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 :)