Just an Update...

Last Wednesday, I talked with the people in charge of whether or not I go to Bologna, and when I go. We discussed where I was with support, and what that meant as far as plans for going to Italy and when. She still felt like, after praying and talking with the Italian leadership, that I was still supposed to go. They are not giving up on me yet, even though my deadline for support passed on the 16th. With 63% in it was still overwhelming to think about what still needed to come in and how God was going to do that. So based on all current information, we made the decision to keep going and to talk on Monday, tomorrow. Let's just say it has been a looong week as the days passed by and nothing came in.


Plan B's just start flowing through my finite mind that can't fathom an infinite GOD. I wonder, is He just going to take a year? Do I need to get a job in the meantime? Am I doing what He wants me to do? Do I need to pack now? Do I need to get an apartment, motel, or extend my lease at my apartment for a little extra time? Am I going at all? Is He going to send me elsewhere? Is this all just one big test, "will you follow where I lead you?" It is so hard for me to just sit back and say that I have no idea where Monday's conversation is going to leave me. It is so hard for me not to try and plan something, anything, just so I can have a plan.

I know right now more than ever I need to lean and trust on God. After all, I left my job in May trusting He would get me to Italy to serve. I left my job, without doubting that God was going to provide every cent of a $51,889 support goal that I had no idea how even a penny would make it in. I have said, "here I am use me "so much this summer, that I am afraid of the task at hand getting bigger. I can trust in the ALL POWERFUL, SUPREME GOD of the UNIVERSE can't I? I know I can and that any time God's plans for my life, and my plans for my life compete, I lose. God wins every time! Not because He is mean or He wants me to do things I don't want to do, but because He loves me and dreams bigger for me than I can dream. He wins because He makes my plans look like just a speck of sand in a sand castle. I love when God plans for me! Yet here I stand, wanting to at least know one step ahead of now. Humm...

Today, God showed me just a little glimpse of the power He has. Today between church, the prayer party, and a few generous conversations with friends, God helped bring in 9% of my support in a 24 hour period. Just a hint, I have only had 1 week in which God had provided that abundantly. I knew that when God would start to move I would feel overwhelmed by His provision and power. It actually makes me feel in awe to serve a God who overwhelms me. If I could for one second say, "Wow, this God, I know Him so well, there is nothing about Him I don't understand...," that’s a God I don't want to serve. I like how God has me in this place where I know His power has no bounds, and yet He doesn't show me completely, because I think I would burst in the first few moments. Heck, I am overwhelmed at the little speck of power He has shown.

So as of right now with my new support I am at 73.6% of my support in. I roughly need 23 supporters at $50 a month for 12 months or 11.5 supporters at $100 per month. I know this is within in God's provision. So, prayer partners and support partners keep praying that God complete my support team. Others reading this blog prayerfully consider giving and reaching out to college students at the University of Bologna so that they might know the Powerful God I serve.
Love in HIM,

Crystal