Waiting on God

I want to update my blog as frequently as I can with this whole fundraising for Africa experience, and I feel one of the most important things is to be very transparent about everything. So here I am about to get real about how the fundraising has been going so far and how I have been feeling about it all.

I don't know if any of you are like me, but often when I decide I know what I'm supposed to do and I really feel God pressing something on my heart, I want Him to move in my life right away. I don't know why I do this so much, He has shown me time and time again that He often calls us to something and then has us wait on Him.  But for some reason when I have to wait sometimes I start doubting myself and my calling. I definitely did this the few days after I put out my fundraising efforts on my blog and sent emails to probably more than 200 people. Only a small few even wanted to participate in the photography fundraiser. I was really questioning if I had heard God correctly, but then I went to Bible Study that week and it was all about how when you are taking on God's calling, you will be under attack from the enemy. I think I was listening to his lies and really started to fall for it because he used my insecurities to make me doubt myself and this incredible journey for which God has called me. 

When I got home from that Bible study, I had someone responding so sweetly about supporting our cause that I really felt like it was God's way of saying I just needed to trust Him and how this will all come about. However, then over the few weeks following that email it got more difficult again with only getting a couple of families who hired Jeremy for the bluebonnet photos (although I am so grateful for those who did) when we were sure this was going to raise a lot of money for the trip. Also the fact that I didn't receive much response from people, not the money but the emotional support as far as encouragement or "hey, I'll be praying for you," steered me into letting that doubt creep back in. It's funny how quickly that can happen. 

Anyway, I just finally had to start having people pray for me about this because it literally was starting to get to me. But God came through again because I just had a sort of emotional breakdown with my life group girls on Sunday, and then later I received an amazing donation. It was exactly what I needed and it was then that I realized this isn't about me at all and I shouldn't take anything so personal. I came home that night and spent some time with God and reading about David, and then on Monday morning I woke up with a renewed spirit and just really felt God with me and the peace that only He can give.  So I am praising God for how he consistently is showing me He is in control of things. (Thank goodness because I would obviously mess things up!)

So my update about the actual numbers is that so far we have raised $606.74 toward our trip. That may not seem like a lot, but we know somehow, this will all work out.

"But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory
through our Lord Jesus Christ! Therefore, my dear brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, knowing that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." -
1 Corinthians 15: 57-58

Soccer Photos
Since the bluebonnet photo fundraiser didn't work out, we are very excited that Jeremy is now going to try to raise money through selling photos to soccer parents through Jadon's Upward Soccer league. This is the first year our oldest, Jadon, is playing soocer. Jeremy was able to secure the spot of being the team photographer for the group at First Baptist in Mansfield so we are very hopeful that we will be able to raise money through this avenue. And of course its great because we will have some great shots of Jadon playing too!

This photo is just funny. 

Yard Sale

Another fundraiser we are working on is gathering donations for a two-day yard sale we are planning on having May 4 and 5th at our house in Mansfield. So if you'd like to help but just don't have extra money to help donate, you can help us by bringing anything you aren't using any more that you think would sell in a yard sale. We have been so blessed that a few people in our homeschool coop group has donated a lot of wonderful things to our sale, so for that I am so grateful. However, we still need more clothes, toys, electronics, furniture, and any other items that could bring in some money for our yard sale. Anything we don't sell will be donated to a local charity. 

We are also going to bake up some goodies to sell, so if you just want to come by and purchase some of our baked goods, that would be so wonderful!

As always, we definitely need your support through prayer. And it would be so wonderful to hear from you that you are praying for us, and following our journey. So if you don't mind, could you post comments here or send me an email with a word of encouragement? It really would mean a lot to me and my family!!

Here is one more Bible verse I am clinging to this week that I thought I'd share: 

"Be silent before the LORD and wait expectantly for Him." - Psalms 37:7

Thanks for reading and I really hope that you realize I don't think I deserve any of this but through the grace of God. I will continue to keep you updated on our journey.