How Did I Get Here? Part 3
I, Valerie Cross, am going to Zambia in 45 days!
This is Part 3 of how my life was interrupted (in a good way) by God and how I now find myself preparing to get on a flight to Africa in less than 2 months.
I packed up my stuff and went to our Chi Alpha weekend retreat, praying and hoping for some clarity in regards to what decision I should make, but also not wanting it to consume my thoughts the whole weekend.
Neither really happened, which is good on the side of not being consumed by it but discouraging in not having clarity or answers from God. I felt like the whole weekend I was waiting for something to happen that would make it so clear to me, but it never did (at least that's what I thought).
At the retreat, I attended a breakout session where the speaker talked about using our past, pain, passion, and spiritual gifts to serve God in our "sweet spot." She talked about Isaiah 43, specifically verses 18-19:
The next morning, I woke up for class and was spending time with Jesus. I simply said, "God, what you have for me today is exactly what I need and so it's exactly what I want, I want whatever you have for me today." Little did I know how bold that prayer was for me that day.
I was challenged from that breakout session to find out more about how all of these things could combine where I could serve God to the greatest capacity. On February 6th, I decided to take a spiritual gifts test to see what mine were. I got my top 3. One of them was Mercy. I didn't exactly know what it meant so I read into it a little more.
It said that the original Greek word in the Bible for the spiritual gift of Mercy is "Eleeo." Immediately, I recognized that word and I wondered why. I went to the Love Africa Mission website, clicked on their Zambia section, and was overwhelmed at how God was working when I saw that the ministry they partner with on their Zambia trips is called "The Eleeo Project."
I decided to go to the Eleeo Project website, just because. I honestly didn't really have a reason to in that moment, but God did. The front page said "Doing Something New." I scrolled down one more scroll and right there on my screen was this:
In small print at the bottom, it says Isaiah 43:19-20. The very passage that the speaker talked about in the breakout session and the same ones that have had great meaning in my life for years. I knew this is what God had for me. I didn't ask for a sign (or 3) or a clear answer. No, that morning I simply said, "God, whatever you have for me today is exactly what I need and what I want." Boy, He already knew I needed that. Here I was, in awe of God and how everything was coming together when I felt like nothing was.
I texted my Love Africa Mission contact and simply said, "I'm ready to talk through everything now."
On February 9th, we talked for a couple of minutes. This is how the phone call went:
Her: "Hey, so you wanted to talk through some things?"
Me: "Well, yeah I guess I just know that I need to go to Zambia, I'm ready to be put on a Zambia team." (did those words really just come out of my mouth?!?!)
Her: "I had a feeling when I saw your text that you didn't need to talk, you were ready to be placed, I just knew. You see, this morning I was praying over all the students I would be talking to today and I was asking God where He wanted us to put each person. I was praying for Zambia and who we should place on a Zambia team and your name definitely kept coming to mind."
Me: "Wow, that's awesome. Yeah, God is doing His thing and I'm ready to go where love is needed."
Her: "Val, this is so cool, I'm going to give you the last spot on our Zambia 1 team. You will complete that team and now it's full."
My Brain: Wait, what?!? The LAST spot? Me? Woah, this is such a God thing.
Her: *more information on logistics and sending me packets and stuff*
God knew from the very beginning of this all exactly how it would work out and I honestly still can't believe this is real life.
I get to serve a God of no limits in a country I have zero experience in, all to spread the love and gospel of Jesus Christ. Wow, I am blessed.
I'm now 45 days away from boarding a flight to fly 8,491 miles across the world to Zambia and I still can't believe how my life was, and is, interrupted by a God who has plans greater (and crazier) than anything I could imagine.
I gave God a sliver of willingness to go somewhere (preferably not Africa) and He's taking me where His love is needed. Here I am, Lord send me.
This is Part 3 of how my life was interrupted (in a good way) by God and how I now find myself preparing to get on a flight to Africa in less than 2 months.
I packed up my stuff and went to our Chi Alpha weekend retreat, praying and hoping for some clarity in regards to what decision I should make, but also not wanting it to consume my thoughts the whole weekend.
Neither really happened, which is good on the side of not being consumed by it but discouraging in not having clarity or answers from God. I felt like the whole weekend I was waiting for something to happen that would make it so clear to me, but it never did (at least that's what I thought).
At the retreat, I attended a breakout session where the speaker talked about using our past, pain, passion, and spiritual gifts to serve God in our "sweet spot." She talked about Isaiah 43, specifically verses 18-19:
"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland."
This passage of Scripture, actually all of Isaiah 43, has had an impact on my life and my walk with Jesus since I was about 16, so I thought it was cool that she mentioned it. The next morning, I woke up for class and was spending time with Jesus. I simply said, "God, what you have for me today is exactly what I need and so it's exactly what I want, I want whatever you have for me today." Little did I know how bold that prayer was for me that day.
I was challenged from that breakout session to find out more about how all of these things could combine where I could serve God to the greatest capacity. On February 6th, I decided to take a spiritual gifts test to see what mine were. I got my top 3. One of them was Mercy. I didn't exactly know what it meant so I read into it a little more.
It said that the original Greek word in the Bible for the spiritual gift of Mercy is "Eleeo." Immediately, I recognized that word and I wondered why. I went to the Love Africa Mission website, clicked on their Zambia section, and was overwhelmed at how God was working when I saw that the ministry they partner with on their Zambia trips is called "The Eleeo Project."
I decided to go to the Eleeo Project website, just because. I honestly didn't really have a reason to in that moment, but God did. The front page said "Doing Something New." I scrolled down one more scroll and right there on my screen was this:
In small print at the bottom, it says Isaiah 43:19-20. The very passage that the speaker talked about in the breakout session and the same ones that have had great meaning in my life for years. I knew this is what God had for me. I didn't ask for a sign (or 3) or a clear answer. No, that morning I simply said, "God, whatever you have for me today is exactly what I need and what I want." Boy, He already knew I needed that. Here I was, in awe of God and how everything was coming together when I felt like nothing was.
I texted my Love Africa Mission contact and simply said, "I'm ready to talk through everything now."
On February 9th, we talked for a couple of minutes. This is how the phone call went:
Her: "Hey, so you wanted to talk through some things?"
Me: "Well, yeah I guess I just know that I need to go to Zambia, I'm ready to be put on a Zambia team." (did those words really just come out of my mouth?!?!)
Her: "I had a feeling when I saw your text that you didn't need to talk, you were ready to be placed, I just knew. You see, this morning I was praying over all the students I would be talking to today and I was asking God where He wanted us to put each person. I was praying for Zambia and who we should place on a Zambia team and your name definitely kept coming to mind."
Me: "Wow, that's awesome. Yeah, God is doing His thing and I'm ready to go where love is needed."
Her: "Val, this is so cool, I'm going to give you the last spot on our Zambia 1 team. You will complete that team and now it's full."
My Brain: Wait, what?!? The LAST spot? Me? Woah, this is such a God thing.
Her: *more information on logistics and sending me packets and stuff*
God knew from the very beginning of this all exactly how it would work out and I honestly still can't believe this is real life.
I get to serve a God of no limits in a country I have zero experience in, all to spread the love and gospel of Jesus Christ. Wow, I am blessed.
I'm now 45 days away from boarding a flight to fly 8,491 miles across the world to Zambia and I still can't believe how my life was, and is, interrupted by a God who has plans greater (and crazier) than anything I could imagine.
I gave God a sliver of willingness to go somewhere (preferably not Africa) and He's taking me where His love is needed. Here I am, Lord send me.
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