the first of many miracles…

It
all started on a walk back in the end of March.

I was
headed over to my grandparents house for wednesday lunch and there was a lot on
my mind. I was frustrated and broken and overwhelmed with the world and
thinking about Africa a ton and was just praying through it all.  

“What
do you miss about Africa, Cherise?” I felt him gently asking me.

  
  “Everything” i replied out of complete stubborness…

“Right
now what are you really missing?”

  
  “How simple it is…”

“Then
simplify. Stop relying on your car and technology. You don’t need it. Give away
all of your money. You don’t need it. Get rid of it all this month and trust
me.”

 As I
walked through edison park he gave me a vision of a simpler life right here in
the midst of everything normal. I thought about how I would need to go buy a bike
if I really wanted to commit to simplifying. Go “buy” something to
simplify… thats funny.

When
I got to my grandparents house God had something else in mind and I left that
day riding my grandpas faithful trek off to the start a great adventure. 

 I was hoping to go to Africa in the fall so it was easy to give away my money and easy to
believe I didn’t need it. I could give away my money this month then “I” could save my money over the summer to go to Africa.  Easy trust. 

Somewhere
in the middle of April conversation began about me leading a trip this summer.
 Its a whole other story of Gods goodness as to how it all came about but in
the end I was signed up to lead a Real Life trip called Africa Expeditions for
2 months this summer and all of a sudden I found myself “needing”
money. 

I had
one more paycheck from that month and to be perfectly honest I wrestled a ton
and tried really hard to justify the reasons I would need and should and why
God would want me to keep that money. When I would play through the numbers in
my head it was easy to see that if I kept that money then I would be able to
save up for the trip all on my own.  Man, I wanted to keep that
money because it would be easy but I knew what God had called me too and I want
to be someone who is fully faithful to his call and not just faithful when it
is easy. I remembered how he had asked me if I trusted him. 

I
want to live like I trust him and not just say it with my mouth. 

I
started this month with no money. I was laughing looking at one of my paystubs
form work… you know the place where if shows the total money you have made
this year to date…and I had nothing in my bank account to show for it. I am sure that there are some who are reading this who think this is foolishness to empty out your bank account… and thats ok, because what God had taught me through giving was well worth it all. It really is a joy
to give and we are after all blessed to be a blessing!

Its easy to write about it this with confidence looking back already knowing what God has done. I wish I could say it was easy for me to trust but really it was a daily challenge and there were several moments of fear and doubt and uncertainty, and times when I had to get with my friends and be encouraged to keep after God.  As you read the rest of this testimony my hope is that you will be more couragous than I was in following after Gods crazy roller coaster ride and that we can become a people fully confident in the truth that he who promises is faithful… 

So very faithful…

2
weeks ago I had my notebook out and was doing some number crunching looking at
what I was expecting to make this month and to see if I had
enough for the trip and I didnt. I was way short. I was tempted to start
worrying… and then that question of “do i trust him?” came to my mind and
that peace that surpasses understanding overwhelmed me.  “Just wait
and see” he was whispering to me that day in my room.

A few
days ago in the middle of my time studying Nehemiah I went on my computer and
got out that same notebook and began to look over those same numbers.  My
eyes went back and forth over and over and I kept reentering those numbers in
my calculator. There was more money than before. Enough. I found a deposit was
made into my account a while back for significantly more money than I had
expected to be deposited.  I was trying to “figure it out” and
couldn’t. I looked at my bible and journal in front of me and just started to
laugh. Thanks Jesus. 

Since
that day even more money has been added to my support account through AIM.
 I am so humbled. I am humbled that the God of the universe wanted to walk
me through this journey. 

I remember
talking to my cousin Emily in the midst of all of this about how it seemed like
God wanted to keep me from being able to get myself to Africa. He knew that my
temptation was to hold onto money so that I could do things myself.  But
He wanted to get me there. I believe that is why before I even knew I would be
leaving he called me to let go of the thing he knew would keep me from seeing
his faithfulness.  Its crazy to think that if I would have kept that money
I would have missed this opportunity for my faith to grow (and its scary to me
to think of how I was really close to keeping that money and not trusting him).
I don’t want to miss moments like this that he has for me. I want to trust him
next time without question when he says let go. I want to fully trust that he
has good things planned for me like he says.  I want to follow him even
when the world thinks its foolish. 

…Because he who promises IS faithful. He
wanted to get me to Africa and he has done it. Oh how faithful is our God…