Merry Christmas

Today, as I am spending time baking, wrapping presents, and making friendship bracelets (more on that later!), I want to remember to say 'Merry Christmas!' to you. I pray you have time today and tomorrow to simply be in awe of God's love for you.

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My One Word for 2014: Content

Content - in a state of peaceful happiness; contented, satisfied, pleased, gratified, fulfilled, happy, cheerful, glad, unworried, untroubled, at ease, at peace, tranquil, serene

yosemite

Philippians 4:11-13 "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me."

almond-blossoms

In just a couple of weeks, at the beginning of the new year, I will be going on a trip like no other trip I have ever been on. Preparing for this trip, my emotions have been all over the place. Excited, overwhelmed, anxious, fearful, content.

Content is not usually a word someone would use to describe their feelings about a trip to visit areas of extreme poverty. But it is what I am feeling tonight. Why? Because I know that God has been preparing me for this trip, not just since May when I made the deposit. But He has been preparing me for this trip my whole life.

In an e-mail from our trip leader today, he reminded us that God has been preparing each one of us for this upcoming trip since before each one of us was born! Can you even imagine that?

So it is only fitting that I choose the word 'content' to be my word of the year for 2014. I want to be 'in a state of peaceful happiness', knowing that God is with me at all times and in all circumstances. He will never leave me nor forsake me. At all times, I can be thankful for His presence in my life.

Learning to trust in Him

When I was little, I used to have terrible nightmares. Many of them were very weird and didn’t make any sense (I am sure a shrink would have a field day with me!). But one dream I would have repeatedly was one where I was falling, not knowing if someone would catch me or if I would land softly somewhere. Have you ever had one of those dreams?

Sometimes I think our trust in God is kind of like that falling dream. We want to take that leap of faith and trust Him fully in all things. I don’t know about you, but I kind of like being in control of things. I like to have a list, I like things a certain way, I like to know what is going to happen next, I like to plan things out. But when I live this way, am I being fully surrendered to how God wants to work in my life?

Eduardo
Eduardo

Back in May, when we decided I would take the leap of faith to go on this Compassion trip to Mexico, we knew that I would be visiting Eduardo. Then we found out that his center was being closed and there was no way for us to meet up with him.

So over the last few months, I have been in contact with our trip leader, e-mailing him once a month to see if he knows what centers we will be visiting so we could choose another child to sponsor, because ‘I want to know who we will be sponsoring before we go on this trip’. But is it really so important for me to know this before we go?

No

Yesterday morning at breakfast, we discussed this very issue. God knows what child needs us, and He knows who we need to sponsor. I believe this is one of those times when I need to let go of trying to control the situation and allow Him to be in control. Because He has the perfect plan in place already. And that is where I can have peace that surpasses all understanding…

countdown
countdown

So we leave in 86 days…on a journey that God has already worked out all the details…praying I learn to trust Him more on this journey…