Silence, Be Still

   Have you ever heard the saying "If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans."? I always thought that quote was funny, but it never became real for me until just 8 months ago. I had plans...I was going to college and moving forward in MY goal of working for the FBI and Child Protective Services. I had a goal, vision, dream and purpose...then God "ruined" me... which was the best thing that ever happened to me. 

   When God sent me to Africa, He opened my heart to a bigger dream. God has given me a desire, a purpose, a passion, which is to protect and love children all over the world. That has always been something that was on my heart to do, I just didn't know what God was going to do with all the passion that was inside me. That is why it is so important to run the race that God puts before YOU. Although someone else's purpose might look appealing, you will not succeed down that path because it was not made for you. I was right where I was supposed to be, running the race that God had for ME. Since I was right where God wanted me, it was easy for Him to move me and guide me down the path that He wanted me to go down. This allowed me to go to Uganda and do all the things that God had planned for me to do. If I was busy trying to run someone else's race, I would not have been available for God to use me in the way that he had designed. Our purpose was designed for each of us specifically. We need to run the race before us and have faith that, in God's timing, He will move us. 

   I came home from Uganda with a bigger dream than just working for the FBI. God had put it on my heart to build an orphanage in Tororo, Uganda. I knew that this was not going to be an easy task, but I had faith from the beginning. I came home with so much passion that I thought that nothing would be able to shake me. It's when the excitement dies down a little and the job gets harder that your faith is truly tested. 

   Raising money for the baby's home is not an easy job. There have been moments when it got really hard and finances were not coming in and I got scared. I was scared that I would not get all the money needed to build the home. Instead of putting all my focus on Jesus, I began to take the weight myself. I thought I would just take on all the burden and try and figure it all out myself. Once I did that, I began to fall. This reminds me of the story in the Bible where Jesus asks Peter to walk on water. Peter is standing in the boat and looking at Jesus who is standing on the water. The storm was raging all around him, but Peter had faith. With his eyes on Jesus, Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on water toward Jesus. The storm grew louder and Peter took his focus off Jesus and was overwhelmed by the storm that surrounded him. Just then, Peter began to fall. Jesus grabbed ahold of him, saved him and said, "O ye of little faith!" Jesus calmed the storm with words..."Silence, Be still."

   Jesus gave me a dream, a vision that City of Lights Baby Home will be built and I will see babies being rescued and restored. I had so much faith that it would come to pass. When it was challenging and the money wasn't coming in, I began to be overwhelmed by the storm and lose sight of Jesus. Just as I started to fall, Jesus grabbed ahold of me and said, "Oh ye of little faith! The dreams I put inside you are for a reason. I do not give you visions to watch them fail. I gave you a dream that is bigger than you, so that you will be humbled and have faith in ME. Trust me! I know the waters seem rough, but do not take your eyes off me."

   I had to learn to let go of the steering wheel and let God take control of the situation. I need to trust God with every circumstance that I face. With faith in Jesus I can look at the storm and say, "Silence, Be still", knowing that my God will come through for me. Maybe you are going through something in your life and you are overwhelmed and you feel like you are drowning. I just want to encourage you to keep your eyes on Jesus. No matter the storm, Jesus is right there with you. Refocus your eyes back on Him and silence your storm.

   City of Light Baby Home is making great progress! Although we do not have all funds yet to complete the home, I am believing in faith that God will come through and the finances will be provided. The building is coming together so nicely, I am in awe of all that God is doing and will continue to do through City of Lights Baby Home. Here are pictures of the progress!
(Click on picture to enlarge!)

  

"Jesus, thank you for never leaving us. Thank you for putting the strength inside each of us to get through any storm we face. I pray that we will not lose sight of You. Please give us the courage to walk on water even when the storm is surrounding us. We love you! Amen. "

If you would like to be apart of all that God is going through City of Lights Baby Home please go to www.smileafrica.org.