Trust Worthy

Maybe you're wondering why I separated those two words which seemingly easily make a much better compound word when combined. Well kids, here's the story.

It was January 13th and it was the first night of our leadership team advance; a time and place where we, as a leadership team at our college ministry, are able to get to know each other a bit better, pray for the semester ahead of us, be fed through our pastors' teachings, and plan out our semester small groups or outreach events. We had just finished a rather great night of prayer and teaching and worship when it was announced that 2nd semester leaders who weren't on the team 1st semester (that's me) could sign up for a small missions team to head down to Kenya this summer for a couple of weeks. At this my heart leaped and skipped a beat at the same time. It had been close to a year that Africa was on my heart--I knew I needed to be on that trip. So naturally, I put my name down on the "interested" list. I went home, praised God for the opportunity, and rested.

The next day we had more teaching, prayer, and planning. Before we broke off into house kids and small group leaders though we had a small amount of time for the Kenya kids to meet and discuss just a little more what would be necessary to go on the trip. Things like a passport, a willing heart, and $2,000. And that's when I got scared. As a girl who struggles to make ends meet every month with rent and groceries, the thought of finding $2,000 was staggering. But I knew if God had called me to this, He would provide. I trusted His word and I found solace in knowing I would be taken care of.

I started this blog in hopes that by attaching my paypal account to it and adding a little "donate" button at the top of the page, people would be moved by the story and want to give to my cause. It didn't take long for me to realize that wasn't the case. Surely I'm excited that people are continuing to read and be updated and here my stories, don't get me wrong, but the fact that not a single person had given a single dollar was disheartening. And haven't had any donations yet. Not one person has opened up their wallet on this blog. Which lead me to begin to doubt. Was God really going to provide for me? I hadn't seen any sign of it yet, especially since my parents are so much against supporting me and restricted me from sending support letters to any of my family, whether they would be willing to give or not. I didn't know where to turn. I thought about donating plasma or picking up babysitting where I could on top of my other job, or picking up any leftover shifts at Barnes and Noble, or even selling my old ipod or clothes or computer. With my school schedule, work schedule, and leadership meetings I wasn't able to pick up any available shifts at work. None of the families I've babysat for before got back to me. I don't have the right forms of identification with me to donate plasma. I was stuck. I figured I may as well just tell them I can't go.

But then I decided to pray instead. I prayed a desperate prayer. God, I need a miracle here. I have no money, I really don't even think I'll have enough for rent at the end of the month, and I have no idea how I'm going to come across $250 extra by this Tuesday. God I need you to provide. You're my only hope.

And He did.

My miracle went to coffee with me tonight, neither or us aware of what was in store, and after hearing about how I had no idea how I was going to find the money she wrote me a check for $250. Never having experienced this kind of generosity towards myself I looked at her and told her to stop writing. She didn't have to do this for me. But she insisted. "I have the money, you need it. It's that simple. Here." With tears forming in my eyes I took her check. "Just don't cash it tomorrow. I'll need to move a little money around." (Which obviously won't be a problem since banks aren't open on Sundays anyway.) I never expected my miracle to be so close all along. Of course, there's still about $1750 to go, but she assured me it'll be nothing for God and I'll find it no problem.

So what's the take-away here? How about this: God is absolutely worthy of our complete trust. And that is why there is a space up there in the title. Because I think it's important to distinguish the two words. If God can provide $250 from a student in one night, just imagine what He can do with all of your reading this. (Well, I suppose I shouldn't assume there are tons of you reading this. Statistically, it's probably about 10 or 11 of you.) But I digress. If you want to be a part of this story in funding my trip, please don't hesitate to click the donate button at the top. If you're not feeling donating and rather believe you need to be a part in partnering in prayer, that's fantastic as well. But no matter what, be faithful in prayer and continue to listen as God tells you how you can help (anywhere, not necessarily just here).

Blessings loves,
Liz.

100th

I hit my first 100 views today guys!! I was really excited about it. But that's not the most excited thing that happened today.

