"Here I am"

This morning I woke up thinking about how much I miss waking up early and spending time with Jesus. Reading His Word and writing in my journal. Tuesday mornings are usually hectic since I tend to sleep-in. I wake up, get dressed, brush teeth, try and fix bed hair, gather my stuff, make myself breakfast, and on top of that I have to wake up my older sister so she could drop me off if she's going to need the car. I do all of this in less than 30 minutes.
I usually do my quiet time in the afternoon when I'm relaxed on my reading couch downstairs.

At midnight I listened to a couple of sermons by Francis and Lisa Chan, David Platt, and John Piper. I can't recall which one had mentions Isaiah 58, but I wrote the number 58 on my leg.

This morning, 4/3/12, was a little different. I work up with a craving for His Word. "I need to go and read my Bible on my reading couch. Now."
I didn't have enough time to journal but I got to read a chapter from Isaiah. And that chapter of Isaiah so happened to be that "58" I wrote on my leg.

Mediating verse of the day:
"Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and He will say, 'Here I am." -Isaiah 58:9.

That was just what I needed to hear from the Lord. He constantly reminds me that He is there. He answers my prayers. He is with me. He is for me. He is faithful. He is my Yahweh, my Abba. I need not to be anxious.

I am currently waiting for my friend to get in contact with me so we can both book our flights to Kenya together. My missionary contact in Kenya gave me the thumbs up for the flight I was looking into. Which was such an answered prayer! Now it's just being patient.

Yesterday I had time to finish writing my support letter. While I was typing it up and sharing about the opportunities that the LORD has given me, chills ran down my spin. My eyes got a little watery. His joy abounds in me. It's such a privilege to serve Him and be a part of His great commission. He commands us. He commands us to go. To care for the orphaned and the widowed. When we serve the least of these, we are doing it until Jesus. Our Savior.

I'm not gonna lie, I do kind of freak out at times. I do get anxious. I do over-think. But the He reminds me that He is with me. He is here. He is my Helper.

"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."-Isaiah 41:10.

"For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, "Fear not, I am the One who helps you."-Isaiah 41:13.

So encouraging to know that it is the Almighty God that leads us and carries us through. He strengthens us and gives us His grace to do His will. "May the Lamb that was slain receive the reward of His suffering.”

Me, Lord, living with orphans and loving on them, teaching at Cheptigit Primary School, and helping plant a church in Kaptagat, Kenya? Me? This little girl from Miami?

YES! YES! I will go. Send me, Abba.

In the words of Karen Watson (martyred missionary in Iraq), "There is no Joy outside of knowing Jesus and serving Him.”