"Nahhh...that's for the 'special' ones:" Marveling at God's Provision and Care

Soooooooo.....I'm going to Africa!!  

A few (of the very few) of you who follow this haphazard blog may already know this.  I feel compelled to explain a bit more of the backstory of how I arrived at this threshold--this point of preparing to cross the sea and the challenge of raising the rest of my $2,800 (plus the extended outreach!) tuition by April 25th (yes, today!).

Three months ago I applied for the Harvest Missions School with Iris Ministries in Pemba, Mozambique.  On the very dark night/early morning of March 21st, I received a "rejection" letter via email.  I didn't get accepted.  I was crushed and disappointed.  Yet, I could still see myself there--there, where God's overwhelming love abounds even more than the prevalent poverty, hardship and pain. I immediately responded to the offer of being on the waiting list, even though I could barely see past the thick fog of the moment.

Over the next two weeks, God worked in me and began to chip away at the rejection that was lacquered across my heart.  There was so much more to it than Mozambique.  Every group or team that I had applied to in college and didn't get accepted to flooded back to memory--Resident Assistant, Orientation Leader, Student Ministries––even the camp counselor position I applied for after college.  Of course, past relational disappointments played a role as well.  Thankfully, I can look back on each of those "failures" and see God's wisdom and grace in the closed doors.  However, this current desire was closer to my heart than any past pursuit and thus meant so much more. It wasn't just something that seemed like a good idea or would be a positive and stretching experience.  It felt weighty, and I knew I had to go.  The day after I received the ill-fated email, a friend, knowing it would speak to me, suggested I listen to the testimony of Jennifer Miller Toledo. My friend was right––it was timely.  I went to a Passover Seder the next week.  Again, rejection came up when the leader felt a prompting to pray for anyone who had a stronghold in that area.  I felt the battle within, yet I was also aware of God's healing in that moment.  The word from numerous friends concerning these thwarted plans was "protection."  The Father was protecting me––I knew not from what.

Saturday, the day before Easter, graced us with sunny loveliness.  I decided to head to the park near our house, in need of setting my heart right with God about that which is deep and dear to me--including the fait of my summer.  I wandered the park aimlessly for a few minutes, not quite at rest.  Coming up to the little creek, I walked across the bridge and leaned against the railing.  The rhythmic rush of the gentle stream flowed with peace and calm across the rocky bed.  I began to seek the Lord, asking for a path.  He said, "Just rest in me." A genuine surrender warmed within me. God, I don't to be zoned in on one thing and be set on only that.  Here's my heart, wide open to whatever You have for me.  Journeying through my Bible, I came to Jeremiah 33:3. "Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known." The night the email came from Iris I found a highly affirming note from my older brother, written about nine years before, which referenced Jeremiah 33:3.  As I sat in the green grass ceilinged by the Toy Story blue and white sky, I reread this passage and it's header "The Lord Promises Peace." Ahh, and then the Psalms––such a salve in times of heart distress.  Psalm 131:2, "I have calmed and quieted my soul. Like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me."  Yes, I thought with relief. THAT is why I am here today.  I have calmed and quieted my soul.  Rising after about an hour and a half, I headed home, grateful and reassured that I'd be ok, no matter what God had for me in the future.
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On the afternoon of April 3rd, my phone rang.  I didn't recognize the number, so I didn't answer.  Yet I sensed a magnitude and an electricity and thought, "Wow, who is calling?!"  I listened to the voicemail. "This is Tony Maxwell from Iris Ministries.  If you could call me sometime in the next day, that would be most excellent."  I instantly knew.  It couldn't mean anything else. When something is withheld and then later given, how much more precious it becomes when it is finally received––often more so than if it had been bestowed immediately, I thought. It took me an hour of steadying myself to call back.  I was on the waiting list and spots were available. But was it an instant yes?  No!  I  needed time to think and pray about this. Thankfully I had ten days to decide.  You know, it's a funny thing to get a rejection letter and an acceptance letter from the same organization.  I had mixed feelings at first.  I had begun to dream about various projects at home––gardening; aquaponics; volunteer opportunities.  I asked for prayer and wisdom from many of the people who have poured so much into me.  I was struck by how special that is--to have such individuals and couples just a text, phone call or living room away. It didn't take long for the confirmation to rise within my heart--I definitely wanted to go!!

Such a shift unfolded over those two weeks.  I strongly believe that God had to break that rejection off of me before the doors could be opened.  I'm not sure that I would have felt accepted even if I had been in the beginning.  Quite a few individuals from the church I started attending in December went to the Harvest School.  I've honestly had the thought that of course they were all accepted right off.  The first Sunday after the good news phone call, I waited till the end to speak to one of the elders, a wise and loving man with a large family.  When I had first applied to Harvest School, I mentioned it him.  Even though I didn't know him very well, he prayed for me and his immediate reaction was, "You're going. And it'll be great."  He added, "When you write your support letter, bring it to me, and I'll help you out." Wow, what?!  I thought.  I hardly know this person, yet he is willing to do that?  And how is he so confident about the outcome of this? He wasn't the only one who spoke in such a manner.  I was blown away.  So, this Sunday when he finally made his way towards me, I told him how his words had come true, and how much it all meant to me.  He looked at me and said, "The same thing happened to my daughter!" Evidently she had applied, didn't get accepted, but then got a call later  asking if she still wanted to come.  Something humbling and sweet stirred within.  I needed to hear that.  I needed to really get that it wasn't about one person being cooler than another––it wasn't just for the "special ones"––a Greater Power had His hand on this. 

The $200 deposit for the school was due nearly two weeks ago.  I only had half of it the day before.  BUT THEN....I was struck speechless by a donation of $1,000 from a generous friend.  Wow.  I had heard such tales of provision, but, again, couldn't admit that part of me thought this only happened to the select few.  Would someone really do that for ME?  Would GOD do that for ME?  A couple days before this, I spent hours making a custom order of whale shaped decorated sugar cookies for a customer on Etsy.  It was really much more time and trouble than I had anticipated, yet I strongly felt that it was important for me to do the order–no matter the effort.  I was stressed about how they would turn out.  The customer loved the cookies!!  She also sent me a message saying that she had noticed on my profile that I love Jesus and that I'm going to Africa.  She said that she loves Jesus too and she wanted to write me a support check!  Wow. Again.  My heart was overwhelmingly blessed by the very thought.

As it now stands, as far as I know, I still need close to $1,000 for the tuition...the tuition that is due TODAY (not including airfare, insurance, visa, etc.). Ahhhhh.

If you would like to help out, contact me at melodyious@gmail.com.  Also, there's a PayPal donate button below, or go to https://www.irisglobal.org/giving-center/harvest/.  Under Remaining Tuition or Outreach Payment, type "Melody Mitchell, Harvest School 18." Yes, a shameless plug. :-)  Thanks for reading about this journey.  Yes, there is much on my heart concerning this–much that I did not share in this post (even though it's super long!!).

FRIENDS.............God is SO good!  The very awareness of such an opportunity evokes gratefulness.  The Father gives His best.