she grabs onto my arms, lifts her head out of the water and gasps for air like it was her first breath in hours - yet manages to spit out, "I know I know, (gasp) my derriere was sinking"
What?! How does a 5 year old know was a derriere is? I am pretty sure the whole pool heard my laughter. My little sister, Faith, was still in my arms trying to figure out what was so funny.
I was excited, nervous, joyous, intrigued and anxious to see what this summer would look like at home. I have been home for summers before, but this one would be different with preparing for my trip and knowing I wouldn't return to school in fall. Looking back at my previous post, the Lord has answered my prayer of living beat to beat. Instead of my head being in Uganda already and fast forwarding through my time at home, God has made sure to fill each day with treasures to unfold.
Just a few treasures He's made sure I have:
- give swim lessons to my little sisters
- spend lots of time at home with the little ones
- water my relationships at home (immediate family, close friends from high school and new ones from college!)
- take fun trips with my friends
- get back into a work out routine (with mi madre!!)
- weekly workouts with a sweet friend
- tennis & dinner dates with my cousin
- helping with bridal festivities for my small group leader & dear friend!!!! (= (=
- nanny for two darling children
- prepare for my journey to Uganda!
- partake in a Bible study at home
now if I could just get a dash more of baking in there...
My mom actually just told me the other day that I am 'over-booking myself', the same words I used to hear in high school... I'm just thankful she didn't see me at school, then! (; While I should take her loving guidance into consideration, I am so thankful for how the Lord has showered me with opportunities to soak up all of these treasures. I could not have pictured this summer any better (maybe seeing my other siblings more! But OBX has our names allll over it soon enough)
The first few weeks at home I was going through a heavy case of role confusion. I didn't know my role anymore. It wasn't clear cut like it had previously been. My younger sister, Nina, chose to stay in Lynchburg for the summer (because apparently that's what Liberty students do... (; ) so I didn't have someone to parallel my role with. I even told my mom I didn't know what my role was just yet - she must have thought, "uh, you've been here for 22 years besides school, shouldn't you know by now?" The Lord is faithful and has been carving out my role and enthusiasm for it since.
My preparation for Uganda has been productive and all over the place. Between getting my visa, vaccinations, medication, support letters/fundraising, reading, flight info, packing prep and a mound of other things, I have been constantly preparing. The list looked pretty darn intimidating in the beginning, but by taking the wise words of advise from Chloe (a former Zion Project volunteer), and bathing each step in prayer, the Lord has claimed victory over all.
Fundraising has been trying but very good. I am about 40% funded and am continuing to raise support. During the first few weeks after I sent out my letters the donations were coming in daily. As that is not the case anymore, the Lord is quietly reminding me to seek out the plentiful resources and avenues I have at my disposal.
I have been praying that the Lord would give exceedingly abundantly above all that I could ask or think, according the power that works in me (Ephesians 3:20) in regards to my financial support. I continue to pray that daily and I know He is doing just that. However, He softly reminded me today of where my parents were a few months ago when I first began speaking about my interest with serving in Uganda. Needless today, they weren't 150% gung-ho about the sounds of it. My parents have never told my siblings or me that we are not allowed to do something we were set on (unless it's Jeremy who wanted to jump on the roof with his friends..). While they were apprehensive, as any great parent should be, it was trying in my heart. After continual prayer for a heart change in each of them, I now have my mom knocking on my bedroom door in tears because she is touched by what people are already doing over there. She has been reading Kisses From Katie that I had to read and her heart has been radically changed. I also have my dad teaming up with me in tackling the logistical side if things and checking in from England in my preparation. The Lord has given me exceedingly abundantly above all I could ask or think with the beautiful heart and support He's poured into my parents and overflowing onto me.
My prayer, sourced by Beth Moore: that I would not miss a single thing Christ died on the cross to give me.
I love you all! Happy Tuesday! (=
Love,
the daughter of a treasure-filled King
