Perspective

Well, the first two weeks of fundraising have come and gone and I have to say, I have never been so blessed in my entire twenty-four years. I wake up every morning in utter awe of God and how loving people are, but last Sunday morning affected me in a way that I never expected.

As people poured out of the sanctuary doors of the church and into the atrium, over to my table where I stood with information on my mission to the Philippines, IJM, and support, I nearly went into shock. My surprise was not a result of doubt or a lack of faith in people or God, but I have never done anything like this before — ask people to support me financially and prayerfully in the way that I am now — so I think that I was just unprepared for the intense emotion that would result from people’s caring responses to the cause that I’m called to.

God taught me something that morning, something that I thought I already understood — but He brought me to a deeper place and gave me perspective that I possibly may have never had if I were not in the position I am today. He taught me that I am a part of a family — His family — and that the love in His family is immeasurable and indescribable.  I still don’t fully get it, and I possibly never will, but I know that I am blessed that He made me a part of this community.

As of Sunday morning, my airfare, international healthcare, and training week expenses at IJM’s headquarters office are all covered in full — that is over $2,000 of expenses that God has provided through my supporters! What is even more exciting is that those expenses were all fully sponsored within a ten-minute time-period! Additionally, I have received monthly commitments, one-time gifts, and an unbelievable amount of people willing to prayerfully support me through this journey!!! Amazing.

I stopped to reflect on all of it this morning and wrote an e-mail to a family that has been a wonderful support to me. I realized then that this is not just me figuring out God’s plan for my life — it’s not just my journey anymore. It’s ours. I think I get it a little more now that this is His story, not mine, and we all get to be a part of it. I cannot believe that God chose to use me, all of us, to reach the people in the Philippines! I just pray that He continues to equip me as I prepare to meet the women and children who are suffering such awful injustices halfway around the world — because I see that those women and children are our family too. Pray that He would prepare my heart for the exact girls that I will be working with — He knows who they are and I cannot wait to!!!!! Thank you for being a part of this with me — I was willing to do it with only God, but I’m SO glad that He wants me to share it with you too.