Preparing for the Journey

First of all, thank you so much to all of you who have committed to pray for me. I am completely sincere when I say there is nothing in the world that you could do for me that would mean more than that. I also want to thank those of you that have sacrificed financially to help me out on this trip, because I have so much faith that your gifts are going to start something amazing in the lives of people I haven't even met yet.

I'm leaving for South Africa January 8th! Plane tickets have been purchased, and it's really, really happening. I could not be more excited, and I am so looking forward to what the Lord has in store for me. The amount of planning that has gone into this trip is honestly pretty minimal. I'm following the Lord not even knowing yet where I'm staying or what I'm doing, but just knowing without a doubt that He's called me to South Africa and so that's where I need to be. I felt so strongly called to go that there really was no process of thinking it over. It was just an indisputable fact that I needed to be in this neighborhood in January.

The title of this blog, "With Open Hands," comes from a song that I think so perfectly describes the way in which the Lord has called me to live. The song says:


"To give unselfishly
to serve the least of these
Jesus I'm learning how to live with open hands
All these treasures that I own
will never satisfy my soul
Jesus I lay them at your throne with open hands

I lift my hands open wide
let the whole world see
how you love, how you died, how you set me free
free at last, I surrender all I am with open hands, with open hands

To finally let go of my plans
these earthly kingdoms built of sand
Jesus at your cross I stand with open hands

You took the nails, You bore the crown
You hung your head, Your love poured out
You took my place, You paid the price
so Jesus now I will give my life"


And that is really all I want to do. I have been so loved by my Savior, and I am so incredibly blessed by everything He's done in my life. I know I have lived so much of my life wondering what God wants me to do, where he wants me to be, struggling to find that place where I know I'm fulfilling those opportunities the Lord has given me. And I've learned more than ever this year that things don't always go how you planned. Where I am in my life right now is not where I thought I would be even a year ago. But if God has taught me anything through this past year, it's that I have to let go of my plans. I am totally guilty of building some pretty massive "kingdoms of sand"--and they look great, and they're well thought-out, and they might be some of the most beautiful plans I can dream up, but what I can dream up is so minuscule, so finite, so transient compared to the plans the Lord has for me. So I've surrendered those plans to him, and it's not always easy, and sometimes I think back on the kingdoms I was building for myself and thought they were a lot more convenient and comfortable sounding, but I am learning to continually take my eyes off of the things I've dreamed for myself and focus on the things the Lord has in store for me. Even though some of it might seem difficult, I know they're going to be so incredibly awe-inspiring and beyond anything I can possibly imagine right now.

I'm so excited to go on this trip and so eager to glorify the Lord that the people of that village might know the same love that has made me a brand new creation. I've been made alive by the love of Jesus Christ, and I cannot wait to share that joy with them. There's nothing I could ever do for another human being that could ever compare to what my Savior has already done for them. I love these people so much already. My heart is absolutely overflowing for them. I am so looking forward to putting faces and names to these people that already have such a huge piece of my heart, and I am completely stoked to let them see the unspeakable joy that the Lord has given me that I can't even put into words.

Please, please continue to pray for the nation of South Africa. Please continue to pray for the neighborhood I will be living in and the people I will be working with. Pray for them and pray that I will glorify the Lord. Thank you so much, and I love you guys :)

Where You go, I'll go.

Hi, guys. 

I'm not terribly good at this sort of thing, so let the rambling begin. A couple months ago, I had the privilege of worshiping with a man named Matt Papa at UGA's BCM. He shared testimony about the work of an organization called One Life, and he told our group about the incredible work God is doing as his servants build an orphanage in India. Immediately, I felt a tug on my heart to look into One Life. I am very fortunate to be graduating this December--a semester early--and before that night I really didn't have any plans for my semester off before returning to nursing school. This was a serious command from God, and I knew immediately I should be using this opportunity to serve him. 

So, right off the bat, I emailed the project coordinator about going to India, really without a second thought. But I was heartbroken to find out 2 weeks later that the missionaries couldn't take anyone for several months. I felt sure that that's what I was supposed to be doing, but it occured to me that I really hadn't prayed about it at all. I was so busy trying to figure out how I could serve God that I forgot to let God tell me how I should best serve him. So after a lot of prayer, God gave me this opportunity to travel to Durban, South Africa, even though as a single female the project coordinator was originally unsure that I'd fit the description of the average volunteer for the project. But the Lord opened a door, and I was in a state to walk through it, so I leaped.

I applied to the International Missions Board as a solo volunteer and was accepted, and I am now spending January in a neighborhood in South Africa--a neighborhood in which 1/3 of the people have HIV/AIDS, and 60% of the residents are under age 25. It is a high crime neighborhood, and many of the youth have fallen under the influence of gangs and no longer attend schools. Kids younger than I am are the heads of their households there. I have been given an incredible opportunity to bring glory of God, and I am so, so thrilled. I will primarily be filling open positions in the school, and after school I will spend time getting to know people living out in the streets and sharing the Gospel with the community. I am trusting that the Lord will use me in ways I can't yet anticipate. 

At the moment, I need support--and I truly believe that prayer is the most powerful thing I could ask of you guys. Nothing and no one can do as much as the Lord, and I ask that over the next couple months you would just pray--for Durban, for the hearts and souls of the people there, for me, and most of all pray that He will become greater and I will become less. I value your prayers and encouragement more than you can imagine. I ask also that you would pray that God makes a way for me. I need to raise about $1400, and because I have taken only volunteer jobs over the past couple years, I don't have a lot of personal resources. That being said, if you hear of a way to make some money here and there, I would so, so greatly appreciate you passing it along. I believe that the Lord will take care of it, and I am just promising him that I'll be obedient. 

Thank you so much for your prayers.

I love you guys, and if any of you have thoughts or suggestions, I would love for you to share them.