Faithfulness is His very character.

O LORD, you are my God;
I will exalt you and praise your name,
for in perfect faithfulness
you have done marvelous things,
things planned long ago.
[Isaiah 25:1]

What an interesting 24 hours.

As I was sitting with Stephanie and my mom last night and working on addressing prayer cards/writing thank you notes/making lists of things to do/buy/order (I'm not busy...noooo), I pulled up the budget AIM sent me for my expenses while in Africa. It began to occur to me as I looked at it that something was very wrong...numbers weren't adding up properly. The spreadsheet said we needed $11,482 to cover all of our expenses - but adding up all of the subtotals for each category was giving me a much, much different number.

Like $5,500 different.

Turns out the spreadsheet is wrong. Turns out that to go serve for a year Alicia and I each need roughly $16,900 instead of the original $11,400. Turns out we only have money to go for 7 months instead of 12 - two terms of school instead of three.

[This is about the point when I wanted to throw up.]

Questions, questions, questions: How does a mistake like that happen? The spreadsheet's formula was correct in adding up the proper amounts, but the sum wasn't right. How the heck are we going to raise $5,500 in ELEVEN DAYS? Should we even try to raise the money, or is that interfering with His will for us? Is not raising the money being disobedient to His call to go? What does this all even mean?

It is comforting to know that despite these questions and the decisions that are facing us now that our God NEVER changes. He is steadfast, strong, never changing. He is mighty, and faithfulness is His very character. His plans certainly aren't our plans - and He's had this moment planned since the beginning of time. He knew this would happen.

Would you join us in praying for God's will to be done? The last thing I want is to let my emotions and feelings determine this decision. Whatever length of time the Lord has us serving Him in Kenya is about glorifying Him and not what's comfortable for me. It's not about me at all...it's all about Him. Pray that my selfishness would not influence or taint this decision in the slightest. Pray for the people in Korr that we'll be meeting, working with, teaching. Pray for the missionaries we'll be living with while we're there - Nick and Lynne. Pray for His name to be known!

I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations;
I will sing of you among the peoples.

For great is your love, higher than the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens,
and let your glory be over all the earth.

[Psalm 108:3-5]