March Madness

We knew that the month of March was going to be an exciting time at Mission of Hope. Spring breaks would be in full swing and hundreds of people would be coming down to serve. Our project lists were long! Our village locations had expanded. But more than anything we trusted that the Lord was bringing us just the right people for just the right purpose and timing. And because our God is so wonderful and His timing is PERFECT, it was just as we anticipated!! I wish there was some way I could give you every fact and detail from the last month, but you will have to forgive me as I go through just a few of the highlights! Hundreds of people were treated at our mobile clinics. Over 60 students were sponsored by team members while they were in country. 2 North American team members accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior. Countless homes were painted for families in our church as well as more of our MOH 500 homes in Leveque. Our orphanage has taken in 2 new twins!! The cement for the 2^nd floor of our new office space was poured. Our new guest house in Bercy has begun. And the lists go on and on and on.

I truly count it a blessing to be here and daily see all that the Lord is doing. My hope and prayer is that we will constantly and continually boast in Him. There is no way we can describe the goodness and greatness of our God, but I love that He gives us these beautiful glimpses.

I _ am _ a _ planner!

I am a planner. No doubt about it. My brain thinks in lines. Organized. Strategic. Lines.

My closet is color coded. I like paper clips, sticky notes, staples and high lighters.

I like lists and puzzles. My movies are in alphabetical order.

I _ am _ a _ planner!

I never realized that God has literally hardwired me in such a way that is unlike most people. The more and more I tell my story of how the Lord turned my world up-side-down in January of 2009 and brought me on this epic journey from Colorado to Arkansas to Haiti.... I realize more and more and more than He was preparing me in such a strategic way for the job I have today. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined that being a manager at Texas Roadhouse would be my "classroom" for learning how to work with people and prepare me to be the Group Trip Director for an non-profit organization in Haiti!! I dealt with every kind of person you could imagine and today - I do the same. Who knew that the delicate juggling act I learned in a multi-million dollar restaurant industry would pave the way for working with thousands of short term missionaries with Mission of Hope. When I stop to take a step back and look at the way everything has unfolded.... the only words that come to mind are Divine Orchestration. Only the all-knowing and all-seeing true God could have written such an epic tale. Only the Master and Creator of the universe could have foreseen the skills, talents and expertise that would be required and so gracefully shaped and molded me for the task.

Please hear me when I say this - "not by my might or by my power" are things this way but only by the Spirit of God. For years I thought I had what it took to live a successful life and achieve everything I wanted, but my thinking was flawed! Everything I put my hand to, in my own strength, quickly faded away. It wasn't until I released everything and allowed the Lord to move in and through me, that I truly saw change.

So yes.... I am a planner..... but now, the only plan I'm working towards is the one He has placed in my heart. It isn't a distant thought or a far away idea, it is a daily surrender and a moment by moment obedience.