so little time......

Well I finished work and I know that the last 2 1/2 weeks are going to fly by!!
There is so much to do! so as I have started sorting and organizing the things that have been piling up over the last couple busy weeks I have started making mental notes of things I need to pack and things I need to pick up before take off!! Since I know that my room will not be unoccupied while I am gone and it needs to be child proof and dog proof......and I just want to leave everything clean organized! :) Then there is all the paper work and jazz to get ready and all my important stuff to get in order in case something comes up while I am gone! But before I got overwhelmed........ I thought this gives me a lot to pray for my trip, the children, and plenty of other things! Wow! what a blessing! I think the time will go by way to fast.......

Yet the Lord will command His lovingkindness

in the day time, and in the night

his song shall be with me,

and my prayer unto the God of my life.

Psalms 42:8

Blessed be God,

which hath not turned away my prayer,

nor His mercy from me.

Psalm 66:20

Let my prayer be set before Thee

as incense; and the lifting up of my hands

as the evening sacrifice.

Psalm 141:2

The Lord is far from the wicked:

but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.

Proverbs 15:29

So little time, but may I use it wisely, to the blessing of others and in light of eternity may it come forth as gold.

The future becoming reality......

Yes! that is what is going on here!!

Busy days are flying by here but not without the knowledge that my day of departure is getting closer and closer..... Sometimes I forget then it almost knocks me off my feet!

I got a little 30 day devotional and thought O great, I will do this before I leave! Then realized I was way past having time for that!

Only 18 days before I leave..........

Only 2 nights left of work..........

Only 3 more weekends.........

Time to get packing....

Wow! I really am going to leave! Its exciting and exhilarating and feeling a little more real everyday! I know its only 3 months but I'm leaving the country by myself here!

I am always ready for an adventure and God sure is taking me on one this time! In some ways I just want to speed time and be there! I know that God has some great things in store for me! I can't wait to see what God is going to teach me and do in me, I know it won't be easy, but I'm thankful that its not! We keep a piece of everything God takes us though and each thing has a part in shaping us and making us who we are. I will be leaving a large part of me here and I know that I won't come back the same, I will leave a part of me with those children forever when I come back and I know that it will all be worth it all!

I get asked alot...

Are you scared? to which I always reply, NO!

I think I have way to much excitement and adrenaline pumping through my veins to feel it, if it is there....but I'm not tooooo much of a worrier and I know that the safest place to be is in the center of Gods will. Besides what can harm my soul? My body is simply a vessel, and if we can but reach one soul, touch one life, isn't it all worth it? But how much worse to go my own way, and one day look back over my life, wonder how it would have been different if I had walked Gods way instead of my own.

I wonder have I done my best for Jesus,

Who died upon the cruel tree?

To think of His great sacrifice at Calvary!

I know my Lord expects the best from me.

How many are the lost that I have lifted?

How many are the chained I’ve helped to free?

I wonder, have I done my best for Jesus,

When He has done so much for me?

The hours that I have wasted are so many

The hours I’ve spent for Christ so few;

Because of all my lack of love for Jesus,

I wonder if His heart is breaking too.

I wonder have I cared enough for others,

Or have I let them die alone?

I might have helped a wand’rer to the Saviour,

The seed of precious Life I might have sown.

No longer will I stay within the valley

I’ll climb to mountain heights above;

The world is dying now for want of someone

To tell them of the Saviour’s matchless love.

I long for the time when I will be with my Saviour, but I desire to hear the words, "well done".

If I gained the world, but lost the Savior,
Were my life worth living for a day?
Could my yearning heart find rest and comfort
In the things that soon must pass away?
If I gained the world, but lost the Savior,
Would my gain be worth the lifelong strife?
Are all earthly pleasures worth comparing
For a moment with a Christ-filled life?

Had I wealth and love in fullest measure,
And a name revered both far and near,
Yet no hope beyond, no harbor waiting,
Where my storm-tossed vessel I could steer;
If I gained the world, but lost the Savior,
Who endured the cross and died for me,
Could then all the world afford a refuge,
Whither, in my anguish, I might flee?
O what emptiness!—without the Savior
’Mid the sins and sorrows here below!
And eternity, how dark without Him!
Only night and tears and endless woe!
What, though I might live without the Savior,
When I come to die, how would it be?
O to face the valley’s gloom without Him!
And without Him all eternity!
O the joy of having all in Jesus!
What a balm the broken heart to heal!
Ne’er a sin so great, but He’ll forgive it,
Nor a sorrow that He does not feel!
If I have but Jesus, only Jesus,
Nothing else in all the world beside—

O then everything is mine in Jesus.

For my needs and more He will provide.

May Jesus Christ be praise in your life and in mine!

Who are you trusting in?

Nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day. 
2 Timothy 1:12

For I know whom I have believed......

What does this mean to you?

When I was first saved, it simply meant, that the God who had saved me, would keep me...which is enough.

But as I walk along on my Christian journey and God reveals more and more of His precious truth to my soul, it has come to mean so much more! God will keep everything that I have committed to Him. He will not fail me in anything! He will keep every promise, His blessing and mercy shall never fail, and His grace will be sufficient!

What have I committed to Him? It is important to know what you have committed to Christ and if there is anything that you are holding back. Is there anything you are not willing to let God be in control of? Is there anything that you are still trying to have your own way in? 
.....When we are trusting God and completely surrendered to His will we will be completely content in what God has chosen/given us. When we are completely living our life in Christ, no matter what happens we are able to say with a heart full of praise to our God, Thank you Lord Jesus, you do all things well!

