in the little things.

10 days before i'm scheduled to leave for Uganda, i'm sitting here waiting for my renewed passport to come back. can anyone say "ALL THE STRESS"? i mean, we're talking about the girl who finished college papers two weeks before they were due because she sorta kinda FREAKS OUT about deadlines (um, yes, that would be me). no, my passport isn't here yet and 10 days is cutting it kinda close. have i mentioned that i consider my passport to be nearly as sacred as my Bible? haha, okay i'm totally kidding on that one, but you get what i'm saying...you can't leave America without it! ;)

but let's get serious for a second. throughout this experience, God is teaching me.

He's saying that He is in control of the little things. He works behind the scenes. He wants my complete faith and trust. He's got this.

despite my anxiety and stress and worry, i know without a doubt that God has called me to Africa in August. i know i'm supposed to go. i know He will provide, i WATCHED Him provide. (even with the unexpected passport renewal cost + the bill from my vaccinations, i somehow still have enough money to go to Uganda, and almost enough to pay for my NZ & Australia trip!)

God is SO incredibly faithful to me. even when i stress out about little BIG things (like my passport not being here). He knows how i like to have everything planned at least 2 weeks in advance (okay, so i'm a teeny bit of a control freak). He knows my heart. and He wants my trust.

He has called me to Uganda. He is faithful and will take care of the details that are out of my control. <-- of this i have no doubt.


1 Thessalonians 5:24 says, "the One who called you is faithful and He will do it."

so if you're stressing out about something that's out of your control, i know exactly how you're feeling. but just remember that God works in everything. He's got it under control. :) if He has called you to something, He'll work out the details. don't stress.

10 days until Uganda!

PS. according to the passport people that i called today, i can be expecting my passport by this Saturday or the following Monday...so yeah. praise Him. :)

...and New Zealand & Australia.

Heyhey!

so i wanted to let you all know that i am planning another trip this year.

my best friend from Pennsylvania, Amy, and i are planning a trip to New Zealand and Australia in September (through October) of 2013. technically, this is not a "missions trip", but you're to be a missionary everywhere you go, yeah? :)

we will be working on several dairy farms in NZ, for about 6.5 weeks total, then going to Australia for a week to see the sights and hang with one of my best YWAM friend who lives in Australia.

we leave on Sept 5th and return to America on October 29th. :) 

Mexico trip.

i'm back from Mexico! 

i had a fantastic time. we built a house in 3.5 days. i loved our group. we laughed so much. :) here's a few instagram photos to hold you over until i can get my other photos edited.

Mexicoooooo

heyhey! 

in less than two days i will be on my way to Mexico for about a week! please keep our team in your prayers as we build a house for a Mexican family. i'm hoping to get some good photos also, but we'll see...i'll be pretty busy. but i'll try! :) 

thanks for your prayers and financial support. it means the world. <3 

-Val 

adventure, here i come.

hey everybody!

so just a quick update...

i don't need any money for either missions trip! God has been so faithful in providing. i'm so blown away by the generosity i've seen. 

since it's been 9 months since my last travel adventure, i think it's about time for another adventure. :) 

16 days until Mexico!!!

57 days until Uganda!

75. :)

hey hey, guys!

so i leave for Uganda in 75 days!

and Mexico in 34 days!

i am so so SO excited to travel again.

and thanks to everyone's generosity and God's provision, it looks like i only need $100-$200 more (for both trips combined). praise Jesus! :)

it's okay to be single.

have you ever had those days when you just want to talk or process, but can't seem to form coherent sentences? yeah, me too. so today i'm just going to write, and write, and write...and hope it makes sense.

okay, so two weeks ago, i posted about my current state of singlehood (is that a word? i guess it should be "singleness". haha). it was a bit of a vulnerable post for me because i struggle being open and honest and vulnerable, especially on the internet...and i care too much about what people think. 

after posting it i got some (pretty encouraging) feedback, and i thought, "wait, people actually are reading my blog?" hahaha.

so. i feel like i left that last post on a very depressing note. i don't want to apologize for my honesty and vulnerability in the last post, but i want to explain myself a little better. if that makes sense.

this topic (singleness) has been on my mind a lot recently. maybe it's because i am still single and wishing for a man to walk through life beside me. but after thinking and mulling it over, i've come to some simple conclusions. (and y'all have my permission to send me the link to this post when i'm having a bad day again. ;))

but enough rambling.

on to my musings...

1. it is okay to be single. 

    

   there is nothing wrong with me. it is perfectly fine to be single. there is no law in America requiring me to marry. do i want to marry? ohhhyes, like, tomorrow please. i know that God knows my great desire to marry and raise a family, and i know i can trust Him to take care of that desire until the time comes.
do i have days when i struggle letting go of my desire for control? YES (i think that's clear from my last post). but it's okay! i'm human. i will make mistakes. i am learning. i think this is part of the beauty of the life i'm living. God is continually teaching me. i hear Him speak all the time. having a boyfriend or husband won't necessarily bring me closer to God. it's in the single years that i have the freedom to truly focus and learn how to rely on God FOR MYSELF. not with the help of my parents or a husband. 

2. God is craving my attention more than i am craving a man's attention.

   

    it's so simple, God is jealous for me. He wants my attention MORE than i  want a man's attention. He wants to be first. i don't know why it never really hit me before. maybe because God knows exactly what i need, when i need it. i think i already knew it, but now i KNOW it. simple truths like this help me through the mundane of everyday life.

3. today i am called to be single.

     what if i just take it one day at a time? i choose Jesus today. i choose contentment today. i choose joy today. i choose grace today. i choose generosity today. i am called to be single today. that may change tomorrow, but today i will be the single woman who is walking the path God has put her on. 

i will have bad days, but that's what grace is for, yeah? is that an excuse for a bad attitude? no, but venting/talking it out is kind of like therapy for me. and if i can relate to and encourage one person who reads this, being vulnerable is worth it. :)