My co-leader, Chloe, and I had our first small group of the semester tonight and it was absolutely fantastic!! We were nervous we would get girls who were afraid to get personal and disclose anything about their lives, but boy were we wrong to worry. We have some really great girls with unique personalities who are all meeting at a common goal: to grow deeper with God and learn more about His heart for each of us and to be more in tune with His voice each day. They came up with some great goals for our group and expectations for us as leaders. They were all warm and inviting and I just can't wait for next week when I get to meet more of them and get to know the ones who came tonight better. It's going to be a fantastic semester and I am just praising God for bringing such wonderful people into my life. :)

Also, if you know anything about my friends, SO MANY BABIES!!! Seriously. Little blessings being brought into the world everywhere! And I love it. :)

In short, it's been a good day even though I had my least favorite and most frustrating class and work was rather rough and I'm running on almost zero hours of sleep. And I'm excited. (wink wink small group girls.)

Have a blessed day! (what's left of it!)
Liz.

Words

This probably happens to me at least once a day. I'll, for whatever reason, get a single line of a song I may or may not have been listening to early in the day stuck in my head for at least the rest of the day, if not the following day as well, or until the next line from the next song gets stuck there. Today's line is from Waiting Here For You and it started when I was having my favorite thinking time--in the shower.

First of all, who doesn't love that time when the water is really hot and you can just stand under it and think? It's one of my favorite things. This will tie in later, promise I'm not just being weird and probably giving you TMI. Second, the line of the song that was and has been stuck in my head since about 9am today is this: "You're the Lord of all creation and still You know my heart." Wowza, right? Those are some seriously powerful words right there. Think about it, and not in your shower, you'll get electrocuted or kill your phone/computer/whatever you're reading this on. The God who created the Universe and all the things in it from the most subatomic of particles to the tallest mountains and everything in between knows your heart. He knows your desires, your fears, the things you love most, things that have broken your heart, and here's the best part: He cares.

Even in the smallest ways, think of how God cares about you. How have you been blessed? I know I am as I sit in a chair in my apartment kitchen, watching the pot on the stove begin to boil so I can cook some mac n cheese because God chose me to live in this country with abundant clean water, something so many people other places in the world go without on a daily basis, He provided me with a family that is willing to help me pay for a place to live so I can afford healthy groceries, gas, and activities with friends (all of whom/which are blessings themselves). I could write for days, months, or probably more accurately years on how I've been blessed and in the faithfulness of God. But that's not all I heard in the lyrics that are still, really, stuck in my head.

I think I decided to write about grace and blessings because underneath it all, that line was telling me something more. That line, "Still You know my heart," my heart that I store anger in, that finds worth in things, that messes up on a daily basis, was a gut check. I am ungrateful daily for things I am beyond blessed by. I take for granted people God has blessed me with all the time. God knows how filthy my heart is, how stuffed up and clogged with unrighteousness, and yet He continues to bless me. God loves me so much that despite what I do, He loves me. It's an unconditional love none of us can begin to fathom because we aren't capable of it. And that's not to say we shouldn't strive to love that way because we'll never be perfect. The goal isn't perfection. The goal is grace.

Before I head out, I do have one request for everyone who reads this. I'm leading a small group for some sure-to-be awesome ladies this semester and we're having our first meeting tomorrow night! My co-leader, Chloe, and I are super excited to meet all our girls and find out a little more about each of them and begin to pour into their lives and have them teach us along the way as well. I would so greatly appreciate it if you could  take a little time and pray for us as leaders and our girls--that we can provide a place where they don't feel they need to be guarded and speak only truth, and that the girls would have open and receptive hearts to what God is trying to speak to them.

Thanks all and much love!
Liz.

Get Off Your...

I know it's been a couple of days, which is basically an eternity for me not posting, but I was home without my computer for the weekend so I couldn't post any updates, nor did I really have anything profound until today! I have news about the ministry we'll be partnering with down in Kenya!!! Yay!

We will be partnering with GOYA ministries in Nairobi, Kenya. Here we'll be working with the children mostly, especially the ones whose homes were just destroy in a bulldozing mission in the Mitumba Slum. To read more about the Mitumba tragedy, click on the word GOYA above.

