And we're off!

Psalm 115:1 ~ Not to us, O LORD, not to us but to YOUR NAME be the glory, beacuse of your love and faithfulness.

1

I am so freaking excited.

I feel a great sense of peace, support, encouragement and love. As I reflect over the last few months, the Lord has taught me great things and worked through many others to bring me here. The Lord has opened numerous doors of support and strength through my family and friends. He has taught me just what it means to leap out in faith and there is no doubt He has been guiding my every step. He has reminded me to live by faith, not by "feeling."

I have to take a minute and reflect on my marriage. My husband has and continues to love me selflessly as I embark on this adventure. He has been nothing but supportive, telling me to go, loving me every step of the way, listening to my heart and valuing it. Words can't express how grateful I am. I feel so very special to be his.

Psalm 25:4 ~ "Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you and God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long."

Time to finish packing :)

2

Psalm 34:4 ~ "I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from my fears."

So, it's starting to feel real now. As I was walking out of work today, realizing I wouldn't be returning for 3 weeks, it hit me. "Normal" life is winding down as I gear up for this adventure.

I hope I'm ready.

Psalm 46:10 ~ "Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."

5

This week. Whoa. It's kinda getting to the point where I'm sick of talking about it, sick of thinking about it and sick of packing...I JUST WANT TO GO! I feel as if this trip has been a long time coming in some ways. I remember sitting at a SCC concert maybe senior year of high school and hearing about this new organization Shaohannah's Hope. Definitely something that I wanted to be a part of, but little did I know 6 years later that would mean me flying to China with 19 strangers. Don't get my wrong, I'm pumped and I wouldn't change a thing for the world...it just still doesn't quite feel real. I wonder when it will feel real.

I'm trying hard to listen for God this week. I'm not sure what I'm listening for, but I'm listening. I've also been thinking about how processing will go for this trip. I pray I have the time and strength to process once I'm home. I think one of the things I'm most anxious about is how I'll feel, what I'll learn and what I'll bring home with me. This trip isn't just for me, it's for my family and those who love and support me. What will I bring home for them? How will they see God through me? I guess I can't put pressue on myself, so to speak, but I'd be fooling myself if I thought this trip was for me.

10

Whoa...10 days until I leave!

I have finished about 99% of my shopping for things like electrical converters, work clothes that I can leave at the orphanages, and extra Pepto! Maybe I'll start to actually pack it all soon.

It's getting to be quite surreal that I will be seeing these amazing places up close and personal, like, The Great Wall, The Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Hope Healing Home, Maria's Big House of Hope and Bethel Training Center for the Blind, just to name a few.

I've been thinking a lot lately about why. Why am I going on this trip? There is no doubt that God is calling me, that's why I'm going. So more specifically, why is He calling me to go? I'm obviously not adopting now, and I may never. I wonder if this trip, and possibly future trips, will be my way to care for orphans as He instructs in James 1:27. God has given me a burden for these little ones, these precious children of His.

Part of my believes, too, that I may not know now, in 10 days or in a month why God has called me to serve in China. I may not know for many years, but I am looking forward to meeting others who have been called and living out the adventure that has been laid before me.

17

That's the number of days until I arrive in New Jersey to meet the rest of my Show Hope team. There are still some preparations to complete, but I'm not stressing, worrying or even dwelling on them.

I just can't wait to go.

Everyday brings me one day closer to show Jesus to a hurting child. Everyday brings my one closer to following God's leading. Everyday brings me one closer to seeing my God in a new way.

But in the midst of preparation and waiting to go, may I not forget those around me here, in Akron, at work, next door. May I not miss the point of showing hope to the hopeless. Even here.

LORD, You are doing WHAT in China?

The reports from Show Hope's first team to China this summer amaze me. Pictures and videos reporting openly praising, praying and thanksgiving in front of Chinese officials and in Chinese newspapers only cause my jaw to drop. I obviously have no idea what it even means to live in a Communist country, only recently allowing certain religious "freedoms" from a self-proclaimed Atheist country. I love these pictures because they just aren't what you'd expect to see in China.

But God is BIG.