WOW !! Is this really happening ??

I have to begin by saying Thank you GOD for allowing me the privilege of being a part of this journey. When I think that we will be leaving in about 5 1/2 days I can hardly believe it. The journey that has already taken place to get me to this moment is truly amazing to me. I don't want to take a single step of that journey for granted. Last year when a dear friend of mine returned home from this very trip she was a different person. She had a light about her that frankly, I was lacking, but that I wanted so very badly. I had been allowing the world to rob me of the light that I had inside of me and was very convicted of that when I was with her. She told me all about the trip and mentioned that I should go "next year". I kind of shook my head yes and went on...thinking in the back of my mind that it would probably not happen. I just could not picture myself ever going to a foreign land doing anything...period. I thought that she would maybe forget that she asked me to go BUT that was not the case. Every time I saw her she asked me if I had thought any more about going. I would give her enough of an affirmative answer for the subject to go on to something else. The Lord had been working in my life to the point that I knew that in order to grow the way I desired to grow that I needed to take part in something like this, but then there was all of my fears. If there is something to worry about, trust me I will do just that. One day at work I just could not stop thinking about going, but I thought that I needed my son, sister or husband to come too...that way I would have that bit of comfort with me. None of them were able to make the commitment so it was up to me and God. Would I trust HIM to be enough for me on this trip and make the commitment to go by myself? I knew that God wanted me to take part in this...I don't know why or what He has in store, but I know that I am supposed to be there. That day I requested the time off of work and began slowly making the commitment to go. We were told how much money we needed to pay for the trip and trust me I did not just have that laying around. So I began to put together a couple of garage sales to raise money. They went very well and I raised about $800.00 or so. I was thinking ok God, you keep comfirming that this is something you want from me. The Sunday after my last garage sale my husband was playing basketball and ruptured his achilles tendon and needed surgery. That meant that we would have doctor bills that we had not planned on and he would have to take time off work without pay. I automatically thought about the money that the Lord had provided from the garage sales and after talking with John we agreed that we would have to use that money to pay for his surgery. My heart was broken because if we did that, I could not pay for the trip therefore I would not be able to go. I sent an e-mail to Amy that Monday and explained to her that I felt that God was closing the door for me to take part in the trip. I asked her if she thought there was any way I would be able to go...she said that if the Lord wanted this for me then it would happen. She also mentioned that Mike needed the completed paperwork that Friday so he could book flights. I knew even as I told her that I did not see any way that it would happen that I was supposed to go to Jamaica. We ended our conversation and John and I moved forward to schedule his surgery. His surgery was that Thursday and we were home that evening (the night before Mike needed the final paperwork) and Amy called me and told me that someone had sponsored my entire trip...it was paid in full. She said that she would be by my house in a few minutes to get my paper work because MY GOD PROVIDED MY WAY TO JAMAICA !! I can not tell you what I said to her next but I was in total AWE of MY GOD...why me? I can't answer that, but I can tell you that we serve an amazing, faithful God...I know that even though I have so many fears going in to this that HE is bigger than any of them and I will make the decision to trust Him instead of the voices of untruth. I look forward to walking this journey with each of you and am committed to returning home more like Jesus.

Jennifer