly to Auckland. It's a 14 hour flight from LA to Auckland. I also have 80% of my support in!! God is so good and I am so very blessed! I only need $2000 more to go.  Thank you so much for all of the love and support I have received over the past few months! I am so grateful! Continue prayers would be much appreciated as I am saying good bye to people and continue to prepare for my trip. 

You Won't Relent

I'm home from camp. This was the most exhausting summer I've ever experienced. It was a wonderful summer but it definitely took it's toll on me. Being in a leadership position was great but with it brings a whole heap of other responsibilities but the position I was in really fit me, at least that's what everyone keeps telling me. I had to rely on God to get me through each and every week. I came to a breaking point where I had nothing else to give but I would read a verse or hear a song and it would be exactly what I needed at that moment.  Two songs that I fell in love with this summer is "Forever Reign" by Hillsong and "You won't Relent" by Jesus Culture.

There were a few times this summer when I had a freak out moment about going half way around the world. The line in Forever Reign that brings me comfort is: You are peace, You are peace, when my fear is crippling. God is my peace throughout everything that went on this summer, throughout everything that has been going on now. God is my peace and will never leave me. God is continuously confirming that this is the next step in my life. God also will not give up til I give all of my self. Until he has all of me he won't relent. It is so easy for us to get lost in the everyday chaos of our life. We forget that God demands all of us every day and he will do whatever to get our attention and call us back to him. When I thought this summer that I could get by on my own strength and not on God, He would break me and bring me back to Him and where my focus should be.

You Won't Relent by Jesus Culture

You won't relent
Until You have it all
My heart is Yours
[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/m/misty_edwards/you_wont_relent.html ]
I'll set You as a seal upon my heart
As a seal upon my arm
For there is love that is as strong as death
Jealousy demanding as the grave
And many waters cannot quench this love

Come be the fire inside of me
Come be the flame upon my heart
Come be the fire inside of me
Until You and I are one