Happy Wednesday! ;)
I know it's been a little while since my last update. There's been so much to keep up with and stay on top of, but I finally have a little piece of time to send a quick update to all of you wonderful people. :)
This week, I'm actually staying with my aunt and uncle in Atlanta for a bit of a refreshing break and a last visit with them before I leave. It's so weird starting to have new "last such-and-such" events this last month. Last trip to Texas with my family for awhile. Last visit here to stay with Aunt Tricia and Uncle Stephen 'til next year. Last hiking trip with church friends. Last coffee dates to say goodbye to certain friends already.
It's definitely been sad in a lot of ways. I've always hated goodbyes. And yet, the past 4 months, over and over, God's been drawing me back to John chapters 13, 14, and 16. Which is interesting, because those are Jesus' last moments with His disciples before He dies, as well as His final instructions to them for when He leaves them to go back to His Father.
He's saying goodbye. Jesus is saying goodbye. Why? Why would we have to say goodbye to Him? Unless it was worth it. Unless there was something better to come from it.
Even Jesus says goodbye, because the return will be worth it. He will not leave us as orphans. He will come to us again. (John 14:18) And that day will be glorious.
So now, I realize how He's challenging me to "for the joy set before me", endure this pain of separation and goodbyes for a time...with the knowledge of the homecoming that I know will come at the end of the 9 months away. I can be already looking forward to how wonderful that will be. To come back again, and hear all the stories, and get caught up on everything, and see all my little siblings grown at least a foot each. And...oh, it will be so, so worth it. For that moment. In their arms again. At home again. With those I love again.
So I'll look forward to that. I'll say my goodbyes, but perhaps I'll phrase it instead "until we meet again". For we shall meet again. And that is a joy all of us can treasure and hope for as as His children. We shall all be together again forever in eternity someday. What a glorious day that shall be! :)
And as to the T-shirts (mentioned in the header).... That is definitely something exciting! Last week, I got a whole T-shirt campaign set up with the help of some of my friends to raise some of the last support I need! Check it out and spread the word! https://www.bonfire.com/cru-gap-year-missions-trip-2020-21/ We need as many orders in as we can get by the end of this week! (Aug 8th)
As to my support raising update: I'm down to $5,000 left to raise, which is still a lot, but that means God has already provided $14,000!!! I've spent a lot of time in the last months seeking His will for how He wants me to work towards raising the last amount I need. I know He will provide, but I also want to be working faithfully and diligently towards what He has called me to.
- This past week I've written 9 personal letters to local business to ask for support, and hand delivered each before I came here to Atlanta.
- God made a way for us to set up this whole T-shirt campaign,
- And there are also a few one time, larger paying jobs I'm pursuing being hired to pull off. ;)
Thank you for all your prayers and kind support. :) I couldn't do this without you. We truly do need one another, and especially for such a big venture as this, I need loyal friends and family to stand beside me and keep me covered in prayer. <3 Please keep praying as I enter into this new season, and as I continue to seek the Lord and see Him provide the support I need. I know these updates have been rather short and not as detailed as I wish I could make them, but I am more than happy to hear from any of you and answer any questions you're interested in getting answers to, about anything from what I had for breakfast, to what God's been teaching me today, to what I think of specific people on my team. ;P
Also, as you pray for me, I want to be able to to pray for each of you too. :) So please do contact me and I will respond whenever I can. I do love talking to you guys. :)
God bless you!
~A fellow Child of the One True King
(Esther Cox)
P.S. Our weekly team call is tomorrow...and I think we should be getting our leaders now! So excited!
