It's really happening

I've written before that for a very (very) long time I have wanted to go on a missions trip. For various reasons that hasn't happened in the past 33 years. I've continued to pray for the opportunity, but also to be patient and wait for God's timing. Not the easiest thing, even though He has given me some great outreach opportunities on a local level. Well, in October the biggest obstacle was removed. Danny finally told me he was ready to let me go!!! I was so excited!!! The trip I had the deep desire to go on was to Wales, but it was only for college age students so I figured God was saying no to it and decided to think towards the Haiti trip. A couple months later I found out that the Wales trip was opened up to all ages. I was even more excited then because I felt like God was giving me that chance to go to a place I just had that "feeling" about. You know that feeling? The one where you can't exactly understand that draw to whatever the "thing" it is.

Danny and I went on a cruise in December. The first night in the dining room we were seated with an older couple who were from....guess??? No really, guess!!! Yes!!! They were from Wales!!! Of all the places in the world thats where they were from. We talked all about the country and some of the history. I got their email address so I could tell them where I was going once I found out the name of the city.

We got home from our trip and I started getting my letter prepared for fundraising. I was waiting on one piece of information before sending them out. When I finally got the info I was told the money was needed by the end of February. I was told this at the beginning of February. I felt very frustrated and upset that I might not be able to go because I couldn't get the money in time. All the while praying that if this wasn't the right thing for God to reveal it to me. I sent the letters and hoped for the best.

We got an email the middle of last week that said we needed to order our plane tix in the next couple of weeks. Well, I was nowhere near having enough and became very discouraged. I talked to my best friend about it and figured that if I didn't get the money in time I would just send everyone's checks back. I was wondering if I had made a mistake, if I had heard God wrong. Well, like He likes to do...my sweet heavenly Father made it abundantly clear that I had indeed heard Him correctly. On Saturday I got a few checks and they totaled the EXACT amount I needed for the plane ticket!!!! I was so happy I couldn't even stand it.

But Sunday hadn't happened yet...

The sermon at church yesterday morning was basically about stepping out in faith and letting God work out all the details and being able to give Him all the glory for it. As I was listening I was just smiling thinking that God was in the midst of working out the details and I was able to just watch and enjoy. I had been given a couple checks in church, but didn't open them until I got in the car. When I opened them I about had a heart attack. I couldn't (still can't) believe the generosity of the people in my life. I was absolutely speechless most of the way home. I was in tears at one point because I was so overwhelmed with God's kindness...and His timing.

Now, I'm more nervous than ever...because unless something major happens - I AM GOING TO WALES!!! I AM GOING ON MY FIRST MISSIONS TRIP!!!! I'm excited, scared, anxious, everything!!!  I'm sad that my mom isn't here to share all this with, even though I believe she is telling our Father how thankful she is that He has taken such good care of me.

I'm trying to put into words how I feel and it's really not possible. However, this song explains it pretty well :):)

 

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we can ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. "

Ephesians 3:20-21

 

(this was the verse that the sermon was preached from yesterday...

see what I mean about how cool our God is??)