On My Way

Well, the day is fast approaching. Indeed, I am leaving early tomorrow morning for the 36+ hour trek to Lusaka, Zambia for an adventure on which only God knows what will happen.

There's a scene in the movie Armageddon where a bunch of rag-tag-non-astronaut-oil-drillers are getting strapped into a rocket to go to outer-space to save the world. Owen Wilson plays one such fellow, and as the NASA people are stepping on his shoulders to get the seat belt even more tight, he says something like this (forgive me for not being exact, it's been awhile since I've seen the movie): "I'm 98% excited and 2% scared. Or maybe I'm 2% excited and 98% scared. But that's the beauty of it, the mystery." While at this point I don't have his enthusiasm, I do share his sentiments.

I am so excited to spend 5 weeks with a team of EDGErs who I love and who have loved me. I am so excited to encounter God in ways I've never dreamed. I made up a prayer card with a verse on it and sent it to a bunch of family and friends (I'm sorry if you didn't get one!) - the verse was Psalm 98:2, "The Lord has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations." My friend Susie told me last night that as she prayed for my trip, she would be praying God would do this not only to the nations, but to me. I think that's my prayer, too. I want to know Jesus more intimately at the end of this summer as a result of going to Zambia. I believe He WILL show Himself to me, and so I am excited.

But...I'm also scared. I've discovered as I've walked with the Lord that He often chooses to show Himself to me by taking me out of my comfort zone so that I HAVE to turn to Him. It's always hard, and it's always good. I know there will be hard things about this trip. I'm sure there will be hard things about this trip I haven't thought of, and I'm sure there will be things about the trip I think will be hard, but won't be.

And, as Owen says, "that's the beauty of it, the mystery." Praise God, He is beautifully mysterious.

I don't know exactly what our Internet situation will be while I'm there. I'm told that we will be able to get to an Internet cafe, but I don't know how often. This blog will be my primary means of communicating with you, my family and friends, so try to stay with me however sporadic my posts may be. Until the next one...