I can't believe there are only 75 days left until I board a plane to go back to the place my heart was left in almost a year ago. I could explode!!! There are so many things I am looking forward to doing in Uganda but mostly I am just so ready for God to lead us on new incredible journeys. As I look through my pictures, I think back on last year and the things I missed most when I got home. I think about the things I wished I had done while I was there, and the fears that held me back from doing them and I can't help but think how amazing and full of grace our God is. I am the most unlikely candidate for God's work.
"For ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God..." (Romans 3:23)
Yet he chooses us...
He chooses the least of these...
Over and over God chooses the unlikely candidates.
I don't know why God chose me to go on this amazing journey across the world and serve these beautiful Ugandan people. If it were me choosing who to send I wouldn't be anywhere near the top of my list. I know Callie...I know her well...I know what she has done...and worse...what she has failed to do... God knows me better. I will never know why He chose me, but I will be eternally grateful that He did!
God is choosing you too! I am well aware that not everyone is called to hop on a plane and fly across the world on missions. However, we are all called to missions. That is not a question.
"34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40 “The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’"
Matthew 25:34-40
This calling should be lived out by living missionally at home; feeding the hungry, clothing those in need, taking care of the sick, and visiting those in prison right here in your hometown. It can also be lived out by financially and prayerfully supporting those that God has called to travel the world on missions.
I don't want this to turn into a plug for my Uganda account, that's not my intent at all, but I do think it should be brought up. I will be the first to admit that it is SO HARD for me to remember that 100% of my money is God's. Giving financially does not come easily for me. I like to blame it on the fact that I am a "poor college student" but I know that's just a mask for the truth. I am scared. I am mistrusting really. It's pitiful when I think about it. What I am basically saying when I hold on to my money so tightly is that I don't trust in God's character. I am saying that I don't trust Him to be faithful. I should know He is faithful by now!!! How many times does God have to prove to me that He is faithful? Last year when the money for my trip to Uganda went from $0-$3200 in one week wasn't enough?! Or around Thanksgiving break this year when I didn't know how I was going to pay my bills and God more than doubled my income...was that not enough?! Or how about that time a few weeks ago when I once again wasn't sure where I would get the money for my bills... I was just thinking out loud to God that it would be cool for the lady I nanny for to ask me to babysit that weekend (even though she has never done that before) AND THE VERY NEXT DAY SHE DID!!! But God didn't stop there...He decided to show off for his daughter and I got a check in the mail that I wasn't expecting for another two weeks!!!!! Yes...I should KNOW that my God is FAITHFUL. If my God is faithful then I know he will provide! Especially when I am freely giving what is already His to his children that are in need.
If you have been reading my blog or following my journey to Uganda via Facebook and keep feeling a tug on your heart but don't know why, don't ignore it. There are so many ways be a part of this amazing thing God is doing in Uganda! You could donate directly to IChooseyou or become a sponsor for one of the 45 children in the program by going to www.ichooseyou.net. If you feel called to donate to my personal Uganda account instead, you can find instructions on the left hand side of my blog.
This is not the only opportunity for giving either! There are so many opportunities in our daily lives to give. I challenge you to try it and see if God doesn't go above and beyond to provide for you! I know I will be taking my own challenge, I hope you will too.
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