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

I have not seen the righteous forsaken.....

And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Corinthians 12:9

God is my strength and power: and He maketh my way perfect. 2 Samuel 22:33

Delight thyself also in the Lord: and He shall give thee the

desires of thine heart. Psalm 37:4

Not only will we have joy in Christ and what He is doing but it will be a 

source of comfort to us! Because when we know what we have

committed to Him, we know what to expect from Him. We know what

He will not take away (our salvation), and we know what He may take

away.

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith;

who for the joy that was set before Him endured the

cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right

hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2

O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter?

saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's

hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.

Jeremiah 16:8

Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be
content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, I
will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. Hebrews 13:5

This has been such a precious comfort to me as I have been preparing
to go, when uncertainty's or challenges arise, I am able to say, I have
committed this to the Lord and He will bring it to pass. In His time and
in His way, it will truly be perfect. Thank you God!

Isaiah 40:38-31

Isaiah 40:38 - 31

Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Quito, Ecuador

Almost 30 days before departure......

Commit thy way unto the Lord, trust also in Him; and He will bring it to pass. 

Psalm 37:5

The time is getting closer....I am getting more and more excited!
Its hard to believe I actually have my own passport and I am really going to leave the country! In 34 days I will land in a strange place with a stranger holding a sign with "Brianna" printed on it!

January 16, I am leaving to go to, For His Children, in Quite, Ecuador.

If you are interested in listening to my testimony regarding the mission trip you can listen here. (I apologize for all of the umms, I had made a mental note to not say ummm, and I honestly thought I had not said it the entire time! Come to find out I almost said it more times then I breathed while I was up there!:)

I am very thankful for my sending church and all of their support, love and prayers!

Thank you to all of my brothers and sisters in Christ, who have given of yourselves in prayer, encouragement,or financial support, to make this possible!

If you have any questions, I would love to hear from you!

Total Commitment

This was written in our church bulletin a couple years ago and I ripped it out and stuck it in my bible. Every time I flip to it, it is a great blessing and encouragement to my soul! Would to God that I could be more like Him!

I want to be totally committed to Christ. I want to totally lose my life to Christ and in Christ, so that I can truthfully say with the Apostle Paul, "For me to live is Christ." I want to be totally committed to Christ as He was to the Father, so that my heart says to Him in all things, "Not my will, Thy will be done." It is my continual prayer that God will give me a heart --

Committed to the Lord Jesus Christ,
Committed to His will,
Committed to His gospel,
Committed to His people,
Committed to the cause of His glory in this world.

 by Don Fortner  

God & God Alone

Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works. All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name. For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone. Psalm 86:8-10

God and God alone created all these things we call our own

From the mighty to the small the Glory in them all is God's and God's alone 

God and God alone is fit to take the universe's throne

Let everything that lives reserve it's truest praise for God and God alone 

God and God alone reveals the truth of all we call unknown

and the best and worst of man wont change the Master's plan it's God's and God's alone

God and God alone will be the joy of our eternal home

He will be our one desire Our hearts will never tire of God's and God's alone

Through the Fire

45 days before departure.......

As I am preparing to go I find myself struggling......

with besetting sins

with discouragement

with feeling Gods presence

and as I cry out to God and wonder what is going on here? I haven't struggled with some of these things for quite sometime now....where is God in all of this? Don't you think God would feel closer and closer as I prepare to leave on "faith"?

Its as if Satan just keeps whispering to me.....

           Fear 

           Belittlement 
           Guilt 

But I am not going for my own personal advancement, enjoyment, or pleasure,  so why am I going?

Because God has given me the desire to.....
           Draw closer to my Savior, and I believe He will teach me and draw me closer to Himself though this.
           Serve Him outside of my own realm of living, not because I have much to give but because He has given me much!
            Minister and bless children, all of them bare wounds and scars that my Lord Jesus can heal!
           Because this is His will for me! 

But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. Acts 20:24

So is it just my flesh getting in the way?

           Am I overly tired? 

           Am I overwhelmed?

           Am I taking the necessary time to seek God? 

Is it just me? I don't doubt God! I know whom I have believed! I don't doubt this is His will, I have seen His hand at work preparing me before I ever even heard of this orphanage! But why suddenly when I am drawing closer, seeking Gods face even more to prepare me, and my heart to do the will of the Father there, do I feel like I might be consumed by my own struggles?

What really is going on here? Is it more than just me?

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Ephesians 6:12

Could it really be that it is Satan flinging arrows and darts at me?

And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. Job 2:2

Well it does seem as though he has nothing better to do.....
He would try anything to prevent Gods work, to prevent us from being faithful to Gods calling, and to draw us away from God!

Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. 2 Corinthians 2:11

So we should not only be expecting his attack but preparing to face it as well.

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Ephesians 6:10-13

How do we prepare for or overcome this attach?

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Psalm 119:105

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Psalm 119:11

Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; Ephesians 6:14-18

So God knew that Satan would attach and He has given us the tools we need to overcome Him. Though the day to day battles may be a bit discouraging, we can be encouraged by the fact that God has already won the war! It is through prayer and the Word of God that Christ gives us victory in this life!

So once again I will take up my cross and follow my Savior! Know that He does all things well, He allows this trying of our faith for our own good! Even in the darkest moment He is by our side, watching over us, not allowing us to be tried above what we are able to bear!

Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him: On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him: But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. Job 23 8-10