Restored

It's 12:36 and I am terribly exhausted. If I would have picked up my computer 15 minutes ago to write a blog, it may have looked something like this:

To those that read this, I am slightly discouraged and on the verge of stress. I received an email from Youth in Mission today, filling me in on my "financial status." It notified me that because my payments are behind schedule, I may consider signing up for a credit card to pay my balance! My stomach dropped. My evening has been clouded with money signs and negative thoughts. I'm going to sleep and hope to be renewed tomorrow.
Sincerely, In need of a miracle

However, we serve an amazing God who assures us that we are never alone. I am embarassed to even say that I was thinking that way before... but I'll continue with how my evening proceeded.
So I plopped into my bed and began talking to God as usual. I said, 'Lord please, I know you have a much bigger plan for all of this. I am emotionally drained, exhausted, and discouraged and I just need you to comfort me. Assure me.' So as I laid here comfortably in my nice and cozy bed, he told me to get up and grab my bible. I did, as I could not deny how direct his answer was. I sat in the dark, complete silence. He told me to turn to Psalm. Then.. twenty three.

I did not know what verse this was going to be right away, as my mind was blank.
I turned there..
The Lord is My Shepard, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quite waters, he RESTORES my soul, He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; MY CUP OVERFLOWS. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord FOREVER.

He has the future worked out. He is in control of all. He comforted David during such a terrible time of fear. To think he cares about my fear and stress when it is on a MUCH smaller level amazes me. But he cares about EACH and EVERY one of us. and ALL of our cares.

Turn your burdens over to the LORD, and he will take care of you. He will never let the righteous person stumble. - Psalm 55:22

Goodnight
Love Always, Allyson

encouraged.

Today has been a very encouraging day!
There is a beautiful girl that lives down the hall from me named Kayla.
She is such a sweet girl and a wonderful woman of God. She always knows how to brighten someones day and to really lift them up in prayer. She sent me a message today out of the blue.
This is part of it:

"Today, I was reading in Isaiah, and you came to mind as I read this:
"How lovely on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who announces peace and brings good news of happiness, who announces salvation and says to Zion, 'Your God REIGNS!'" --52:7." -She is so sweet and I just wanted to share that.

So there are some thoughts rolling around through my head : [My heart is so heavy in these days. I can't really explain what the Lord is doing in me, but I know he is planning for something big. I feel like he will reveal a lot to me over the next several months. It has been my prayer that he would use me for something really big, as big as he would want for me. I think so often he wants to use us for huge, unimaginable things, but we limit him. I have tried my best to break down my ideas and my imagination to allow his future to be painted before me. I have spent time thinking about how amazing it would be to work in an orphanage or safe house for women and girls that have been through sexual abuse/sex slavery/ etc. as I have a real burden for those women, but the Lord could have a completely different or even bigger, picture in mind. I think of how amazing and just "right" it would be to serve people in a tiny village, teaching them how to do hair so that they could run their own business' to provide for their families, but I think the Lord has a much bigger picture. I am so excited to see what he has in store for me, and for us. Zach and are are preparing to start our married life together. I am so blessed to have a man of God with such a willing heart. He is so supportive in all I do and dream of. He is very selfless as he has not talked of himself even though he will be here working this summer and not going to Africa as I know he would love to do. I believe God has so much in store for the two of us. No matter what we are capable of dreaming, I truly believe that it is when we erase the sketch we have come up with and blindly say, "I will go," is when he will use us. It's to separate ourselves from the things of the world we love and say I am solely here for you. I will be a tool, an instrument to further your kingdom, that is when the picture is beautifully sketched by the creator.]

"Be imitators of Christ, therefore, as dearly loved children, and live a life of love just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." Ephesians 5:1-2.

Love Always, Allyson.

Be praying for Saturday. We will have a garage sale at Bob Barhart's house. Pray for a garage sale you might ask? :) Yes, we need buyers, or even donations from people that come.
And thank you again, SO MUCH, to all of you that are keeping this cause in prayer, and for your generous donations. I cannot tell you how much you all mean to me, really!! You're all unbelievable! Thanks :)

One Month Away.

It's April 20th.

I am extremely excited about the trip this summer.
I cannot believe that all the years of praying for this are being unraveled before my eyes.

We serve an unbelievable God. That is ultimately what we are going to share in Mozambique.

We still have $2,725 to raise as of March 30th. I get a monthly update, so I am not sure what has come in for April yet. This is so much money to raise in less than one month, but I know that it is certainly possible! I cannot wait to see how the Lord uses all of us to raise this money. They let us know that the money really needs to be in by May 15th. We need to pray that God will place the money in the hands of the generous and the willing. I know it will all work out in his time.

The Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream fundraiser did not ever work out. They expressed feelings of wanting to help, so we applied for a date and approval for our fundraiser. They told us they would call and let us know if we were approved or not. Unfortunately, even after endless calling and asking, they never approved our date in time and still have not responded to our questions or messages. I am not sure why this is, but I know there will be more opportunities to raise money.
This Saturday, Bob Barnhart, our family pastor, is letting me use his driveway for his neighborhood garage sale. We will try to get rid of the rest of the things that we didn't sell at our previous garage sale. I pray that this will be successful.
Also, May 16th, Emily Dixon and I are planning to have a car wash.
I heard Chick-Fil-A supports fundraising as well, so I will be contacting them tomorrow for more information
I hope this is a productive month as school finishes out and there is a lot of money to raise. I know God will provide, he always does.

"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful." :Hebrews 10:23. What a beautiful verse.

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Aside from the fundraising aspect, I met a lady named Paula at church yesterday. She was born in Mozambique, Africa and came to the United States for an education. She is employed at Trevecca Nazarene University and I believe is still finishing her futhered education. She plans on moving home to Moambique as soon as she is finished with school to take her education homme and use it for Christ. Paula was so sweet and was eager to get to know me. Hearing her native accent almost made me cry. She held my hand the entire time she talked to me and her soft blackend skin made me that much more eager to go. I can't imagine what it will be like to touch the hands of the children we have prayed for during these past months. What it will be like to wipe the tears off the mother's face, or listen to the accented voices of the people who are eager to learn of this God we share about. I know I have said this before, but I cannot understand how God can break my heart to this degree for people I have never seen, heard, or felt before. It's a beautiful thing. Paula and I will have lunch this week and share stories. I cannot wait to hear all about this beautiful country that will serve as my home this summer. It's already begun.

Love Always, Allyson