Changes

Kenya. Within the past few days, as I think about Kenya, I think hope, and future, and pure excitement. When I think missions, I think Kenya. I can’t imagine planning to go anywhere else. As I’ve been listening to music, looking at pictures, reading blogs and researching the culture, I’m falling in love with a place that I’ve never been. If you would have asked me 5 years ago, where I would like to go, I would have said Hawaii or Italy. Now, I can’t imagine going to those places. Every bit of me wants to go to Kenya. This afternoon, my first batch of prayer cards came in the mail. As I looked at them, studying the layout, print details, and mostly the overall look, I couldn’t help but fall in love with the colors. Deep oranges, as well as dried yellows, painted a picture of the changes that will be happening in less than a year from now.

I love change. In the past 3 years, I’ve moved twice. When I was living at home, I would rearrange my room all the time. It just makes me happy, don’t ask me why. So when I think about the change in culture, the change of language and the change with community, I get a little excited. But what about right now, I’m in this waiting period, knowing big change is going to happen and wanting something right now. Work, couldn’t be happier, definitely don’t want to change that. My community of family and friends are beyond awesome, no need to change that. But something I can change and work on is my focus and faith in Jesus.

Recently I’ve been thinking about a relationship with a spouse and having multiple conversations trying to process exactly how I feel about it. Earlier today, I read a blog that talked about not waiting anymore(check it out). It talked about a change in focus from wanting Jesus enough so He would provide a husband to wanting Jesus because of who He is. In many ways when I process wanting a spouse, my faith waivers. If I say enough times to Jesus He is enough, He is all I need, then poof, husband appears. But that’s not how it works, and the blog that I read was a great encouragement as it reminded me that I need not wait for God to provide a husband. I need to focus on Jesus and who He is. He must be enough, all the time, even if a spouse is placed in front of me, because a spouses’ job is not to take the place of Jesus. With Jesus there is no, “if you believe enough I will provide blank,” no instead, His plans are already mapped out. My faith in Jesus, praise the Lord, has nothing to do with the plans God has for me. What my faith does affect is my attitude towards what God has for me.

So how do I “fix” this? Well my prayer life needs some serious help to begin with. And not just a 5-10 sentence prayer here but a constant communion with God through Jesus. Not praying for 2 minutes now,  and then going about the rest of my evening, no a constant focus on communicating with God. One of the ways that I have found to be helpful in reminding myself to do this, to then form the habit, is to think about something I do a lot, throughout the day, and then every time I go to do whatever it is, I either pray before, during or after. For the next week, every time I wash my hands, I’m going to pray and thank God for something He has done, is doing and has revealed to me about the future. I’m also going to share with Him one thing I appreciate about Him. Lastly, I’m going to pray for somebody else. Three things, every time I wash my hands, that I pray will deepen my relationship with Him and help me to refocus and grow my faith.

Thank God that He never changes, but is willing to take the time to change me!

Ministry news: My prayer cards are in(as mentioned above) and my first newsletter is written and approved! I am so excited to really begin building my support team so that this change that I am so excited about can become reality. If you would like to receive a prayer card and newsletter, click here and it will open up another window where you can fill out your information.

Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices; together they shout for joy. When the Lord returns to Zion, they will see It with their own eyes. Burst into songs of joy together, you ruins of Jerusalem, for the Lord has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem. –Isaiah 52:8-9

We are in this together, the change won’t just affect my life, but yours too. This mission is not mine, it’s ours’, and I look forward to having each of you be a piece of the puzzle in sharing Christ’s love and truth with the children and families in Kenya. Your pieces of the puzzle are just as important as mine, and know that the bigger picture can’t be complete without all the pieces in place.