Last Minute God

Most of you know that I have been working like crazy trying to bring in the needed funds for my mission trip to Uganda. Over the last few weeks God has blown my mind and performed miracles, through friends and family over $3,000 has come in. So I thought that I'd share about how amazing our Lord truly is. :)

I had one week to make the $2,000 deadline, and I had only $100 in my account. Let's just say I was a little stressed considering my letters were sent only seven days ago. I knew that if God wanted me to go to Africa He would get me there, but I didn't understand what exactly He was doing, why He was waiting until the last minute. Throughout the week I received about $300, which was amazing, but I was also still $1,700 short. I received a message from my cousin throughout all of this chaos, and his encouragement was exactly what I needed. "Money is nothing for Him! He is all powerful. Just rest in Him. He will do the rest. He is a last minute God. It grows our faith." So one day prior to the deadline I fasted and texted, emailed, and called everyone I could think of begging for prayers. It really doesn't make a lot of sense, but I could literally feel the prayers and through it the faith to know our God never fails. Over the next few hours through family members and some bonds I received as a child the deadline was met. What a blessing! I was so unbelievably relieved..until I got a message from AIM saying I couldn't be for sure guaranteed a ticket unless I could manage to get another $700-800 by the end of the weekend. Oh boy, Iwas so upset! I had just been relieved from this huge stress and now it was back! Throughout the weekend I received $200 which I was extremely grateful for, but I still had $700 to go. My mom said she could put in about $100, but it still wouldn't be enough. Sooo I decided to open my Bible and let the Lord do a little talking. I stumbled upon a little notecard that I had written a verse on from the previous summer (from Kingslove), the original plan was to give it to somebody but for some reason I felt the Lord telling me to hold on to it..I guess it was for this very moment. On the card was Isaiah 26:8, and I know it sounds so cliche' but it was exactly what I needed to hear.

Isaiah 26:8 "Lord, we show our trust in You by obeying Your laws; our heart's desire is to glorify Your name."

I went on to read the rest of Isaiah 26, which felt like God was literally speaking to me, so..amazing. This is now a chapter I will read everyday. :) Anyways after reading that I knew without a doubt that the Lord would provide if it was in His will. So I decided not to tell anybody, because I knew my God would come through and in the end be glorified. The next day I received a phone call from an old friend in Washington asking if his online donation for $500 had come through. I almost dropped the phone, especially considering I had never mentioned anything to him. God was so so good!!! My mom put in another $100 and I got to my deadline, actually I went over by $50. Throughout this past two weeks God has completely blown my mind with His love and faithfulness. What an amazing King we serve! Considering I haven't even left America yet and God has been working wonders now I'm SO pumped to see what all He has in store for me and my team in Africa!!! Right now I have $3,525, meaning I have $1,925 left to raise but I know that God will provide without a doubt. Our God is such a good God, and I'm so blessed to call Him my king.

His Daughter,

Hannah Renee'

Across The Pond

My heart has always belonged to Uganda. Most don't understand how I can have such a deep love for a country and its people without ever stepping foot within its boundaries, but God has always caused me to have such passion for other cultures. Lately He has grown my heart for the United Kingdom. I have always been fascinated with European culture, being that that is where my ancestors are from. But lately my desire to learn and hopefully even move to the UK has sky-rocketed.

~A Few Facts About The UK ~

-Made up of four countries. (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland)

-Population is over 60 million

-An Englishmen drinks more tea than any person of any other nation

-Is an extremely diverse nation.

-Is the birthplace of Newton, Shakespeare, Darwin, and the Beatles.

-"The Tear Fund Survey in 2007 revealed 53% call themselves Christian but only 7% are actually practicing Christians." (OM International)

-Manchester United is the world's richest football (soccer) club.

-Currently, alcohol and drug abuse are extremely big issues there.

I'm not sure where God is going to lead me, but in the mean time I'm going to allow the Lord to grow my heart for Him and His beautiful people. I am so excited to see how He moves me and my heart for missions this coming fall in Africa.

His Daughter,

Hannah Renee'

Nkwagala

I'm homesick for a country I've never visited, missing people I've never met, and in love with a culture I've never experienced. From listening to stories, reading books, and looking at pictures of the country of Uganda and all those who live there one thing always comes to mind; these people are beautiful. And all I want is a chance to be able to love on them, that they might have a better understanding of Christ's love.

