Blind-Sided...

UPDATE:
If you haven't noticed the new layout, i really enjoyed spicing it up for you guys! Anyways, let's get started on the Australia update! Woo! Okay, so what an interesting past couple of weeks. First off, I have raised about $800 in support so I only have about $600-ish to raise. Secondly, after writing my last post, I experienced one of the coolest God-things since this whole support raising process began. The night I posted, I received a really cool email from a girl named Alex Bufton whom I crossed paths with while on staff at JH RANCH in California three summers ago. She, somehow, stumbled upon my blog from Facebook and started to read about what I am going to be doing in Australia this summer (Lord willing!). After reading, she felt that the Lord was calling her to give towards my trip to Australia, even though she and I haven't been in contact since 2007. In her message to me, she explained a little about what the Lord has been teaching her such as giving Him everything, even her finances. She just moved to ATL for her new job and, like myself, considers herself a huge saver and not the one to splurge... Here is a little piece of her message to me:

"Anyways, So on a different note, i was paying bills tonight and writing checks and i had one check left in my book so i tore it out....I told my roommate to keep it because the water bill was going to come soon so she could just write it for me- well it just came so i didn't need it. Anyways that's when i came across your page etc. So Anyways, I just really want to help you financially -even though it's just a little bit- and I want to be praying for you. I can't wait to read more about it and get to hear stories about how the Lord is using you."

(ps: her blog is super cool.. you should check it out and be praying for her and her job in ATL! aabufton.blogspot.com)

How cool is it when the Lord works in miraculous ways? It blows my mind, literally. Sometimes, I think I know His next move and then out of no where, He comes at you from a different angle. Matthew 6:27-28 speaks to me on a completely new level now that I've experienced the Lord's provision:

"Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin."

That's so true... How am I accomplishing anything by worrying about how I am to raise this support for my trip? Like, really... I'm sure by reading my blog, you would probably think I'm stress and worry free, that I haven't experienced any kind of doubt through this process. OHHHH but i have. This can apply to so many areas in my life right now such as my future, internship, job, where the Lord is going to place me after college years are over, spouse (if I'm lucky), etc... the list goes on and on. BUT one thing I've seen and I'm SURE of since sending out my first wave of support letters is that the Lord is faithful in every area of my life and everywhere He choses to take me in this journey. I have been encouraged as well as humbled and that's all I could ask for. Yes, things have not completely gone my way, but I choose to stand here before you and PRAISE HIM. He has completely brought me to my knees and I pray He keeps me here. It's not exactly the most comfortable position to be in, but who said anything about the Christian walk being comfortable? It's not... If it was, I'm sure there would be more Christ followers.

So last week I had the privilege of approaching an Atheist/Agnostic table on campus last week (thanks to the gentle nudges of my friend, AJ). After the first minute in conversation, I was definitely brought back into reality and the urgency we should have concerning reaching the lost. They absolutely did not care about anything my friends and I had to say about God and who He is. To be honest, many of them grew up in the church. All they wanted to talk about was how Christianity doesn't make sense and pretty much laugh at anything we had to say. Basically, that conversation left me with a shaky voice and sweaty palms- I'm sure that was another reason they enjoyed laughing at me. But, the whole experience really gave me a taste of what I will experience this summer, that's for sure. I know a lot of times we surround ourselves with believers so we get caught up in our Christian bubbles (I plead guilty), but there are many lost people out there who have no idea who Christ is or have felt the capacity of His love. When leaving their table, i have never felt such a heaviness for the lost and pretty much broke down in front of the Student Union. Maybe it was the thought that the faces I looked into could possibly never come to know the Lord personally and would experience eternal separation from Him.. and I had a chance to make a difference. Of course, I know it's not my job to save them; its the Lord's job to change their hearts so all i could do was share the love of Christ with them, His story of salvation, and move on. If you get the chance, please send up a little prayer for them.. I tried to get their names before I left, but my short term memory stumped me again except for a guy named Garrett. All we can do is practice obedience when the Lord places an opportunity in our daily walk and pray that He grows that seed later on in that person's life. For example, just like the Israelites in the book of Joshua, they won based on obedience, not on sheer military talent. Praise God for His promises.

Alexander MacKay, a missionary to Africa, wrote this prayer in his journal while serving in Uganda. It was very convicting and put me in a state of prayer, praying that I would grow to have the same level of heart and passion as this man of God did... offering his whole being for the Lord's purpose for his life:

"Lord, enable us to search our hearts and humble ourselves before Thee. Oh, for a closer walk with God, more faith, more sincerity, more earnestness, and more love. I must study more the Word of God. 'If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatsoever ye will, and it shall be done unto you.' The Master said so, and His words are true."

I hope you were encouraged by these life events. Let's just say it was a very humbling past two weeks for me... If you have any prayer requests for me, please feel free to fill me in! I love hearing from my followers =). Remember, if you feel led to give, the link is on the side along with the address. Have an incredible day!

Interesting Australian fact:
Australia has about 1500 species of spiders. If you read about our spiders you might not like this: the average person swallows three spiders a year