GOYA ministries has many goals they would like to accomplish, but their priorities lie in a few main areas--providing a salary for 5 school teachers, school supplies and book, uniforms and shoes, creating a locally sustainable water filtration source, providing nourishing food to children who would otherwise not eat, addressing the most basic medical needs of the community like vitamins and cough syrup, and to develop necessary and appropriate sanitation systems.

From the GOYA website: GOYA is a non profit and non governmental organization dedicated to spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, raising awareness for social injustice, as well as raising and investing financial, physical, and human resources in the Mitumba slum in Nairobi, Kenya. We are currently partnered with Highpointe Community Church, Eastview Christian Church, and REM Ministries but we desire to work with individuals and organizations regardless of their beliefs. Our goal is to provide a place for spiritual encouragement, accountability, and education, as well as providing for physical needs such as nutrition, hygiene, medical treatment, and infrastructure that encourages localized self-sustainability and a future of hope in the Mitumba Slum.

From their website you can learn more about different opportunities to get involved in helping GOYA with their efforts in Nairobi. You can also learn some surprising statistics about life in Kenya and read the latest news from the team there.

Getting excited! Only 187 days until we leave!

Thanks for reading,

Liz.

Unshaken

I got a sticker when I was at Passion just earlier this month from a prayer card that said, "UNSHAKEN" with the verse Romans 8:31 underneath it. I'd heard the verse before and sang it quite a few times during Our God, but I never realized how it would apply to me until I called home to tell my family about this trip. Turns out my family is very much against me going, which is going to make it that much more difficult to get there. Their lack of faith in the provision of God has caused me to not be able to send support letters to the rest of my family, which feels a lot like cutting of one of my legs to stand on. Because all I've heard is how this trip is another irresponsible waste of money and asking for donations is completely inappropriate, I started to wonder just how I was going to be able to go on this trip at all. Which is where the sticker comes in.

Romans 8:31-32 "What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won't he also give us everything else?"

Turns out the support I needed most at that moment was a glance at that sticker--a reminder that with faith in God nothing is impossible. I still need to find a way to make $250 by the 31st, but I know I'll find a way or people will start to open up their own pockets for my sake. Please continue to pray for me and the team heading down for renewed spirits when we're feeling defeated and for serious faith that God will provide because we're doing His good work.

Love y'all,
Liz.

More Ways to Follow!

Here's a link to follow my blog with Bloglovin as well. You can get updates from my blog to the bloglovin app on your android or iphone and to a Google Chrome app for your broswer too!

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God Doesn't Speak English

This is a post that's been awhile in the making. It's about something I heard while attending the Passion 2012 conference in Atlanta, Georgia alongside 43,000 other college students. It was Wednesday night during worship lead by Chris Tomlin after an incredible message by Francis Chan and we began singing How Great Is Our God. Chris was joined on stage by a few of his friends from around the globe to sing along in their native tongues. If I remember correctly I think there was Russian, Spanish, Portuguese, Mandarin, English, and Swahili. And it was the most amazing experience of worship I've ever encountered and I believe it's because that is that it will be like in heaven. Louie Giglio was speaking after that song had finished and he said something that for whatever reason, I hadn't thought of before, that God doesn't speak English, He speaks World. He understands every language and loves being worshiped in every tongue. 


As stated in Philippians 2:9-11, "Therefore God elevated him tot he place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knew should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father." How could this be if God only listened to or spoke English? Heaven is full of praise coming from all nations and all different languages. I think these videos, the world version of How Great Is Our God and one of kids from Mitumba, Nairobi, Kenya are just a small glimpse of the splendorous worship in heaven. Enjoy them. :)

Hakuna Mungu Kama Wewe (There is no God like You),
Liz.

What a Difference a Day Makes

It's really amazing to see the confirmation God has been showing me the past couple of days after switching directions from pre med to simply psychology and pursuing a master's in public health instead. I dropped my pre med classes and picked up classes focusing more on international topics with more of a global scope. If you read my first post you would know that I intend to work with the World Health Organization and aid in the rehabilitation of victims of human trafficking. Well, in class yesterday it was revealed that we would be spending at least a whole day talking about human trafficking as a global social issue and today in my morning class we learned that we have a group project on an organization incorporating international psychology and one of the examples my professor gave was the W.H.O. Crazy!! It's always scary at first taking a step out in faith, but it's so rewarding every time you hear God say, "You're doing the right thing. Keep going!"

