It's Going to be Ok!

My arms are sore from vaccinations, but my heart is full and longing to see the kids I've only seen in pictures and known through the stories of others.

We'll be leaving in exactly 5 weeks. Five Thusdays from now I'm going to board a plane and fly halfway around the world. I'm going to leave my husband and my kids and my climate controlled house. And I'm going to spend a week in an orphanage, in the Philippines, in heat like I've never experienced.

We're hosting a medical clinic and camp for the kids.

I'm going. The tickets are purchased. It's a done deal.

I wasn't really sure I wanted to go. Well, let's be honest I wanted to go, I just wanted it to be easy and convenient. If I could just teleport over and love on some kids and be home to tuck mine in bed at night, I'd be all for that. But, there is no sacrifice in that. I don't know how many more times God is going to have to tell me that this life is not easy.

But why me, there are plenty of other people that could go and do the same thing. God said, why not you, why not now? I could have come up with plenty of excuses. I like excuses. I'm good at them. But as Glen mentioned last night, there is nothing that can put restrictions on God, where there are many or few. Not time, money, family, travel, politics, etc. So it turns out, I have skill set as a nurse, I love kids, and I love Jesus and I want to tell the world about Him. So I'm going.

I know there is a plan, but I also know from past experience it will change many times. The details of the plan are going to change so much between now and then I'd be crazy before I got there thinking of them.

I think I know a lot of things, but I really don't know much of anything.

I'm one of those people that has mixed feelings about short term mission trips overseas. And yet I'm going. I read the articles and blogs about how it would benefit the community more if we just sent the amount of money we'd spend on plane tickets over there. And I wonder. But I know (there I go knowing things again) that it's not always the logical things that God uses for His purpose.  And I know that God's word says to go. Go to your neighbor. Go to your community. Go to your homeless shelter. Go to your family. Go to the ends of the Earth.

I know that this trip is probably going to be less about me helping orphans (which i whole-heartedly intend to do) and more about God changing my heart, my perspective and my life. And only God knows what the butterfly effect of that may be!

A friend of mine, also going on the trip is a worrier. She worries over the details. She worries over things she can't control. She probably even worries over worrying. She needs reassurance that everything is going to be ok. And don't we all at times! I'm so proud of her for going. For stepping out on faith and though she made need reassurance, she's going.

And that my friend, I do know. If you have Jesus, it's going to be ok!

It might be, in fact, at times it will be:
hard
messy
difficult
dangerous
and scary.

But such is life!

God never promised us it would be easy and safe and fun all the time.

But He did promise He'd always be there. Through every worry, doubt and fear, through every laugh, hug, and smile. He is there. He loves us. He loves YOU. He created us in His image. He wants to have a relationship with you, with me, with each of us.

I am so thankful that I know that everything is going to be ok. It is. It really really really is.

God is in control and we can rely on Him. He is faithful and trustworthy.

So I'm going. In five weeks. To the Philippines. Without my family. April 10-19th.

Please pray for our team and for all those we are going to serve.

much love,
Lindsey