SE Asia 2011: Leading up to it

During the end of summer 2010 at Glorieta I was already starting to think about what the next summer would hold. I began praying about where I would go, if anywhere, but I knew I wanted to go serve. There was a bit of an emphasis on England and Canada at Glorieta, or at least that's what it seemed like to me.

As I prayed about where the Lord would send me I kind of already had a specific project in England in my mind. I tried not to focus my prayer on just that project but where ever the Lord wanted me to go. SE Asia came to my mind as I prayed. I just pushed that thought aside the first time or two. But the more I prayed the more it kept coming to mind. Ok Lord, I hear you, I'm going to keep praying about this.

One night I'm getting something to eat with Jessica and Sarah at Koi. Jessica mentions she was thinking about going back to SE Asia. Message received Lord. I'm going to SE Asia. I tell Jessica I'd been praying about where to go and SE Asia kept coming back to me. And so the planning began.

Picking the dates was tricky. July was decided but exact dates were not yet settled on yet. My best friend was getting married in July and I'm supposed to be a bridesmaid. I can't miss her wedding. College week in Glorieta is in the beginning of August. I really want to go back to it. It was life changing for me last year. Wedding is July 16. Glorieta is Aug 6. That's only 3 weeks. We want to go 4 weeks. Maybe I could join late or leave early? I want to so much to go to Glorieta but that's what will be left out if something has to, which something will. SE Asia will certainly be life changing. I'll be able to grow and mature and all that in SE Asia, in different ways than I would at Glorieta but it's still be a blessing.

Finally one night, I want to say it was in November but I could be wrong, I finally decide to really pray about it all. Lord the situation is in Your hands. I know both things can't happen. Let me be okay with missing out on Glorieta. Missing out on it to be in SE Asia will be so worth it. Work in the situation so it'll be what you have planned.

Next afternoon, about 4 something, I get a text from Ashley. The wedding is going to be moved up a week. Are. You. Serious!? I wasn't expecting the Lord to answer my prayer so soon. And to answer in that way. Lord you are so good. I'm sorry for doubting.

Dates are set July 6th- August 6th. Wedding is July 9th. I'll join the group just a couple of days late. I don't remember everbody's flight schedule but I remember that mine travel days and arrival, all that jazz, was taking one less day then everyone elses. I forgot how exactly but I think it's because I didn't have any long layovers and the time I arrived would allow me to get to the home sleep the night and jump right in the next day/technically the same day I arrived.

There was some stress with all the planning. That's when I started losing sleep. When I would turn out the light to go to sleep that's when all the thoughts about the summer would just hit me, things that still needed to be done, and etc. It would keep me up at least a couple extra hours. I had never had a problem like this before and unfortunately it hasn't ended with SE Asia. Now other things that stress me out now have the ability to keep me up. :( But anyway back to SE Asia.

Despite those times of stress, I have no doubt that SE Asia is where the Lord wanted to send me during the summer.