"I gave you a new Law. You are to love each other. You must love each other as I have loved you. If you love each other, all men will know you are My followers." John 13:34-35

Whether or not I get accepted to the fall mission trip to Uganda through AIM (Adventures In Missions) God has put this desire on my heart for a reason. I know where I am called, and I am ready to love. If He really wants me to go I expect Him to provide a way. Until that time I will continue to love those He puts in front of me and pray for those around the world. But I long for the day I get to hold those little hands, pray over His people, sit with the ill, and dance with the well. I can't wait until I get to say the word Nkwagala...I love you.

His Daughter,

Hannah Renee'

Stretch Me

Sometimes I feel spiritually lost. I'm not sure if that's the right way to word it, but basically I'm confused as to what kind of direction He is moving me in in terms of growth. Usually I know what He is asking me to work on in my life, but right now I have no idea. I feel like I'm craving growth so much; searching desperately for more fulfillment than what I'm getting but I don't know how to get it. I read the Bible, I talk to God, I go to church and am in fellowship with other believers, I'm reading christian books to help push my faith..what else can I do? I am truly not trying to be prideful, I know that growth can only come from God alone, and I want Him to push me.

Thursday during prayer meeting I stumbled upon Romans 5:3-5:

"We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love." Maybe it sounds weird, possibly even crazy but I want to go through trials, because I know that God is good and will fulfill me. Every time I reach the end of my desert I am so much more stronger and passionately in love with Christ because He satisfied me. I know that difficult times WILL come. But until then I long for God to stretch me..to my breaking point. I crave to be pushed spiritually to a place where I don't think I can go on. So that God can truly empty me of myself and fill me with Him. I want so badly to be molded into His likeness. Even if it kills. I want to be so broken that I have NO OTHER choice but to fully and completely lean and rely on Christ with every single ounce of myself. I want to be transformed.

His Daughter,

Hannah Renee'

The Bread of Life

John 6:35 "Jesus said to them, 'I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.'"

Throughout the past two years I have experienced many trials and hardships. Sometimes I feel like I'm standing in the middle of a whirlwind, surrounded by confusion, anger, bitterness, greed, death, mourning, loss, selfishness, and hate. Yet I am able to find peace and be completely filled through Christ. I've come to a new understanding of what it means for Christ to be the bread of life. Lately I have been craving a father's love, acceptance, and unconditional love. I've come to the realization that I cannot get that from my earthly father, family, friends or even my family in Christ. No matter how hard I try to fill this longing with things and people I will always be hungry and will always thirst. One by one God has taken things Iused to "fill my satisfaction" and I've instead been forced to come to him on my knees and ask him to be my bread and water, and He has indeed filled me continuously like never before.

His Daughter,

Hannah Renee'

Be My Everything

By My Dad

Be My Joy

Be My Perseverance

Be My Hope

Be My Fulfillment

Be My Eyes

Be My Beauty

Be My Bread & Water

Be My Riches

Be My Shelter

Be My Family

Be My Contentment

Be My Peace

Be My Salvation

Be My Hands & Feet

Be My Prince

Be My Determination

Be My Rock

Be My Provision

Be My Future

Be My Understanding

Be My Friend

Be My Teacher

Be My King

Be My God

Be My Lord

Be Mine.

Be My All In All

Be My Everything

His Daughter,

Hannah Renee'

Miriam-I Am Apart of a Bigger Plan

Sometimes it is so difficult for me to look past tomorrow and realize that God has so much planned for my life. I have to continuously remind myself that He will use me in ways that I cannot even imagine. When I read Exodus 2 I am reminded that like Miriam I am apart of a bigger plan which I cannot see.

I cannot even to begin to imagine what must have been going through Miriam's mind. Only being a young child and having Pharaoh command that every son born to the Hebrews be thrown into the Nile, which included her baby brother Moses. After her family hid him for three months Miriam put Moses in a basket and placed him among the reeds of the Nile. How much faith and bravery that act must have taken! Without Miriam's courage so many events would have took place, including the escape of the Israelites.

It is so unbelievably difficult to obey God in difficult situations when you may never see the outcome of your faith and obedience. I need to remind myself that God sees and knows all and He has everything planned out. I am apart of such a bigger plan which I cannot see, meaning that I need to fall to my knees daily and obey God in every area of my life no matter how difficult it is. If Miriam could put her baby brother in the Nile river not knowing if she would ever see him again, I can do anything through Christ.

His Daughter,

Hannah Renee'