Flip Flopped Feet and Flip Flopped Plans

When I arrived in this Southern place I could finally wear flip-flops on my feet, God flip-flopped my world around.

After having to come home from college last semester, which was definitely NOT in my plan or will, I spent that semester at home.

I hated it. Everything about it.

But in that time, He broke me, shaped me, grew me, and was doing a heck of a lot more than I could see beyond my pain and frustration of my circumstance.

I got to share Jesus and His joy with everyone who came in through the doors of my job. Everyday He was still somehow using my brokenness to shine His glory. He was preparing me.

Everyday-- I worked, I ran, I cried, I slept. That was my semester.

When I finally decided to stop fighting with God on how I thought my life was supposed to go at home, that's when I decided to start a new adventure and trust God with something fresh.

I had a scheduled trip to South Africa with an organization for three months in September. So MY plan was to move to Alabama, live with my relatives here, and just work my butt off to raise money for the trip.

[STRONG EMPHASIS ON THE WORD "MY"]

While that all sounds like a great plan, that wasn't what God quite had in mind for me. While I'm still in the midst of Him laying out my journey day by day, I'm going to try my best to share just one piece of what He has done so far.

I was having a conversation with a customer about life and I mentioned something small about always having a heart for Uganda and eventually thinking I'd end up there someday with something of my own. He stopped me and said: "So why aren't you going there?"

I just kinda looked at him and responded: "Oh... I actually don't know".

I'm not even exaggerating in the slightest that since that day, I have YET for a day to pass without meeting someone who's been TO Uganda, has an organization there, or a connection there. Literally EVERY SINGLE DAY. From customers in my jobs, to strangers at the bar, to people I meet at Panera.

I've even had strangers prophesy things to my face about working with orphans and being a mother to many. Yeah, it freaks me out too.

Since that day, God's made it abundantly clear that is where I'm supposed to go through everyone I meet.

I'm watching Him literally change all of my passions and dreams into HIS. It's terrifying, but I wouldn't want it any other way.

He's inspired pages and pages of notes, ideas, and dreams for the children whose names someday I'll know and call my own.

Do I have any clue how they'll all come to be? Absolutely not  :)

BUT HE DOES!

That's how I know every dream is from Him.... Because no effort of mine could accomplish any of them.


And He has been showing me small pieces of the puzzle everyday that I'll continue to let HIM put in place.

But I  had to get out of the way first. What I wanted had to be taken away so that what He wanted could take it's place.

And I'm gonna keep walking with Him one day at a time as He provides more than I ever could imagine.