The very first time we visited our church, Christ Presbyterian Church, I remember our pastor talking about the upcoming mission trip the church was planning to Malawi, Africa.  I was instantly covered in chills.  I didn't know why... he had just mentioned a couple of sentences about the trip and then made note that if anyone was interested, a meeting was directly after the service in the library.  This was our first visit in a new church.  We didn't know anyone.  But I wanted so badly to go to that meeting.  I didn't know it at the time, but God was calling me!  My participation in the trip didn't happen that year.  But it did happen the next.  God kept bringing us back to CPC, we became very active with all the activities and serving... and we joined.  And then, the announcement was made one Sunday morning.  The missions committee was planning another trip to Malawi!  I became covered in chills AGAIN!  I remember looking at Ryan and telling him that I had to go.  I just HAD to go.  He said I was crazy and it was too far away and I would have to be away from our kids for 2 weeks, and it is dangerous in Africa...... and on and on.  I prayed about it, and eventually God softened Ryan, and then Ryan felt that calling to go too!  We committed to going, even though we didn't have any money to pay for the trip.  We knew one thing- God called us to go- and that's all that mattered.  We had faith that the Lord would take care of everything else.  He would have to, or there would be no way for us to go.  We prayed fervently, sent out support letters, and we saw the Lord work in ways that brought us to our knees.  He brought in 99% of the enormous amount of funds that we needed to go.  The measly check that we wrote was all that we could afford, but of course God knew that.  He has bank accounts everywhere, and he pulled from here and from there to get us where He wanted us to go.  Our Lord is so good and faithful and He showed me that if He calls, He'll work  out all the details.  Just trust in Him!  And so we found ourselves boarding the first of many planes to get us to Africa last June, full of all kinds of emotions... already missing our kids, excited about sharing the Gospel, scared from not knowing exactly what to expect when we get there... but so thankful for God calling us to go and humbled at how He provided for us to even be able to go. 

"You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit- fruit that will last.  Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.  This is my command:  Love each other" John 15: 16-17