Twelve, twelve, twelve!

God's Adventure for Me

Well, here we are my friends; twelve days left until I am boarding a plane for the FIRST TIME and heading out of the country for the FIRST TIME to spend time with God's children in Punta Gorda, Belize. As the days get closer I am getting more and more excited; I'm excited that God has lead me here. I think the best part about this adventure is that I have NO expectations and NO mental images. I am leaving my country with complete trust in God that He will show me his plan, He will protect me, He will love me, He will provide me comfort and most of all He will provide me all things that I need to embark on the second greatest adventure (the first being my journey with Shining Light Ministries) in my lifetime thus far. 

Obviously I haven't left yet but I am already learning some important lessons:

• There are going to be LOTS AND LOTS of bugs in Belize, this is the one thing that I am terrified of and the one worry on my mind about this adventure. BUT, God has been clever in helping me prepare for this. On Saturday we had my father's company picnic where I enjoyed quite a delicious pulled pork sandwich. As I reached the end of my sandwich I discovered something quite interesting, see for yourself! 

Why yes, a lightning bug was cooked into the pork I ate and I did eat the head off of this bug. Doesn't God have a funny way of preparing me? Following this experience I was attacked by beetles all night, there were beetles all over the mailbox when I got home and the next day there was a spider in the car right next to me. I would say that by the next day I became a little bit more calm about these encounters and felt assured that God would take care of me in Belize (not that I ever doubted that He would). 

• Sometimes adventures are better when you have no expectations. I was feeling a little down for the past month because I wasn't overly excited about my adventure to Belize and sometimes I forgot I was even going. I began to question whether or not I was following God's plan and that maybe I shouldn't be going on this trip. The more I thought about it the more God reassured me that this is it, this is what I'm doing and this is the new courageous adventure I will be embarking on. I realized that life is MUCH better when you allow God to be in control. Obviously, there are a lot of things I will be doing for the first time and therefore I have no mental images of what I'll be seeing or doing. God wants me to be surprised and he wants to show me the things he can do when I let go of my selfishness and remember why I am here in the first place. I have no plans. I have no expectations. I have no mental images. I have no hopes (other than to spread God's love to his people in Belize). I have no fears (other than the bugs, which I am much better prepared for now!). I have nothing because God has everything. 

• Remember what Jesus said to Habakkuk. 

"Look around at the nations; look and be amazed! For I am doing something in your own day, some you wouldn't believe even if someone told you about it." [Habakkuk 1:5]

I know that I will be seeing children who are orphaned, people who live in poverty and eventually leave to come back to our country that disgustingly has everything. I must remember how the Lord replied to Habakkuk when he cried out "How long, O Lord, must I call for help? But you do no listen!" and how Jesus promised amazing things, beyond our imaginations, are yet to come.  Again, God is control and I need to set my selfishness aside to allow his great works to prosper.




Please pray my team and myself as we meet together on Tuesday for our final meeting before we embark on this journey!

• Pray that God will use each and every one of us in His own way. 
• Pray that we can set our selfishness aside. 
• Pray that each one of us is prepared to grow in ways we never thought possible. 
• Pray that we can work together as a team without fear but with hope. 
• Pray that God will settle any of our anxiety but fill us with joy and excitement instead.