||Finally Excited||

I'm going to Africa! Here's a bit of background as to how this happened.

When I applied to the San Francisco Art institute two years ago and got accepted, the Lord made it really clear that I was to go for only two years. Why? At the time I had no idea so I prayed, every time it crossed my mind asking God to give me direction and guidance as to what He had next. You have to understand too that when God made this clear to me my anxiety level rose and I was forced to trust like never before. Like most people I like to know that my future is secure and going in the "right direction".

So this past summer, when God sparked in me the idea of going to Africa it excited me. I remember so vividly having a conversation with one of my good friends Aubrey about her experience in Africa and for some reason it stuck with me. That same day after our talk my sister and I were walking around a shopping center where we ran into our old youth pastor who was sitting across from a young man. I recognized him. "Are you a Russel?" I asked. "Yes" he responded, "Skylar, nice to meet you what's your name?". Skylar is the son of Peter and Tammy Russel, the Family my friend Aubrey had gone and served with in Tanzania Africa. This was just the beginning of many more signs of confirmation to follow.

It was never my dream to travel alone to different continents to follow adventure for the Lord (but as I’m typing this out I’m suddenly wondering why not). Becoming a hairstylist was probably at the top of my list until I was ten. I did grow up on the mission field in central Asia for ten years but that was just my norm. It was my understanding that all families traveled, but as I've gotten older have realized that it’s actually one of the biggest gifts and not exactly normal.

The beginning of this year included lots of prayer and planning for June, when I leave for Tanzania. In the midst of it I've encountered excitement, fear, doubts, second thoughts and now finally more excitement. I wouldn't have been able to confidentially say I'm excited to go a couple of weeks ago because I wasn't. I was scared and honestly didn’t think I was capable, but through prayer and affirmation from some of the best people I know and constant reassurance from the Lord through all of my emotions I think I'm getting there. 

A good friend of mine once told me "the enemy is sneaky, but so is God". I like that and have realized that it’s true. He's very patient and purposeful in the way He created us and allowed us to grow up. When we submit to Him and say, I'm willing to do anything and everything for you we get to see glimpses of His plan unfold for our lives. His plans for us are always more incredible than we could ever think of, not necessarily easier or more comfortable but definitely deeper and more life giving.

I’m going from June 5^th to July 6^th. My prayer going into this is “Lord do you want me in Tanzania long term or back in San Francisco?”

He knows
He has
He always will

-DG