"The place God calls you is the place where your deep gladness
and the world's deep hunger meet."
Frederick Buechner
I started feeling uncomfortable by my life. I knew that I was being broken of the desire for a comfortable "me" centered life. I felt him gently asking met give up the thoughts and dreams that I had created and to let him take over. And as I let go of the life I had created in my head, something beautiful happened.
My life became a blank slate, ready for anything.
At some point during this transformation of my mind, I knew in my heart that this was long-term that I was being called to. He was asking me to live in Africa. To create a life there, centered around loving his people and him. And I felt no need at this point to fight, because God had been working on my heart, creating it for this life. And somehow I had known it the whole time.
I have been created for this.
I was being asked to go and live in the need. To transform wherever I was told, with his love. To trust with blind faith.
So I responded with blind faith's answer, a quiet but confident, "yes."
I know in my heart that God wants me in Africa for a long time. I believe that he wants me to make my life there. To teach there. Adopt there. And love there. I don't believe now is the time for leaving to create a life there. But I do believe that I am supposed to visit.
And so this summer, on June 14th we will be in Swaziland, Africa for three weeks. To experience life there, to love on the people and to learn from them. To be able to more clearly picture life there.
"I don't always knew where this life is going. I can't see the end of the road, but here is the great part: Courage is not about knowing the path. It is about taking the first step."
If you would like to donate towards our trip this summer, here is a link to my indiegogo:
>>http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/swaziland-mission-trip-2013/x/2888389<<
Thank you SO much! YOU are awesome!
I am being asked to leave. To leave all that is comfortable and secure. To trust that this is for my good and for the good of the world.
Sometime around last year, I felt the continent of Africa being laid on my heart. I had a tiny little desire for the country. I had no idea why, so I ignored it and forgot about it. But the little desire was persistent, and every time that it came back, it came back stronger.
There was a love growing in my heart for a country that I have never visited and for people that I have never met.
I had no idea what to do with this longing, but I was hoping that God wasn't asking me to spend an extended amount of time there. The thought of leaving the comforts of America wasn't something that I wanted to think about. Since a young age I have pictured myself teaching in the classroom and then coming home to a nice, cute little family.
But God started taking these dreams away from me.
I began to realize that this life is not all about me.
Sometime around last year, I felt the continent of Africa being laid on my heart. I had a tiny little desire for the country. I had no idea why, so I ignored it and forgot about it. But the little desire was persistent, and every time that it came back, it came back stronger.
There was a love growing in my heart for a country that I have never visited and for people that I have never met.
I had no idea what to do with this longing, but I was hoping that God wasn't asking me to spend an extended amount of time there. The thought of leaving the comforts of America wasn't something that I wanted to think about. Since a young age I have pictured myself teaching in the classroom and then coming home to a nice, cute little family.
But God started taking these dreams away from me.
I began to realize that this life is not all about me.
I started feeling uncomfortable by my life. I knew that I was being broken of the desire for a comfortable "me" centered life. I felt him gently asking met give up the thoughts and dreams that I had created and to let him take over. And as I let go of the life I had created in my head, something beautiful happened.
My life became a blank slate, ready for anything.
At some point during this transformation of my mind, I knew in my heart that this was long-term that I was being called to. He was asking me to live in Africa. To create a life there, centered around loving his people and him. And I felt no need at this point to fight, because God had been working on my heart, creating it for this life. And somehow I had known it the whole time.
I have been created for this.
I was being asked to go and live in the need. To transform wherever I was told, with his love. To trust with blind faith.
So I responded with blind faith's answer, a quiet but confident, "yes."
I know in my heart that God wants me in Africa for a long time. I believe that he wants me to make my life there. To teach there. Adopt there. And love there. I don't believe now is the time for leaving to create a life there. But I do believe that I am supposed to visit.
And so this summer, on June 14th we will be in Swaziland, Africa for three weeks. To experience life there, to love on the people and to learn from them. To be able to more clearly picture life there.
Katie Davis
If you would like to donate towards our trip this summer, here is a link to my indiegogo:
>>http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/swaziland-mission-trip-2013/x/2888389<<
Thank you SO much! YOU are awesome!
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