Ready or Not

This one will be short-ish and sweet...or at least that's the plan. So each year at Bethel we have the opportunity to go on a mission trip. There were probably over 40 trips available, all of which will be overseen by amazing leaders, and as I was reading over the list and trip descriptions nothing really jumped out at me. I thought, Oh, Ireland would be cool; and the Iceland trips sounds like fun; or I'd love to go back to England just because I loved that trip during first year and their accents are the best! But nothing really grabbed my attention, if you know what I mean. That's probably because I already knew where I wanted to go and where I had felt the Lord drawing me to.

A couple of weeks prior to the mission trip applications opening up, we had a revival group party (our revival group or RG is like our family away from home; it's a group of about 60 people that we're connected with at school to do life and share with throughout the year). At the RG party, our RGP, or revival group pastor, Sara, had mentioned that one of the options for a mission trip would be an RG trip, and ours in particular was to Los Angeles. Ya'll, I drove through L.A. on the way here four years ago when I did first year...that place is crazy. I didn't really care to go back. My mom and I did the whole walking around the Chinese Theatre, seeing the Hollywood sign, etc. There was nothing during that time that said "Oooo, I'd LOVE to come back here one day!" Nevertheless, God is funny; hilarious actually.

Recently (within the past couple of years, and even more so since I've been here in California), I've felt a pull towards L.A. I really want to see people experience the love of God, and where better to do that than the City of Angels? I also feel like God has given me a heart for celebrities and those in the entertainment industries in general, and whether I ever actually meet anyone in that industry or simply pray for them from a distance, I have a chance to impact their city through loving it and praying over it while actually being in it!

I'm sure you've guessed it by now - the L.A. trip was my first choice; it wasn't even a question when the applications came out really, because as Sara spoke about this trip during our RG party, I knew that this was where I wanted to be and felt like God wanted to do something in and through me there. So here's the proof:
I've officially been accepted to the L.A. trip in March, and I'd love for you to partner with me. The total trip cost is $600 with the first deposit of $200 due by Dec. 5th. If you'd like to sow into this trip financially, you can copy and paste the link at the end of this post in your browser and continue from there.

Just as important as financial support is prayer support. I really want to make the most and get the most out of this trip. I want to grow in loving people and serving a city. I'd like you to partner with me in prayer specifically for taking risks (stepping out of my comfort zone), loving people intentionally, divine appointments/connections, and expecting miraculous things to happen as our team is directed by Holy Spirit.

While I wasn't ever planning on going back to L.A. for any amount of time, ready or not, here I come!

FINANCIAL SUPPORT LINK: https://trips.ibethel.org/transactions/new/16498
*Be sure you see my first and last name on the donation page before submitting your donation

Because I asked...

So we've recently been assigned our next reading for homework, which is Bill Johnson's newest book, "God is Good." I'm sure many of us have heard the saying "God is good," to which we respond "all the time," and vice versa. The question is, do we really believe that He is good all the time -  always, now and forevermore, past, present and future, in all circumstances, when we experience His goodness and when we don't seem to experience it? Do we say He's good because that's what Christians do? Or do we say it because we think He's good for the most part, yet in the back of our mind we're questioning it? Or do we say He's good and believe it on a conscious level but not in our subconscious? How in the world would we even know if we believe that in our subconscious anyway? It's our subconscious for crying out loud - you know, the part that's not conscious. 

Well, I think we can say God is good and believe it, but our responses/reactions to various situations will determine whether we actually believe it in our subconscious. When we get in a tight spot or a tough situation, our emotions will probably reveal whether we believe the statement "God is good" and whether or not we believe it with every part of our brain/thinking. Because if He's good, then we'll trust Him with every area of our life (and others' lives for that matter) - every up and down, the good and bad, and sometimes the ugly - and we'll be at peace. The angels, in their introduction of Jesus's birth, announced, "...peace on earth and goodwill towards men" (Luke 2:14). Bill states in his book that "this decree revealed God's heart more clearly than ever before" as "it redefined God's intent for humanity." So, if we actually believe that God is good, then surely we will live in what the Bible says that He has given us - peace and [His] goodwill or kindly intent. 

Anyway, that was just a little tidbit of info and really just my thoughts, so feel free to agree or disagree. I'm only in the second chapter of the book, so this is definitely not a book report or review of any kind whatsoever, nor am I an expert on this topic; I just needed something to introduce my testimony from today :) 

So here's why I'm really writing; this morning as I was getting ready for church, a good friend of mine was texting me pictures of various jackets she was trying on in the store - this is how long-distance shopping is done people - to which I would respond  with a "yes," or "oh, I like that one," or "eh, I like the first one better," in between throwing my pants on and brushing my teeth...you know, those important things when getting ready for church or being in public in general.  Well, when we were pretty much finished with our conversation/shopping she sent me a text and was like "hey, you know that money you've been putting back for me?" (I guess I should preface that with the fact that she had given me some money a few months ago to put back for something she was saving up for - you know, there are some people who are really great savers, and then there are those of us like my friend and I that need it to be out of reach so we don't spend it.) She continued with "I want you to use that money toward groceries."  

Why did I start crying at this point? Well, let me tell you. What my friend didn't know was that I had LITERALLY just asked the Lord (like one or two minutes prior), "Lord, would you give me some grocery money today?" as I looked in my fridge and cabinet at the bleak appearance of what meals would look like this week. I could do nothing but sit in the fact that God actually is good; that He listens; that when we ask, we actually receive. I'm sure some would say, "Oh, that's just a coincidence." Well, it may have been for you, but for me, it was a conscious choice to contribute this "coincidence" to the goodness of God - sometimes things are too random NOT to be God, and if we posture our hearts to believe He is good and thank Him for the things that may seem random, then we'll be more aware of Him when He actually is doing things. Just a thought anyway. 

I was seriously blown away by God's goodness and faithfulness through my friend's generosity, which didn't seem like much to her, but it was huge for me, not because of the amount, but because of the revelation that what I ask actually matters to the God of the universe, and that my words are actually really powerful. Sure, I could have just transferred over some money from my savings to get groceries for the week, but instead I asked Papa God if he would give me some grocery money. If I asked God for grocery money and He gave it to me, what else is He waiting for me to ask Him for? What other areas in my life is He waiting for me to partner with Him in? Ephesians 3:20 says "[He] is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think..." I mean, have you ever imagined or dreamed up your best life possible? If there were no limitations, what would you imagine your perfect life being like? Guess what, it doesn't even come close to whatever your heavenly Daddy has thought up for you. He's a good daddy - we already have access to all that's His; I think He's waiting for us to start dreaming bigger and asking Him for  the crazy, impossible things - I asked for grocery money; what will happen when I ask Him (and believe) to use me to rock my city or nation with His goodness?