My countdown and Shots.

I made a countdown until my trip. Isn't it pretty? :D I got my team member packet yesterday. Now that it's finally sinking in that I'm going it's kind of scary. It's crazy though because over and over things have been happening where I can see God's hand in it. I've never felt God in something like I do in this. I'm so unworthy.

Well, I don't have much to say. I got 5 shots this past week. I hadn't been to the doctor in a long time so I was over due for some of them. The crazy thing was I had to get MMR which is a live virus and then later I need to get Yellow fever which is live as well. My mom made the doctor's appointment for when I could get in and if it had been even a week later I wouldn't be able to go because you can't give someone two live viruses within 30 days of each other and it takes 30 days after getting yellow fever to be fully immune to it. So that was cool.

I also made beaded bookmarks on Wednesday. The lady I'm going with had millions of beads so I had a lot of fun. She also had gotten my passport back. My first visa :D It's pretty sweet looking.

At church my pastor preached about trusting God in the midst of the storm and one thing that really stuck out to me was that he said that you don't need to worry if God is in your boat. *Grins* He's in my boat :)

August 22, 2008

So first of all. God taught me something really cool a while ago. I'd been struggling with some stuff. Just really a lot of wondering where God was in the midst of life and if he really cared about the little things. I feel silly, even childish, admitting to it. I mean, come on, I've been a Christian for so long and yet I still have doubts like that. God in his grace showed me how much he cared. See, I was trying to fit him into my box. I'd assume he wasn't answering my prayers simply because it wasn't the answer I as looking for. I ask him to show me what he wants me to do and yet when he does and it's not what I had wnated to do I don't believe him. I tell him to show me a sign that he really meant what he said. And yet, I'm so blind I can't see that he already showed me what he wanted to do he just left the choice up to me.

I don't want to be one who takes the easy way out. God taught me that if I'm always afraid of being stretched I'll never grow. Asking God for a sign is fine at the right time, but when you already know he has called you to do something it's wrong. It's hiding. It's like a runner standing at the starting block waiting for a million guns to go off before he'll start running.

God also showed me that he didn't call me to operate in fear. Paul talks in 2nd Timothy about how God isn't give us a spirit of fear but of power love and a sound mind. I can't let fear dictate my life. If I think I've got it rough think about Paul. You know where he was when he penned those words? A Roman prison. He was there because he'd been preaching Christ. He had every right to be mad at God or to be afraid of what would happen to him, but no, he stopped and encouraged Timothy. Not only that but he wrote to Timothy about the faithfulness of God.

It's hard to believe I'm actually going to Ethiopia. Yesterday I mailed my application for the missions organization and my visa application. I should get my passport with the visa in it back sometime next week. The lady I'm going with told me a bunch of stories about how God put her in the right place at the right time and used her to answer someone's prayers. I'm going over to her house next week and we're going to make beaded bookmarks to give to the missionaries and interpreters and other people like that. So that should be fun.

Yesterday morning I went with my momma to the funeral for my step great uncle(I guess that's what he would be). I never knew him well and we mostly went to support my grandparents but it was hard nonetheless. It's awful to see other people so unhappy. I've never seen my grandma so upset. He wasn't a christian and so there's not that assurance that we'll see him again. That's what's the hardest part. It made me realize that every day people die without hope and that's so heartbreaking. We really prayed ahead of time that the pastor would do a good job. The family didn't have a church, but the funeral director knew of this one that would do funerals for people outside their church. Anyway, the pastor did a really good job. As he was talking with the person's wife so they could write the eulogy she said he liked walking a certain trail several times a week and the pastor was like "Wow, that's funny. I like walking that trail a few times a week too." Anyway it ended up that he had met him a few weeks ago on that trail. It was just so cool how God orchestrated that.

Oh, and today is my littlest brother's 9th birthday. We made him cherry pie :D It's so odd because I remember when he was born and now he's 9...I miss having really little siblings sometimes. It was so nice when he was little and I could hold him and play with him. Hehe, but he's great. I wouldn't wish him any different.

Kale is going to Ethiopia!

So, it's decided. I thought my mom would never let me go, but I'm going to Ethiopia on October 31 to November 9th. I'm going with a dear lady from our church who leads all kinds of medical missions trips all over the world.

She has wanted to take me with her on one for a long time, but my mom said not until I was 16. Anyway I get to go down there with a team of people who are all at least twice my age and do whatever needs done. I get to help the different doctors and see all that they do. I also get to learn to take blood pressure and give shots and stuff.

I'm so excited and scared. I got my passport last week and have been filling out my application for a visa.

I would appreciate your prayers. I'm very excited for what God is gonna do.