Hopes for 2015

I watched as the sun slowly disappeared behind the acacia tree. As I stood peering over the tall grass, fighting to keep my skirt from blowing up and my hair from flying in my face, I knew that I would never be the same.

When I first started going to Kenya with my church, there were no evangelical churches among the Kuria tribe. Over the years, the gospel has spread not only among the Kuria in Kenya, but also in Tanzania. The zeal of the first generation church there is refreshing.

Seven years ago, I went to Africa thinking that it would be a neat experience. Little did I know that a continent so vast and a people so different from myself would take root as a seed in my heart. Over the many years as I’ve returned, that seed has blossomed into a love and passion that I cannot contain. I longed for the day that I could share this vision God had birthed in my heart with my family…for the day that they too, would be gripped by the beauty of a people who seek to know God and to make him known.

After much prayer, we believe that this summer my dreams of going to Africa with my family could become a reality. We have “put our yes” on the table, and Jeff, Jorjanne, and I all three are planning to go and serve the Lord side by side in both Kenya and Tanzania. This is a God-sized task. While we have willing hearts to go, the costs are high. It will cost approximately $12,000 for the three of us to go.

We plan to host yard sales, sell t-shirts, and do other odd jobs to try and raise our support. We ask you to join us in prayer as we step out in faith and trust the Lord to meet the needs for our trip. My heart is giddy at thoughts of how God will use this trip in our family. He has already radically transformed my thinking and my priorities as a result of past trips, and to think that Jorjanne will have the opportunity to go and learn at such a young age is so stinkin’ cool!

I have taught Bible studies myriads of times, but only in Africa have I taught for hours and hours and had the ladies beg for more from God’s Word. They walk for hours just to come and hear the Word proclaimed. They have a hunger and thirst for righteousness that I’d only read about. Teaching the Bible to African women has been both a privilege and a blessing.

My New Year’s resolution is to know God more and to make him known. I want to hunger for His Word like the women in Africa. When I think of 2015, I am excited about the opportunities for our family to grow closer to Christ and to each other. While I also hope for the traditional things (to eat healthier and to exercise more), I pray that this year our family will long for Christ as the deer pants for the water. We pray that God will use us to point others to the True Joy Giver this year.

Happy New Year!