So, I wanted to set up a brand new blog to so that I can share with all of you my adventures in South Africa. But I don't want to discredit the journey that God has me on by deleting my previous posts. They are part of this crazy, beautiful story He is writing. From here on out, the blog will be called "Get in the Water!". I hope some of you can appreciate the movie line from the Notebook, possibly my greatest talent is remembering movie quotes, so I thought I would share this normally useless gift. In using this movie quote, I just wanted to use something catchy and familiar, but it actually relates really well to the scripture that God is using with me as we start this new adventure together. Here in Joshua 3, Joshua is about to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. The land that they are about to take over is right across the Jordan River. It is quite a daunting task to take a large group of people through a river. But God asks Joshua to take that first step of blind faith into the river and wait for Him to provide a way. After his initial step into the raging river, God parts the river and creates a way for the Israelites to walk safely across. This would not have happened if Joshua had not taken that first step of faith. This is something that I believe that God is asking me to do in South Africa. I have never been there nor have I ever been over seas. But I am getting a little ahead of myself here, let me back up a minute and share with you how this new path has been laid...

In the spring of 2012 our church, New Heights Church in Indianola, IA, began a partnership with Restoring Hope International down in Welkom, South Africa. Here, they run an orphanage for 13 children and they lavish them with the love of Christ, raise them up in their culture, give them an education, share the Good News and prepare a way for these children to live in society with hope of a future. At this time, I felt a strong conviction to be apart of the mission team that was going to be heading down in Fall of 2012. So I signed up. After a couple of meetings, my heart started to break for these children. I started praying for them and began to fall in love. I cried just thinking of going there and spending time with them for two weeks and then leaving them. What was wrong me with me, seriously? In June of 2012, God spoke more directly to my heart than He has ever done before. "I want you to go live in Africa for a year." Excuse me? I have crohn's disease, I don't have a passion for missions, and I like my life here! I quickly pushed the thought aside and dared not tell anyone for fear of further conviction. At the end of July we were having another one of our mission team meetings, this time with one of the families that helps run the organization. As we closed with prayer our pastor told the family that we, as New Heights Church, were praying to send someone to seve them for a year. His 14 year old daughter preceded to then kick me and tell me she could see me doing something like. UMMM...NO! I was immediately on the defensive once again, but God was not going to let up this time. So on my way home, after many words with God, I called my pastor and told him what God had put on my heart and asked if he would help me contact the organization. Things started to fall into place, a little to smoothly, I still was unsure and holding onto the fact that I had to be cleared medically. I went in for a pre op appointment to repair a tear in my colon, and low and behold the doctors could no longer find the tear and the surgeon gave me free clearance to move to Africa and wrote out a prescription for anything I may need if I get sick...OK GOD, I GET IT!

God has been so patient with this stubborn heart. He has been so good to provide people along the way to help me walk through the visa process, getting my plane tickets, mentoring and preparing my heart to live in another country and love people in a new way, and the most shockingly, receive all my funds of support. I was able to raise all the money that I need for an entire year in three months!
I can now say that there is no other place that I would rather be for the next year. There are no words to express the joy in being right in the center of God's will. It will not be shiny and pretty every day, life never is, but I know that God will be with me wherever I go. And that is all I need.
As the Christmas season is upon us, I cannot help but be inspired by Mary's obedience to THE toughest task that could be asked of someone. Her response, " “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Luke 1:38. May one day I have faith to walk in step into that water, without question.

My hopes for this blog is to keep you all updated on my journey in South Africa. I thank you all for all of your love and support.