I hope this post finds you all well. Thanks for staying updated and hope you all have wonderful days!

Love,
Liz.

The Power of Social Networking

I should be asleep right now considering I have to be awake again for class in just under 6 hours, but I am just too excited for discovering what a blessing social networking is! Mostly I've considered social networking, i.e. facebook, twitter, blogger, pinterest, etc. to be mostly for wasting time and creeping people I haven't seen since high school. (Be honest, you do it too.) However after praying for funds for Kenya tonight, my eyes were opened into just how wonderful social networking can potentially be! It wasn't until tonight that I realized how much information can be spread and how far through the internet and all the beautiful people using it. Since I have a blog, and a facebook, and a twitter, and a pinterest, I figured, heck, let's see if people will blow my mind and give to this trip even though they may not know me, or at least agree to pray for me and the team as we prepare to head down this July. So I sent out a tweet, linked it to facebook, and created a pin for my travel board on Pinterest with a bit of detail about the trip and a link to my blog so if people feel called to, they can donate to the trip. Little did I know of just how God would be working through the internet. After being up for mere minutes the pin got repinned onto a board titled Heroes. I cried. Really. Never in my life have I been so humbled. There is no way I deserve to be called a hero. I'm merely doing what all Christians are called to do--spread the love of God throughout the nations. So to everyone who is looking at this page and reading these words and listening to this great music (unless you muted it) and came from a website other than blogger, thank you. I hope this sparks a bit of a social networking revolution as well so we can begin to use all these sites for passing on good news and reassuring each other and supporting each other across the globe. Leave me a comment of how you ended up on this page too!! I'm really interested to see how we're all connected. :)

Love y'all,
Liz.

So, this isn't the first time I've tried this...

Hi all! So I've been blogging on and off for about a year now. I've tried everything from tumblr to baking to photography to just life blogging but I could never keep up with it consistently. I think my problem was that I would start the thing like most people start new diets. It's really great and new and you're super excited and motivated to finally be committed to this thing but then two weeks in you see a fresh-out-of-the-oven chocolate chip cookie and you just can't resist...yes that applies to blogging. Trust me. Cookies can be distracting.

Anyway, this time it's going to be different because I have a purpose and a weekly, achievable goal that I am super confident in and I'm already journaling like a boss so this should be a cinch. (I literally almost thought it that word should be snitch. We'll get into my slight obsession with Harry Potter later though.) Most of what I put on here will probably be about how God is working in my life or about how awesome my friends are or how those two things are combining into a super mega awesome force of awesomenss. Yes, really.

One thing I'm going to put right out there from the beginning is this:  I am not your typical go to school for 4 years and get a job kind of girl. I don't even see myself staying in the country for more than 4 years from now. Frankly, I'll probably be in Europe helping the World Health Organization educate people on health issues. And I can't imagine doing anything more fulfilling. Sure, I want to have that fairy tale where my prince sees me from across the room and he pursues the crap out of me and then we live happily ever after and I get a cute little diamond, but I know there are people in the world who don't even have clean drinking water. In fact, 13% of the world doesn't have clean drinking water. That's more than 1 out of every 10 people, and there are around 7 billion people on this planet. So rather than lie and say I don't need no man, I'd rather say I have my priorities straight and my man will get at me when the time is right. And it's my job as a Christian to go to the lost and the broken and bring them home.

Speaking of which, drum roll please.....I am going to Kenya this summer for two weeks to work with children and I am super stoked about it. I've felt the call on my heart for a year now to go to Africa but until about 5 days ago, I didn't know how I was going to get there. Well, frankly I still don't know because I have to raise $2,000 and I've never seen that much money at one time in my entire life. So this is a huge step of faith for me just trusting that if the Lord has called me to do this, then He will provide. And I tell myself that everyday. And I pray for it every night.

So I guess if I could ask one thing of you, and I know this is my first post so maybe it's asking a lot, please keep me in your thoughts and prayers and pray that God uses me in this trip and that I find the support I need because heaven knows I do not have to funds for this trip on my own.

You all rock. Blessings loves,
Liz.