3 weeks!

The days are going by so quickly!  There's only about 3 weeks until we leave and I still have so many things to check off my to-do list.  My bed is starting to pile up with clothes and supplies that I need to pack. God has shown Himself faithful and I am so encouraged by the support I've received.  I haven't reached my goal yet, but I know He will meet all my needs.

I was out doing some yard work this afternoon and it got me thinking about life.  As usual, I had waited too long to trim the hedges around our house and they had become overgrown.  As I hacked away at the branches and leaves, it occurred to me that it was probably a pretty traumatic experience for a plant.  Each limb that fell, represented time, energy, and nutrients that had been invested to grow in that direction.  By the time I was done, some of the bushes ended up looking like sad little stumps. While it's a shock to their systems right now, I know that a dramatic change was necessary in order to get them to grow the way I want.  I also know that without continued pruning and reshaping, they will quickly return to their wild state.

It's a good representation of my relationship with God in a lot of ways.  I've invested time and energy growing in the directions that I want- and as a result, many areas of my life were pretty overgrown and/or unfruitful.  It's a painful process giving up control of those areas and letting God decide what branches need to be cut and which way I should grow.  I'm also aware that this pruning process isn't a one-time decision.  If I stop allowing God to work in my heart, I'll easily fall back into my old ways of thinking and living.  I have to trust that He knows best how to shape my life and continually submit to Him-even if it's painful or uncomfortable at times. 

Please continue to pray for me as I prepare to go.  Specifically that I'll be open to God working in my life, and that I'll really come to a deeper level of faith and trust in Him.