To the Ends of the Earth

Well friends, I have some exciting news: I'm going to Cambodia! And Norway! And somewhere else!

Confused? Let me explain. 

Phnom Penh

I heard about an organization called Hard Places a few months ago, after my friend Carrie traveled to Cambodia to look for a place to live (she's moving there at the end of this month.) It's a Christian organization that works to combat child trafficking in Phnom Penh, Cambodia's capital. They work to rehabilitate rescued children, prevent more children from being trafficked, as well as alongside government officials to try and persecute the pimps that sell children. 

Carrie encouraged me to apply for an internship for the summer, and after I prayed about it for a long time, I had peace about pursuing that. I knew that God was calling me to go, to love in a way I have never loved before, and to give of myself as only God can equip me to do. And I am so excited to tell you that I have been accepted as an intern and will be working alongside Hard Places for 3 months this summer! 

After that, I'll be home in Saint Louis for a few weeks before I head off to Northern Norway for YWAM DTS! (Youth with a Mission, Discipleship Training School.) YWAM is a world-wide organization that exists for one simple purpose: to know God and make him known. I will be spending 6 months at the base in Northern Norway, learning about God's heart for the world, as well as getting my fill of adventures in skiing and backpacking with my classmates. After those 6 months of school in Norway, my classmates and I will do outreach somewhere else in the world. In the past they have gone to Greenland and Nepal, but we won't know where we are going exactly until the DTS begins. 

Youth with a Mission

I am so excited. And so blessed. And a little bit floored by what God is doing in my life. And by a little I mean a lot. 

There are quite a few road blocks that stand between my puny little self and the crazy journey God is leading me on. My heart is so sure that I am called to do these things that I get excited when I see new road blocks appear... New things that say, by all logic, I won't be able to go. It makes me laugh. Because every time one appears, God knocks it down. And I smile, because he's my God, and he is so good. 

One, for example, was the fact that I needed to get another job for the Spring. My school loans will kick in while I'm in Norway, and I need enough money in my account to make the payments while I'm gone. It's not an option. No second job, no Cambodia or Norway. So, I dropped to my knees and told God what I needed to make this happen and asked him to provide. I applied to a few places on Craigslist, and then went to bed. Early the next morning, I get an email from a woman at the YMCA asking if I can come in for an interview that day! 

This is the building where I and 17 other students will have class,
study, sleep, share meals, and everything else :)

I show up, and she starts asking me questions about the Y that I'm not at all prepared to answer. But, what do you know, it didn't matter. She asked me questions about what the Y stood for, and what I thought about that, etc. I believed fully everything that I said, but I never formed those words or thoughts. I wasn't really speaking, God was. I love that feeling. Afterwards I got up to get a tour of the facility and by the time I got back, Denise had a bunch of papers sitting out on her desk and she said, "Okay, here's the deal. We don't usually do this, but we were just so impressed by you that we want to offer you the job right now." God is so good! 

Not only that, but the first day I show up to work, I end up talking to a co-worker for an hour about Jesus, God's heart for the world, and what it means to truly love people. Turns out God is teaching us the same things, and we both had things the other needed to hear. I was thoroughly encouraged by the conversation, and I know she was, too. He provided me so much more than just a job.

Beautiful mountains in Northern Norway

The next roadblock is the fact that I have to raise somewhere close to $20,000. To little ol' me, that's a huge number. But to the God who owns everything in the world? It's an opportunity to show me how faithful and good he is. I'm about to be wrecked in so many ways. And I can't wait.  

Are you ready to watch God move a twenty-thousand dollar mountain? I am. :)

More on that later.

Much love and many blessings, friends.

If you're interested, check out more information on YWAM and Hard Places.