The Bags are Packed

It’s the final countdown!

The bags are packed and stacked and ready to roll. What is keeping me from this journey to Afrika is a (hopefully) good night sleep, one last church service, breakfast with Gram , Pop, and my little brother Christopher, gasin’ up the truck, and a huckleberry milkshake.

Right now I am freaking out. But a good freaking out. I am a little nervous my bags are over the weight limit, but I think I’ll be fine!

It’s just about midnight. I’m trying to stop being hyper. First of all it’s my personality to be really hyper about things. Secondly I AM GOING TO AFRIKA!! Why wouldn’t or shouldn’t I be hyper?! (Because I have to sleep, that's why!)

The next time I blog I’ll be in…you know where…Afrika!

Becky's Wedding Day

My longest friendship is with a pretty gal named Becky. She recently got married. It was awesome.

Something happened the day of the wedding that neither I nor anyone else will forget. You know those things that happen only in movies? Well, it happened in real life at this wedding. Here's the story:

Saturday morning: wedding day. I woke up early (like 7:45) and headed to the salon to sit with one of the bridesmaids (and my new friend), Kristen, as she got her hair done. After she was finished and lookin' SO good, I had to run a couple of errands -- mainly taking a shower. I finished everything I needed, went to the salon just as the beautiful bride was getting her hair done, and we all hung out and had a good time. Following along the order of a wedding morning, we headed to the house to get changed into our dresses. We finished putting the last few touches on and headed to the ceremony site.

It was almost time.

Everything was going well. The wedding started a little later, as to be expected. Everyone looked good. Everyone was ready. It came time for the best man and I to precede Becky. As I took my place I looked over at the groom, Justin. I asked him if he was ready, if he was nervous, and told him he'd be fine. We hear the audience laughing, look up, and see the little boys coming up with these awesome signs and a shot gun:

Finally we see the flower girl, and not too far behind her the bride. She looks like a princess straight out of a fairy tale. It's magical. She makes her way to the front, I take her bouquet and fix her dress. Everything is going so smoothly. Half way through it hits me. I forgot the ring.

I immediately go into panic mode. In a span of about 5 seconds I think: "Who forgets the ring? What kind of maid of honor forgets the ring? I am the worst maid of honor ever. Heck, I'm the worst friend ever. Becky is going to hate me. The wedding is ruined." Then I have an idea: tell the bridesmaid next to me. So I lean over to my new friend, Kristen, and say, "Kristen, I forgot the ring!" Her response: "Oooh." Thinking quickly I ask her if I should use my spoon ring instead, to which she agrees. Then I get the perfect opportunity to temporarily fix my problem. Justin's dad, John, was praying over the couple. I lean over to the guy doing the ceremony, Dave, and in a very panicky 'whisper' I say, "Dave. Dave! DAVE! I forgot the ring!" He stares at me and starts smiling. I say, "Can I borrow yours?!" He starts taking it off, only to realize he can't. So he starts panicking because his ring is stuck. The prayer finishes and now we have two panicky people.

Dave, the awesome guy that he is, continues on without missing a beat. I start thinking to myself, "It's okay. It's only a ring. What's a ring, anyways? It's just symbolic for their marriage. They will still be married. At the end of the day the will still be married. We can totally pull this off." Justin gets the wedding band from the best man, says what he's supposed to, and slips it on Becky's finger. Becky, all smiles, turns to me, expecting the manly gold band they had picked out. Instead, I give her this silver spoon ring that fits a young lady's small hand and whisper, "Just pretend." She stares at me for a split second and mouths, "What?" I smile nervously and say, "I forgot his ring. Just use this one." I step back into my place. All is well. We can totally make this work.

Dave continues on with Becky saying, "Now, I have something to tell all of you." My thought: He wouldn't dare. Dave: "This is a fake ring.... We forgot the real one."

He dared. He told everyone. And everyone laughed. It was perfect.

They continued on with the ceremony. Dave tells Becky, "Repeat after me: 'With this ring.'" Becky says, "Well, not this ring, but the other ring!" Perfect impromptu. Never have I been so proud.

The ceremony finished out. Many people told me how beautifully perfect the wedding was. It was a beautiful day, along a beautifully scenic river, with beautiful Montanan decorations, and a perfect-for-each-other couple. And at the end of the day they were married.

Ten Days

Two words keep entering my mind: ten days.

Obviously the number changes, but today it's ten. Ten days until what? Ten days until this little lady heads to Spokane, Washington to catch the first flight on an awesome journey to Ethiopia. I just got butterflies.

I wanted to take a minute to let everyone know my thoughts and feelings as of right now.

-I am excited.

-I am nervous.

-I am really, really excited.

Knowing that I am about to be out of the country, out of the continent, for 6 months is kind of crazy. You’d think you can only realize something once. Nope. I have realized this about 8 times, and every time it blows my mind. Every time I realize I am going to Africa for 6 months I think, “What did I get myself into?” Then I think, “This is going to be awesome!”

I find a lot of comfort in the fact that our great God will be with me on the journey and every second during my stay in Ethiopia just as much as He is with me here in my favorite place, Libby, Montana. With each day that passes by I know that I am leaving everything I know, everything I am comfortable with, everything. But then I realize that I am not leaving everything. I am not leaving God; God is not leaving me. He is going with me. Someone that I am familiar with, Someone that I am very comfortable with, and Someone who knows me better than all of us combined will be right by my side, always.

As of now I am only a little nervous, but only a little. I know that as this next week and a half flies by and the day comes for me to be standing in that giant airport, checking in my luggage, praying everything goes smoothly, I will be one large bundle of nerves. Thankfully I can find comfort in the Lord. Thankfully I know that this is His will for my life, and it is my dream come true. Knowing that makes me more excited than anything. 

Ask, Seek, Knock

Do you ever read something and think, “Man, I wish that would happen in real life!” Have you ever heard a story and just knew they were exaggerating in some way because there is no way that stuff happens in real life? How about when you read things in the Bible? Jesus was born of a virgin, lived, was crucified, died, and rose again – that is the basis for the New Testament. It’s pretty easy to accept that, I think. What about when we read passages like the one found in Matthew 7:7-8, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened."

What does that mean? That’s a nice passage. It gives hope. But…ya, it doesn’t really work like that.

Those may have been some of my thoughts. They may be some of your thoughts.

Then I learned. I learned that this passage is true; it actually happens. I prayed and prayed, and prayed some more for an opportunity to serve in Africa. And now I am going in 11 days. “Knock and the door will be opened to you.”

Jesus wasn’t kidding. I was pursuing Him, and all the while He knew my heart. “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desire of your heart.” –Psalm 37:4.

We serve a great God who cares about our desires and passions. What doors has He opened to give you the desire of your heart?