"I have nothing to wear."

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?" Matthew 6:25

“I have nothing to wear.” Ok ladies, tell the truth, how many times a week do you say these words? Once, twice, maybe three times? I made an astonishing and appalling discovery yesterday. I had been reading a book a dear friend gave me in preparation for our upcoming trip to Ghana, West Africa entitled “Katie’s Kisses” by Katie Davis. It tells the story of an eighteen-year-old woman who leaves her familiar home in the United States to live among the poor, sick, and orphaned in Uganda, Africa. Not only does she abandon everything she knows as a “traditional” American girl, she decides to work as a Kindergarten teacher and also in an orphanage. Oh yeah, and there’s this little part about starting her own ministry which now helps educate over 400 children and adopting…13 children starting when she was only eighteen…as a single woman. I read the entire book in one day. I cannot remember the last time I did that. What amazed and humbled me about this book was not just its remarkable story, but the sincerity and passion within the author’s heart that permeates every single thing she does…even to this day.

My discovery was simple, yet life-changing yesterday. I have not written in this blog for quite sometime. I did not have much to say, much to share. All I knew is that I would be going to Africa. You see, even God has made some radical changes for me. Many of you that know me well have discovered that I did not go to Africa in May, but that I am preparing to go the end of September, September 24 to October 1. Because God always has a plan, a Divine purpose. We were asked to take a private, separate trip from Faith Academy. Because God always has a plan. We were invited to take a trip to focus on the blooming ministry that God is creating to change a nation. We are starting the journey of developing wells in Africa to those that are sick and thirsty. We will be satisfying physical desires yes, but God always has a plan. We will be learning and giving much, much more. I did not realize that until last night. I knew it in my spirit, but it had not quite connected in my mind yet. God is using me to change a nation because He always has a plan.

I said all of that to explain to you the discovery I made yesterday. Even though this was part of it, the last part was somewhat humiliating and humbling all at the same time. As I was reading that book yesterday, I was dreading the impending chores that I always post-pone until my Sunday afternoons. I knew I had mounds and mounds of laundry to wash, fold, and hang up. I knew I needed to clean my dirty house and prepare for the following work week. Unfortunately my day of rest never quite seems to be restful. But God always has a plan. I stopped in the middle of my reading, reluctantly, but knowing that I had more to do on a Sunday than read the day away. So I began folding, washing, hanging up all of the clothes I possess. And God gave me an interesting task, to count. Like I said, I was appalled at the discovery I made. 85 dresses. 71 shirts. 28 sweaters. 11 skirts. 26 pairs of pants. 34 jackets. And this didn’t include the clothes still left in the laundry, my undergarments, my sweatpants and t-shirts and pajamas. No, I counted a total of 255 articles of clothing. And I say I have nothing to wear. If I combined my clothing just so, mixing my pants and shirts and skirts and sweaters I could go more than an entire year WITHOUT EVER WEARING THE SAME THING.

Wow, you’re thinking, this girl has issues. Who really needs 255 articles of clothing. Bingo. You got it. That was the discovery. Here I was loathing the chores of my daily life, oblivious to the fact of how truly blessed I am. The author discussed purchasing clothes for the children in Uganda. For some of them, it would be the only clothes they would have. But God always has a plan. And today, he used something like a two-hundred-and-something page book to teach me about what it means to be humble, genuine, and selfless in the kingdom of God. I don’t know yet where that will take me, but man, I am certainly learning that I must be prepared for every challenge that is yet to come. I recognize that I’ve said too much about myself in this blog today. After all, I am a counselor/therapist by trade and am told to always give “appropriate self-disclosure.” Those are fancy words for “don’t give TMI.” But sometimes God allows us to see our weaknesses so that He can be made strong, that in realizing our own imperfections and flaws maybe He can change us for the better. Because He always has a plan. But do we accept it? Do we respond to the plan, that little voice inside that tells us “You can do it. I’ve got you covered.” My decision is “YES.”

He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” Mark 16:15

For those of you wanting to contribute to my upcoming trip, I am pleased to say that God has made a way and my trip costs have been taken care of. But there are ways that you can help.

1. Pray for our team. That God will continue to challenge us to go beyond ourselves in preparing for the good work that is coming.

2. Pray for our upcoming ministry. Our heart is to serve the people of Ghana and provide them with clean water. More information will be available as God’s perfect timing comes.

3. Allow God to convict your spirit to challenge your own American way of life. Is it clothing, dinners, or fancy cars that blind you to the suffering of others? I’m not saying that God does not want us to be blessed, but that there are many distractions in life that capture our thoughts, emotions, and desires. Jesus did not ignore the suffering--just pass by when they begged for healing or food. No. He fed the 5000, healed the sick, and blessed those who were poor. Because he knew they got it. They understood. They had nothing in this world that would distract them from the goodness of God and how much they needed Him. What’s your excuse?

Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them, saying:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:3-12