Uganda!!

Hey guys. Happy Chinese New Year! Xin Nian Kuai Le!!

Lord willing, I'm off on a new adventure this summer! I've been selected to intern with Sozo International for 8 weeks in Uganda!! I'm so excited to meet the children in the Sozo homes, the families in the community, and the incredible staff that shine His light to all who encounter them! One other group of people that I will have the awesome opportuity to meet this coming weekend (Feb 7-9th) is the group of other interns joining me on this adventure! Yay for new friends!! :)

I have had a longing to go to Africa for a few years now, and it is hard to believe it's happening so soon! Most days it still feels surreal. I have witnessed over and over in the past 3 years since I moved to Toccoa just how often Dad ties everything together in our lives to glorify His name. I don't expect this trip to be any different. I know that working at Little Caesar's and at Shepherd's Hill Academy has taught me several lessons that I will carry with me on each step of this journey.

I'm sure this post is going to be a bit of everywhere, but please bear with me.

The "snowpocolypse" in the South ovet the past few days has served to drive home some scripture that Dad keeps taking me to. Romans 8:4 essentially says that we are called to fulfill the law as Christians. When I do, I am walking by the Spirit. When I obey the speed limit (like everyone had been forced to over the past several days due to icey conditions), then I am fulfilling the law. I am walking by the Spirit. Therefore, I am at peace when I see a cop - especially if the roads are dangerous because I know that he/she is there to help. I am not stressed. My mind can be set on things of the Spirit (love, joy, peace) instead of the things of the flesh (anxiety and fear). And others see that. Whether it be my girls understanding that I am stressed during work or people in walmart seeing me smile even when lines are long. Will we have to deal with stress in this life? Yes, of course. We cannot control every circumstance. But there are some that we can. Why would I choose to make myself more tense when there is no reason to?

The idea behind fundraising stresses me out. I will need about $5000 to make this intetship happen. Our culture screams at us to be independent! Take care of everything ourselves! Many times in my past, the church has told me that I shouldn't do something if I don't have the money to. However, someone very wise once told me that there are people here in my backyard that long to go on missions themselves, but for one reason or another they cannot. So their response is to support missions. If I do not offer people the option of coming on this journey with me, then I am depriving those very people of a blessing. So this is me asking or offering instead of stressing. If you would like to donate to my journey and walk it with me, there are a couple of options. The first is to send money or a check made payable to Sozo Children to 399 Jordan Rd., Toccoa, Ga 30577. The second is through Sozo's website (www.sozochildren.org/interns) where I will have an individual donation page set up by tomorrow.

I also need a core group of people praying for me this summer. If you would like to be a part of that please let me know.

So today I choose. I choose to leave for places early so there is no temptation to speed. I choose to go the back way so there is no temptation to stop and buy coffee. I choose to trust that Abba will provide funding and prayers for my internship. And I choose to smile. A lot. Have an incredible day guys. Love y'all.