I was spending some time with the Big Guy the other day and went through Psalm 73. It was really encouraging so I thought I would share. I am so thankful that we serve a God who provides for all of our needs! Thanks for reading. 

"When my heart was grieved

and my spirit embittered,

I was senseless and ignorant;

I was a brute beast before you.

Yet I am always with you;

you hold me by my right hand.

You guide me with your counsel,

and afterward you will take me into glory.

Whom have I in heaven but you?

and earth has nothing I desire besides you. 

My flesh and my heart may fail,

but God is the strength of my heart

and my portion forever. 

Those who are far from you will perish;

you destroy all who are unfaithful to you. 

But as for me, it is good to be near God. 

I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge;

I will tell of all your deeds."

Psalm 73:21-28 

When I was feeling a little discouraged God provided encouragement for me through his word. I am so thankful for a God who holds me by my right hand and leads me into His glory. I am so thankful that He reminds me that He is my portion forever. 

I wanted to post some specific things people can be praying for as our team is preparing to go to South Africa. So here are some things that come to mind.

• The students and faculty on the University of Pretoria campus. 
• Prayer for willing and open hearts among the students and families our team will come in contact with while on STINT in South Africa.
• Prayer for wisdom for our team, to help meet the needs of the people we desire to live life with. 
• Prayer for the 8 of us going in Jan. Each of us is responsible for raising all of our funds by that time in order to go. As a team we need prayer that God will prepare each of us to go for the year. 
  
• I specifically need prayer for a heart that is at peace with leaving the life God has built for me here in Colorado. I am deeply saddened that I have to leave a community I have grown so attached to.  I want peace in him.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRAYERS AND SUPPORT!!! IT MEANS SOOO MUCH!

Oh yeah, I'm sorry about the spelling errors in the blog. Thought I should let you know that when I sit down to write some stuff down, it is my pure and raw thoughts kind of spit up. I'm not doing my best about editing what goes down, so I apologize for any errors. If you have questions feel free to ask. Thanks for understanding. 

Some Video Links...

I wanted to post some videos about my experiences in South Africa in my two visits over the last year. Feel free to take a look. The first video is a picture slideshow of Summer Project in South Korea and South Africa in 2007. The second video was made by one of our staff member from the Vision Trip the team when on last December. 

Summer Project 2007 Video

I'm Learning...

In the past week or so I've had the opportunity to see and learn that this life is not about some end result. I feel like in the experiences I've had recently I am truly starting to lean that this life is about the process. Raising support can be very difficult, and I am starting to imagine how excited I am going to be the day God provides 100% of my funding to move to South Africa on STINT. I find myself thinking about it a lot actually. The other day I was praying with a friend and one of our STINT Team leaders, and I realized that I was focusing too much on the end result. She has said it several times before, but I think for the first time it really sank in that "it is about the process, not the result". I am starting to see what it looks like to walk through it with the Lord, instead of asking for a way out of it. 

I confess that I am someone who has struggled and continues to struggle with wanting to perform and meet some standard. It would be a shame for me to fall into some standard during this amazing but challenging process of raising support. The standards I've come to set for myself in the past have always limited the way I see God moving in my life and in the lives of those around me. My interactions this week have helped me see that there is so much to gain in the process of pursuing the Lord in this. It is not about making it to 100%, and its not about meeting some goal I came up with. This process is about finding God in every conversation, support appointment, and every new relationship built. I am learning that this life is about finding God in every step made during our days. 

It's been a privilege finding the Lord in every meeting. I have been so blessed to meet with people and have them share their hearts with me. In seeing and experiencing their passion to see God glorified, I've come to realize that I would never want to move to South Africa without taking all of these people with me. I am so thankful that God has used this process of raising support to teach me to look for him in all that I am doing, and that it is okay to depend on others to help me pursue His perfect will. 

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to sit with me. I have learned so much in those times. 

I feel blessed!

So after graduating from the University of Denver just a couple weeks back, I started my full time job with Campus Crusade for Christ. I have spent the past month or so raising support so that when January 1st rolls around I will be fully funded to move to South Africa on a Short Term International Team (STINT) with Crusade. I am extremely excited to move to the country I have missed so much in the last year. After having the chance to visit twice in the last year, I am itching to get back! 

To be completely honest I was terrified to start the support raising process, and for a while I let my fear get the best of me. However, since I have started the Lord has shown me that he is incredibly faithful, and that I have so much to gain in asking people to partner with me in this great adventure he has set for me and seven other people. It has been and will continue to be an honor and a privilege to ask any and everyone to join me in follow Jesus to South Africa! 

From what I have experienced so far, support raising can be an up and down process. Some days I am so confident and others I need a reminder that the Lord is always in control. However, I always feel blessed no matter the day. The Lord is creative and I am so excited to see his blessings poured out during this process. 

I am truly blessed to be pursuing him in this.