I came home from Zimbabwe, touched immeasurably by what we saw and what we experienced there, however, I haven't yet been able to appropriately put it into words. Hopefully a blogpost about our travels will be coming soon (maybe by Maida or Skogen!), but as we enter into 2017, the year we've been planning and dreaming of for the last three years, I thought I'd just give a quick update.
Our time at Nhowe Mission was very reassuring. It was also very necessary for our planning process. Now we have more of an idea of what roles we'll play, what the living conditions will be like, and what kinds of things we shouldn't go over without. Even though it will be hard to leave home, and it's proven rather difficult to save and fundraise the amount of money we need to go for our committed time frame, I have confidence that we can do this and God will be glorified through it all!
There are times when I doubt, though. There are times when I feel like just buying a house and settling somewhere instead of going to Zimbabwe. There are times when others doubt our decision and moments when I get so drained trying to defend our family's dream or just wish that others were an encouragement to us. Today I picked up the book, "You're Made for a God-Sized Dream, " by Holley Gerth. I've read the book several times and seem to pick it up time and time again, always hearing something I didn't the last time I read it. Today as I read, I jotted down quotes that jumped out at me. As I was reading through the book and then again later through the quotes I jotted down, I realized that I have a deep need for more confidence and faith in our God-sized dream to serve in Zimbabwe. I also need to believe that if God can move me into mission work (which, I never saw coming!), then He can for sure move others to support us financially and prayerfully.
During in our time in Zimbabwe, we interacted with many different orphans of all ages. These sweet children and college students really spoke to my heart. Here they were with sad, hopeless beginnings and almost absolutely nothing in life currently, but they were truly thankful that God created them and have placed them exactly where they are in life. They believed in their purpose. It was so inspiring!
Our God-sized dreams aren't going to be easy, but if we're reflecting Jesus' light, they will be fulling. What are your God-sized dreams? Here are some of my favorite quotes from Holley Gerth's book. They have inspired and encouraged me today. Maybe they'll encourage you, too...
"I understand God-sized dreams because I've lived them. And once you have a taste, there's no going back to life as you knew it before.
You may say, 'But I don't have big dreams.'
Exactly.
The size of the dream isn't what matters.
I believe everyone has God-sized dreams. It's not about how big or how small they are, because he creates each one to perfectly fit the size of your heart.
Your dream might be to move across the world and start a nonprofit organization that cares for orphans - what looks like a grand adventure in the world's eye.
Or your dream might be to stay right in your small town and raise your kids so that they grow into strong mend and women - what looks like something fairly ordinary in the world's eyes.
Both matter equally.
And both are God-sized dreams.
It's not about what you do as much as how you do it. It's about pursuing life with passion and purpose and going with God wherever he leads."
"No one else can fulfill your purpose. No one else can make that dream happen. There is no plan B for what God has destined to come into being through you."
"God doesn't plant desires within our hearts to let them wither and die."
"God-sized dreams make their way into our hearts, homes, nights, and every other area. Sometimes they feel like an insistent knocking on a door within us. We can't get any rest until we let them inside."
"The moment that changes everything is when we decide to fear God more than we fear what may happen."
"It's about the God who gave it to you.
It's about the kingdom he's building in this world.
It's about the holy body of Christ."
"Negativity is far easier than perseverance. Criticism is simpler than encouragement. Saying the world is going to end can be far more convenient than daring to make a difference in it."
"This is the promise that empowers us to take risks for the sake of Christ. It is not the impulse of heroism, or the lust for adventure, or the courage of self-reliance, or the need to earn God's favor. It is simple trust in Christ - that in him God will do everything necessary so that we can enjoy making much of him forever. Every good poised to bless us, and every evil arrayed against us, will in the end help us boast only in the cross, magnify Christ, and glorify our Creator. Faith in these promises frees us to risk and to find in our own experience that it is better to lose our life than to waste it."
"It's not because of who we are but Whose we are."
"Your life matters even more than you know, and you are making a difference even more than you see. You, my friend, are a warrior. Every day you dare to dream, you fight back the darkness and add a little more light to the world. When you keep your heart open, the kingdom wins. And you, my friend, are on an adventure that's going to take you to places beyond what you could have even imagined. Places with joy, tears, glory, grace, and most of all, more of Jesus with each step you take."
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