Hi loved ones.
It's Marissa again. I realize that I take up a lot of space on this blog, but I think that Amanda has the kindness of the group, and Matthew manages the money and the details and logistics. So maybe I can be the heart and handle the emotions and the writing.
I wrote last week about God writing a story. I must say, this story hasn't even really begun, and yet it's already more exciting than I ever thought it would be. I remember praying at Nancy and Randal's house many months ago for our trip, and God gave me a vision that there would be obstacles, and that they would not be moved, but that we would have the strength and endurance to get around them. I remember the month of February, when we said "yes" to God's call the the DR and then all 3 of us were hit with severe trials and emotional/spiritual attack. I remember last Tuesday when we needed $2,200 by midnight on Sunday.
And I remember driving around Wilton at 11pm the night that we realized that God had provided above and beyond what we needed. I remember the breeze on my face and Matthew singing along with the music on the radio and I remember the smells and the quietness of my spirit and the tears that poured out of me like the gratefulness of a waterfall. I remember feeling so small, so insignificant, and yet so proud to be a crucial part in this story. We said "Yes." God did the rest.
It amazes me that the God of the universe, the God who gently sculpts the mountains with this fingertips, and rocks the ocean back and forth in a lullaby still took the time to put two moles on my left cheek. It's so rare that people catch the dreams that they've been chasing. I cry, because I am a wuss. But God has made all of this possible, and it has very little to do with me and a whole lot to do with His goodness. It has been a tumultuous 3 months. And the real journey begins next week.
I can sit here and write about how $11,000 came into our hands and in 3 months (and was managed by Matthew, by the way. That guys is AMAZING!) I can write about how our entire trip is paid for. I can say that we have already EXCEEDED our goal financially. But those are just details.
I know that some of you don't know God, and I am terribly sorry if I have offended you. But I would feel wrong to write about this moment and not mention His name. Because, like I said, I didn't do this one on my own. The three of us didn't do this on our own strength. And money is really only one small detail in all of this. We have 2 whole months ahead of us. We get to dive into God's love and grace and joy and peace and majesty and we get to share it with his beloved and beautiful people in the DR.
God is the reason we are going. God is the only thing that could cause us to give up our lives, our comfort, our families and go, headfirst, into the uknown.
This is the story that I want to tell. This is the story that matters. It's God's story. And it's beautiful and compelling and I can't wait to see how it ends.
I send the deepest love I can muster to each of you as you read this. May God's grace bless you. If you have given to us financially, we pray that you would be blessed tenfold. If you have been praying for us, know that we have been praying for you, too. If you have encouraged us, it was worth more than you could ever understand.
3 college kids. God. DR.
It's a good day, today.
With all my love,
Marissa
P.S. For those of you asking, we are driving down to L.A. next Thursday, 6/17. We fly out of of LAX on 6/18 (Friday) at 3pm, and arrive at JFK at 11pm. We fly out of JFK at 7am, Friday 6/18 and we land in Santiago later that day. We will try to give an update as soon as possible. Please keep us in your prayers as we travel!!!
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