The long awaited day...

"Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous works among all the peoples." 1 Chronicles 16:24 

So, as I am typing this post right now, it is currently 1 a.m. on Monday.  It's Monday, which means tomorrow is Tuesday.  And Tuesday is the day I leave for Africa... Saying that still feels so strange to me. It seems like I was just telling people that I'll be leaving in two months... one month... two weeks... but now tomorrow.  I leave tomorrow.  I never actually thought this day would come.  Ever since my junior year of high school when I first heard someone speak about Africa, I knew that I had a special place for it in my heart.  I never imagined that I would actually get the chance to go on a missions trip there.

As Tuesday is very, very quickly approaching, I look back on my journey these past few months as I have been preparing to go to Africa and realize that I have seen the Lord in more clear and incredible ways than I have ever seen Him in my life.  Here is a quick breakdown of my journey --

1. At the Passion conference in January, I realized that the Lord was calling me to be a part of a missions trip to Africa.  Having absolutely NO clue what this would look like, I still surrendered 100% to His plan and knew that He had it all under control.
2. As soon as I got home from Passion, I began searching summer missions trips to Africa.  I spent hours upon hours looking into different trips, but none of the dates seemed to work with my availability for the summer.  I began to take this as a sign that maybe the Lord wasn't calling me to go this summer, which was really frustrating because obviously I had such a huge burden in my heart for Africa.
3. At one of the first FCA's at Clemson after Christmas break, Nathan Smith spoke.  As soon as he started talking about Africa and the trips he takes college students on every summer, I realized why none of the other trips worked out.  This was the trip the Lord was calling me to go on, and He made that more than clear throughout the time Nathan spoke.  Needless to say, I stayed after FCA that night for an hour just to meet Nathan, and soon after that I applied for the trip, was accepted and began preparing for all that the Lord had in store.
4. Fundraising. The part of this journey where I think I have seen the Lord the most.  After I started sending out support letters, the money started to come in pretty quickly.  The trip was originally supposed to be for two weeks, but Nathan gave us the option to stay for up to two weeks extra.  I prayed about it and knew that was an opportunity the Lord wanted me to take advantage of.  But because of that, I had to raise more money than I had originally planned.  I still had faith that the Lord would provide.  After the first month or so of fundraising, the money started coming in at slower paces.  I tried not to let this bring me stress, but it was hard at times to have patience in the Lord's timing.  To make long stories short, I have now raised a little over $1300 more than I was supposed to...praise the Lord.

Throughout this preparation and fundraising journey, I have already learned way more about the Lord than I expected.  If He is already doing this much work in me and I haven't even boarded the flight yet, I can't even imagine all the work He is going to do through my team and I once we finally set foot in Africa.  It is going to be life changing.

The Power of Prayer

In less than two weeks I will be traveling to Kenya.  Saying that still blows my mind.  I am so humbled by the fact that the Lord has chosen to send me to Kenya.  This is something I have dreamed of for years, but honestly never thought I would ever get the opportunity to do.  God sure proved that thought wrong.  Preparing for a trip like this requires a whole lot of prayer.  Through preparing for this trip, I have realized that my prayer life was not near the level of intimacy and connection with the Lord that it should be.  It has been amazing to see over these past few months how my prayer life has already increased tremendously.  Praying for individual team members by name and lifting up their struggles and prayers to the Lord has been such a great opportunity of growth in realizing the realness and accountability that comes with a Christ centered friendship.

Tonight, I was able to meet with a few people on my team and lift up the trip and everyone going on it in prayer.  Coming together as one in the presence of the Lord is such powerful and strengthening time.  It was so encouraging to be surrounded by people so on fire for the Lord and serving His kingdom as we lifted up various team members, people of Kenya and all aspects of traveling up to the Lord.  I look forward to many more nights like that once we get to Kenya.

It is very evident that the devil is already trying to tear our team down before we have even boarded the flight for Kenya, which is another reason we need to be so rooted in prayer.  It is scary to see the ways the devil is attempting to discourage us through anxious thoughts, doubts and circumstances we are facing.  The power in all of these troubles comes in knowing that through these weaknesses, the Lord is so strong.

But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. - 2 Corinthians 12:9

Knowing that the Lord's power is made perfect even in our weaknesses makes all the mess that the devil is trying to throw at us seem like nothing.  No matter how hard the devil tries to wear us down, the Lord will always be powerful and be so much stronger.  Being able to rest in that is the most satisfying feeling ever.

Be prepared.  You're up against far more than you can handle on your own.  Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet.  Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words.  Learn how to apply them.  You'll need them throughout your life.  God's Word is an indispensable weapon.  In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare.  Pray hard and long. - Ephesians 6:13-17 (MSG)

This will be a fulfilling reminder when the trials and spiritual warfare set in once we set foot in Kenya.  Through prayer and having eyes set solely on the Lord, He will get the glory and praise in everything, no matter what the devil tries to throw our way.