Learning Dependence

I’m at such an exciting point in life right now. I don’t think
I have ever been more content with where I am at or what is going on in my
life. The trip to the Philippines was awesome. The team of girls I was leading was
very strong and mature. They constantly desired to listen to the Lord and because
of that they were able to see quite an abundance of fruit (to read stories from
the girls click here). I just got back to the states a couple of days
ago and God is already blowing my mind with the community project we
have started (for more details read this blog I posted a few months ago. Some  details have changed but the main idea is still there).

For the past few weeks I have been praying about starting
this project up in Atlanta with my awesome friend Myles. We had no idea where we
would stay, where money would come from, how we would eat, what kind of
ministry we would do, who would disciple/mentor us and we weren’t even sure how
we would start this thing up. I tried to make a plan about how I would go back,
apply for some jobs, find an apartment and make this nice elaborate plan for
ministry and write out every detail. What was God’s answer? “No, no, no. You’ve
got it all wrong. This season of your life you will be depending on me.”

 As most of you know, I
am a very independent person but as soon as I gave up this thing up to God, he
started providing. One of the people I look up to the most in my life offered
to disciple me and coach us through this process of starting a ministry (which
is a huge miracle in itself because he is crazy busy with his job at AIM). A week
after I told God I would give up having a job for him he gave me around $400
through a few random people. Even on the plane ride home I didn’t know where I would
be sleeping after debrief but right when I got to the airport Myles told me
that someone offered their house to us.  Ministry
opportunities have popped up all over the place including ministering to
prostitutes and homeless in downtown Atlanta, which has been a dream of mine
for years. More people than I can count have offered to help us out with this
vision. There have been countless people who have been hearing from the lord on
this thing and have been offering up everything they have to make this dream a
reality.

It’s crazy how awesome God is. He will always provide for us
as long as we seek him and give up our plans to him. Verses that support that
idea are splattered all over scripture. One of my favorites is found in Matthew
where Jesus tells the people, “Think about those lilies out in the field. They don’t
even toil or spin but I always provide for them. You are my most prized possession
and I love you way more than the lilies. Wouldn’t it make since that I would
provide for you so much more than those little plants?” I want to encourage you
to lay down your independence and rely on him. I promise he will blow you away.