Remembering...

Though it linger, wait for it...

Have you ever prayed for something for a long time but never thought it would happen? I do not mean you WISHED for it for a while, but actually spent time with the God of the universe in prayer over something. Well, that is where this little excerpt begins. In high school, I went to Russia for a month. It was one of the top four defining moments in my life. A year later, I received a brochure about the country of Romania. A few months later, I had the opportunity to go there; however, for several reasons I decided not to go. I was tormented that I had made the wrong decision by not going. I thought that maybe I had missed God. Then one day my pastor preached a sermon about how God may only give us ONE chance to do something. I thought I would die on the inside if God had only given me one opportunity to go. So, I began to pray for God to open the doors for me to go to this country that I really only knew little about.

But it is as I began to realize how long I had prayed to go to Romania that my faith began to wane at times. It is not because I did not think that God COULD do it but because I was not sure that He WOULD. I went throughout all four years of college watching other people go on mission. It was not until my senior year that God opened a door for me to go to Romania. It was an amazing time of wow and shocked belief as things began to fall into place. The people and the finances began to work out the way that God had intended. I knew right away that this would not be an ordinary trip to a country I had been waiting to go to for five years. God began to show His way to provide in every way for each of us on the team. Getting there to that beautiful place with the beautiful people was only the step out of the boat on the way to faithful service.

I cannot speak for every person I went with to Romania, but I went expecting to help others and well…the people there helped me. God used them to change my life forever and I am so grateful that I could be privileged enough to go there after waiting for so long. It was in the first year that I went to Romania that I clung to the verse Ephesians 3:20-21 which says, “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or imagine, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” God definitely proved true every place that we went the first and the second year. I understood that first trip why God would have me wait so long to go. I had to mature and be a different person than I was in high school in order for Him to use me in the places that He wanted to. I understood on the second trip what it meant to be humble and to serve. Funny how the things that we pray for are answered…just realize that when you pray for something it may be a lot harder to follow through on your end than on God’s. BUT He gives you the strength to do so.

Being in Romania was one of the most amazing experiences of my life, and the people I met there and have kept in contact with are beautiful and amazing. Some of them are probably reading this and I would like to say to you thank you for being the people that you are, for loving and sharing the way that God would have us to. I could go on with story after story of my short time there the last two years, but I will not bore all of you. I write this simply because at this time for the last two years God provided for me to go and be with the people that I grew to love so much. This has been a different time not being able to go, but I am trusting God to take me back to that place, hopefully soon. I wish I could explain the way that God can make your heart connect with a people and a place like you were meant for it, but there are no words to describe even a year later the way that I feel.

For the rest of you that may have been waiting on God to do something wonderful…or life changing…or maybe you have been praying and waiting because at some point you thought you missed God. Well…keep praying and believing that God can answer that prayer to benefit you and other people for the Glory of God. It is true that the timing of God could not be more perfect. I have to remind myself of that daily…especially when the impatient side of my heart rears its ugly head.

Go seek something beautiful and you will find it; it may look a little differently than you had expected but it will not disappoint you when you are in full surrender to God. I know that I wait expectantly for answered prayers even though the times get tough. I realized through both trips to Romania that this quote is true: “I discovered an astonishing truth: God is attracted to weakness. He can’t resist those who humbly and honestly admit how desperately they need him.” –Jim Cymbala

Don’t be content with sitting around doing nothing…at least in the waiting period of life, spend it praying or seeking God for when you have to get up and go. I look forward to the next moment that God says to go…He leads and provides the way. We are only vessels…but realize that when God moves you it may not be because you are going to touch someone else or change a life…He might be trying to change you!

I love you all who went with me and had the experiences in Romania…this is partially dedicated to you. I am so glad to have been a part of each of your lives and you a part of mine. Lauren, Laura, Hannah, Valerie, Brent, Philip, Jason, Danny, Kylie, Katie, Rebecca, Amanda, Alicia. And to my friends in Romania whom I miss dearly, I am praying for you and hope to see you soon. God prepare the way. Amen.

Philippians 2 (Read the Whole Chapter..It’s pretty much amazing.)

1 Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (New King James Version)