Have you ever realized that Jesus, as our Savior and as our Lord, really does listen to us – His children?
Have you experienced His faithfulness recently? Or have you NOTICED His faithfulness I should ask? He is always faithful! God is opening my eyes and heart to a greater level of experiencing His faithfulness. It truly is amazing – such a huge, magnificent God would be so personal with me…ME…and YOU. He holds the world in place, and yet He cradles me in His arms every single day…amazing!
So…I told you God is opening my eyes and heart to a greater level of experiencing His faithfulness…well at first I was kind of forced into a hard place to look nowhere but to HIM and HIS care for me, but now slowly but surly my heart is moving to a more desirable place. Now, I’m slowly beginning to actually want to release myself into His hands and care while WATCHING HIS FAITHFULNESS UNFOLD all around me! No…this has not been an easy road. 
Have you ever asked the Lord for something so earnestly, day after day, night after night, you pour your heart out to our gracious Father asking for that desire within your heart? Spending many sleepless nights with it constantly on your mind? Many weary moments on your knees in prayer….ALMOST losing hope but somehow by His grace you’re still holding on? Have you been there? THEN…there’s finally break through…what you have been asking for is FINALLY granted to you…yes YOU! And now…you’re overwhelmed and possibly slightly astonished or afraid because it’s FINALLY there…you don’t know what to do now because all you ever knew for a solid year was asking for that one thing…now what?? That’s sort of where I am now.
I have found myself at a slightly awkward stage in life. For a long time now I have been asking the Lord to fulfill my desire to be in ministry in Central India for an extended period of time…more than I ever have before (I’ve been there 6 months in the past). I have also been asking Him to increase my faith and make me a woman who is COMPLETELY satisfied in Jesus and His love alone, while increasing my faith and dependence upon Him. Would you believe what He did? Well…He is doing all I’ve ever asked of Him, and MORE! I shouldn’t be surprised but unfortunately more times than not I find myself more surprised of His provision than the lack of provision.
So…as He begins to orchestrate my life into the beautiful masterpiece He has ordained me to be (Ephesians 2:10), an offer was given to me to arrive in India in March to stay for a year, my job was terminated January 31 (thus leaving me with a significant drop in pay for the month of February through another job), my needed budget slightly increased and deadlines were put in place! Now how in the world am I supposed to raise thousands of dollars without a job at the end of January…not to mention the ABSOLUTE deadline is March 6…that’s less than 2 months!! Remember I asked the Lord to make me a woman completely satisfied in Jesus while increasing my faith to depend on Him more? Let me tell you, losing your job with a mountain of fundraising in front of you will surly cause you to depend on God…or give up! He is doing what I’ve asked of Him. When you continue to seek God, He may not change your circumstances automatically, but He WILL change your heart…sometimes our heart won’t change if our circumstances do change. It’s the hard times when we are pressed that enables our heart to change to stand in our circumstances. Our hearts are valuable to our Father!
God has been doing a work on my heart to move me from a woman who demands control and assurance in the natural realm, to a woman trying to rest in the finished work of Jesus Christ and trust His provision for the mission He Himself has called me, while battling this in the supernatural realm! It is amazing to me how much my eyes are opened to His activity around me and FOR ME once I begin to seek Him to carry me through! Please don’t get me wrong…this has NOT been a walk in the park by any means. It’s through trying and tribulation that we see unmeasured grace and GOODNESS of God! I’ve heard before, if it is something that does NOT make ANY sense and is completely UNLOGICAL…then it has to be God!
God reminded me of various passages I have read where kings, prophets, or servants of God were given a very specific task from the Lord. Two things were brought to my attention: 1) Their victory did not APPEAR very probable. Most of the time their enemy appeared far greater than themselves. 2) God gave them a very strange direction to defeat their enemy. Seriously, how strange would you feel if you were Joshua, given the task to enter into Jericho and you’re told to “march around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets” (Joshua 6:3-4). March around the whole city once for SIX DAYS and the seventh day SEVEN TIMES…oh and with TRUMPETS! So much for being a little discrete in the awkward task! ONLY GOD could concoct such a formula of victory!! Not to mention David….and GOLIATH…SLINGSHOT AND STONES…no way!! ONLY GOD could bring a victory from such a thing!
I say all of that to say I feel like my task appears far greater than myself right now. I can barely pay the bills I have right now, took a significant drop in pay, and I need to raise over $8,000 by March 6 just to get me to India…then I still have monthly expenses of over $700 each month. WHAT IN THE WORLD?! How is this going to happen? It appears impossible…but God works THROUGH the impossible to make it possible and receives the MOST glory! And the victory plan He gives me…remain faithful to Him, ask Him for help and TRUST HIM to provide…oh yeah and none of this is going to be in YOUR control…because you have nothing to provide of yourself….OK GREAT GOD! LOVE IT! ::note sarcasm:: Remember I said this has NOT been an easy road. I’m learning to hold onto the incredible promises I see in the Lord’s interaction with those in Scripture that remained faithful through such absurd direction to conquer the battle. I’m not the only one that’s been given a crazy task and battle plan from the Lord…I’m standing on the faith and obedience of the saints, the prayers of the saints, and the faithfulness of our God!!
It’s official – March 6 is the departure date, ticket has been purchased!
I still have a little over $4,000 to raise in order to leave. I’m trusting His provision. If you desire to be used by the Lord as a means for the provision, you can most certainly send a tax-deductible donation to:
Crossroads Worldwide
c/o Nikki Clifton
307 A E. College Ave.
Shelby, NC 28152
OR you can also donate online at: crossroadsworldwide.com
select DONATE
create a new account and follow instructions there.
Please keep me in your prayers and I hope you will continue to follow me along this journey. I’ll be on the plane SO SOON!!
