Hope & Strength

I was thinking tonight that life right now feels a little bit like when you're trying to catch a wave on a surfboard.

Not that I can surf. I have a long history of being a "learner". The fact that there's been a longboard propped up against my living room wall for the past year, untouched, attests to that.

But from my "attempts" at surfing, I feel like the last few months have mirrored the process of trying to catch a wave. One of the hardest parts (for me at least) is getting through the white wash before you can even begin to think about catching the wave. Setting out my journey to Haiti felt a lot like getting pounded and tossed around in the white wash (for which I have lots of experience). But, with a clear end goal in mind I set out and God has gotten me through to some semi-calm waters where I've hung out for a bit, waiting for the right wave.

As support has been pouring in and things have really begun to fall into place I've felt a bit like I'm at the part where I see my wave coming and I start to paddle, trying to gain enough momentum so that I'll actually be able to catch the wave. That's where I feel like I am right now; I'm almost done with my own momentum. I'm tired. But, I can feel the wave picking up. It’s about to take over and soon it'll be time to stand. It's exciting and nerve wracking all at once. The fear of falling vs. the thrill of possibly getting to stand and let a power bigger than me move and carry me....

I believe if we're growing, we're going to be out of our comfort zone. There are a million reasons why I could have rationalized and said "no" to going to Haiti. But all the support and love that has come in from family, friends, and even strangers has made it pretty apparent that saying "yes", regardless of how I felt, was the right choice. To have people who barely know me reach out and support me has touched my heart in ways I cannot even put in to words... By supporting me, know that you are walking the walk - you are not merely listening to the word, you are doing what it says (James 1:22). It moves me so much that you are allowing me to be your representative of Christ in Haiti. I'm so humbled that God has chosen me to help build His kingdom. I have moments where I wonder if there's been a mistake, I can't possibly be the right person for this job...

A special thank you to the 5PM hospitality crew @ the Rock. Thanks so much for your support & letting me share my story a bit with you tonight and for those of you who headed out to Rubio's to show Haiti some ♥! Kim S. & Chris your contributions to my trip are much appreciated. Ruben M., your generosity leaves me speechless.

And, for anyone who may be tired, feeling like you have been struggling through the white wash, remember and believe in God's promise that "those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength" (Isaiah 40:31).