Thursday, December 3, 2015

Embrace the Unknown



I think about how happy my heart is, yet how extremely heavy it is. I sit here staring at my Christmas lights and messy room because it’s midnight and I can’t sleep. I think about how 5:00am is just around the corner, I think about how excited I am for Africa, but how sad am that my friends will not be joining me due to funds.  It breaks my heart, not so much the going alone part, but for the RUJA kiddos who look forward to “Uncle Andrew” coming to see them. It literally rips my heart out thinking of Alex (9), crying last August when our team left. It makes me want to cry thinking about him crying… But you know what? I still have this little ounce of faith that something could change, that a ticket could be provided.  I also realize I have to face the hard truth that It might not. Honestly it scares me a little bit…why? Because it’s not what we “planned.” I plan. I make to do lists. I lose them. I make them again. Then lose them again…. But, I always have a plan….and that plan I thought we had for January, well, it changed. That part that scares me is the unknown.  But something God has slowly been showing me these last few days is to embrace the unknown. Be excited about the unknown, because your plans? Well they can always change. J
 
 I went around my small town today asking for donations for my trip. I went into a paint shop and they sent me next door to a hair salon. So I walked in… “Hi I’m Kayla….” And then the next thing I know, the generic spiel is out of the way, then, instead of the normal, “ok, here is a little something...” it turns into just a real conversation with this lady who I’ve only known for about 2mins. She tells me how she has always admired people like me…how she has always wanted to do something like this but something always held her back…not the money or the time but the fear. The fear of the unknown. Wow. I told her the same thing I’ve been telling myself “Embrace the Unknown” After talking for a while, she gave me a donation, it was a heartfelt one, the kind that mean the most. She didn’t do it for a tax write off, she didn’t do it because she thought people would praise her for it, she simply gave a stranger $100 just because she cared. I walked out of that hair salon, with eyes full of tears and a heart full of gratitude and humility; I got in my car and just sat there for a min thanking God for all he’s been doing for me.
 
Something I’ve been learning is share your story. Share what’s on your heart! This morning before I went around town, I had group of older ladies come into the coffee shop I work at. They come in about once a month. Last month they all gave me a little donation. Some could only afford  $1. But that to me is just as awesome as $1,000 simply because they care. They care to pray for this 24year old girl they only see once a month. Who some of them don’t even remember my name but they remember my passion. Today when they came in I was pumped. As I shared with one of the ladies how God provided for me to purchase my plane ticket,  she grabbed my hands and looked me in the eyes “I will pray for you, and I want you to have this…” she pulled out $2 from her purse… “I know it’s not much, but I pray that God will multiple it for you…”  And you know what he did? He multiplied it over and over again. I also have complete faith that he will keep multiplying those two dollars. I literally would be here all day if I were to tell about everyone who has support it me financially and with prayers…It blows my mind. I can’t fathom how many thousands and thousands of dollars my friends, family, and even complete strangers have given me with all the trips I’ve taken to Uganda. But with every trip I take, and with every new day that comes. I see how much God cares. How he puts these people in my life to encourage me. To support me.  To pray for me. To help me remember how blessed I am.

2 comments:

  1. This was such an encouraging read. Embracing the unknown really stretches your faith and shatters the beliefs you had about yourself!

    ReplyDelete
  2. This was such an encouraging read. Embracing the unknown really stretches your faith and shatters the beliefs you had about yourself!

    ReplyDelete