Tired of Doing It All Myself - Maybe You Can Relate?

So I have a confession to make: until today I hadn't spent any time alone with God since Monday. I mean, I went to church Wednesday & posted the Facebook devos for my students, but I hadn't spent any intimate time with Him alone since Monday, & I knew it was my own fault. Many times each day I had opportunities to stop & spend some time with Him, but I had made excuses & opted to spend my time doing something else. Anyway, as many of you know I am taking the GRE tomorrow morning & have been stressing about it for the past few days. I allowed this test to distract me from my TAWG (Time Alone With God). Plus, I have been in over-drive trying to figure out how I'm going to raise support for myself through Praying Pelican Missions, as well as for India & very soon South Africa.

Tonight, after fundraising at Barnes & Noble & then coming home to make more ornaments for my fundraiser, I sat down to squeeze a bit more studying in & thought to myself, "You need to stop & talk to the Lord." I began by apologizing for putting Him off & making excuses. I'm so glad Jesus makes up for all of my shortcomings. I told Him that I will study more tonight, but that first I am going to spend some time with Him.

I'm currently going through Purpose Driven Life with one of my best friends, but (obviously) have been struggling to read it everyday, even though it is a terrific devo & I always get a lot out of each devotion. Today is day 9 for me & the title is "What Makes God Smile?" & the main point was that God smiles when I trust Him. Talk about apropos! That couldn't be more relevant for me today. Isn't that why I'm stressing so much? Because I'm not trusting Him; I'm trusting me & trying to do it all myself. Sure, I need to put the studying in to get the high score, & I must do my part to raise the funds, but at the end of it all He is the one I must trust to provide. To be honest, I get tired of trying to do it all myself. So why do I keep giving Him my worries & then taking them right back?!

It gets better. As if the entire entry wasn't conviction enough that I've been going about things all wrong, it posses a question at the conclusion: Since God knows what is best, in what areas of my life do I need to trust Him most? Way to bolster the point. Of course, I need to trust Him in all things, but especially in those areas that I tend to try to hold on to myself & control. Areas like finances & fundraising. Why, if it's so obvious that I need to trust Him with these things, is it so arduous then?!

God certainly wasn't trying to dissemble His message to me tonight. "Trust Me!" Well God, I heard you tonight. Thank you for moving me to listen.

Maybe you're right where I am. Maybe you need to take a breath & spend some time listening to Him. Pleasing God is the ultimate purpose of our lives, so how do we make Him smile? Psalm 147:11 says, "The Lord is pleased with those who worship Him & trust His love." God smiles when we trust Him. :-)

Missions Fundraiser

Looking for a unique gift this season that also helps missions? I hand painted this ornament as a way to help you remember to pray for me and all missionaries around the globe. Ornaments are $10 and all proceeds go to helping me stay in the field year-round. I only have a limited amount, so if you'd like one let me know soon! Thanks for your support.

Praying Pelican Missions

The Christmas season is upon us! Another year gone by too quickly. As I reflect on this past year, I am humbled by all the things the Lord has used Tj and I to accomplish. We would like to take a moment to thank you for your continued prayer for us as we diligently seek the Lord's path for our lives.

As many of you know, I have recently taken up a position as a full-time missionary through Praying Pelican Missions, which is based in Minnesota, although we have missionaries like myself living all over the US and abroad. Praying Pelican Missions (PPM) began in 2003 serving two communities in Belize. We expanded to Jamaica in 2007, and now annually serve more than 100 communities between the two countries, making us the largest provider of mission trips to Belize and Jamaica in the US. We also serve in hundreds of communities all around the world, including locations in Mexico, Haiti, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic  Costa Rica, South Africa and parts of the USA.

You may be wondering about the name Praying Pelican Missions. The significance of the name is that pelicans are common in Central America and the Caribbean, and the founders wanted a fun name to make a memorable logo out of which would help spread the good news of Jesus Christ. Also noteworthy is that the pelican is an ancient symbol of Christian sacrifice. The legend states that a mother pelican, in times when food was scarce, would sacrifice her life by pecking herself to feed her baby. Thus, as the mother pelican would give her life for her child, so did God give His Son’s life for us, that we may have eternal life. What an amazing analogy!

As a full-time missionary with PPM, my job is to connect with churches here in my area and across the US and help them get connected and on to the mission field. I am responsible for planning all the details of their  trips, from ministry sites, to meals, to transportation in country. I also get to lead these groups on the mission field! My country for 2013 is Jamaica, which I couldn't be more excited about since I will be working with some of the same people I was with in July.

There is one more aspect to my job that is a bit more challenging. I am a fully self-supported missionary, which means that my support comes entirely from people like you.  It is my desire to connect with people who are interested in joining me in supporting the ministry of Praying Pelican Missions. Donating is easy, tax deductible, and will be confirmed with a receipt from Praying Pelican Missions. There are two main ways to give. You can visit PrayingPelicanMissions.org/donate (or right here on my blog incidentally!) and make a one-time donation or set your account up for monthly giving by clicking on the appropriate links beside my name. You can also make donations by check by following the detailed instructions on the donation page.

Most importantly, I need individuals who will agree to partner with me in prayer. If you are interested in being a Prayer Warrior on my behalf, let me know and I have a prayer card I would like to send to you, and periodic emails to keep you updated on what prayer needs we have in Jamaica and Praying Pelican Missions. The battle for souls is fought on our knees. 

Please prayerfully consider partnering with me in my ministry with PPM. You can also support us by coming with us. If you are interested in how you can join myself on the mission field and the many ways that God is working through PPM, I'd love to meet with you to tell you more.

My first trip to Jamaica on mission begins Dec 25-Jan 5. We have 3 teams (73 individuals) coming to minister during their Christmas break! Please continue to follow my blog to stay up to date with what's going on in my missionary adventures!

Thank you for your support and prayers!!