Amazing....and some God thoughts

I just read over my last blog entry and became so thankful to God for where he has brought me in a short week's time. My last update informed you that I was at $600/month in pledges and at $1,645 in one-time donations. Over this weekend, I raised another $100 in monthly pledges which takes me to $700/month as well as $450 in one-time donations which brought me to $2,095. I will still need another $400 in monthly pledges and $1,500 in one-time donations however, I am very happy to inform you that my plane ticket will most likely be purchased by the end of the week. All I can say is thank you!! Thank you to God and thank you to all of you. WOW. I am overwhelmed. Keep those prayers coming!!

My official leave date will probably be September 3rd. I will let you know for sure as soon as I get my ticket bought because we are still looking for the best deal....pray for favor with the airlines because I would really love my ticket to be under $2,000.

As I've been thinking over this last weekend, which was filled with amazing God moments and confirming words from Him about my call to Africa, I realize that I have no words to describe how I'm feeling right now. Grateful doesn't even begin to explain to you how I have been feeling toward the Lord. A few months back, my Pastor spoke from a scripture passage in 2 Samuel 7 and when I started to ponder my current situation, this passage came to mind and I want to share it with you. This passage is King David's prayer after the prophet Nathan prophesied over him concerning God's promises to King David about his kingdom.

"Who am I, O Sovereign LORD, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? And as if this were not enough in your sight, O Sovereign LORD, you have also spoken about the future of the house of your servant. Is this your usual way of dealing with man, O Sovereign LORD?" 2 Samuel 7:18-19

So I started thinking, yeah.....Who am I? Who am I that God would call me to do this amazing thing for Him? I am just a sheltered girl from a small town in western Pennsylvania. I never really had street smarts. I was a nerd and a band geek that attended theater school. I could never make up my mind what activities I wanted to be involved in while in school so I tried a little of everything. I went off to college convinced I wanted to be a chef but was unaware of what I would have to go through to make it. I spent 3 and a half years making really unhealthy decisions for myself and then moved to California, like a crazy person, chasing a dream that I wasn't even sure would work out.
Who am I, God? Is this your usual way of dealing with man? That you would take a broken young girl and make her new again? But not only that....that you would make her new AND call her not only into ministry full-time, but send her out on to the mission field to serve You in a spiritually dark place? That You would confirm over and over again through others that she is called to Africa and that there are children waiting for her specifically? God, how can this be? Who am I that You would have brought me this far AND have spoken to me about my future?

I can't wrap my mind around it, but I'm humbled to think that through it all, He is going to use me in a mighty way. He is going to take the dirty rags from my past and turn them in to bright white linen handkerchiefs for my future. I'll tell you one thing, I can't wait to see what He is going to show me when I get to the top of the next hill on this roller coaster of a life that I'm living.

Riding in the passenger seat,
Gina :)