I will not panic. I will not panic.

We are one week away from our fundraising deadline. After much prayer and number crunching, we set a goal of $25,000 to off set the salary I gave up when I resigned from the MSU Department of Communication and went on board with HMM in June. 

(I will not panic. I will not panic.) 


We are about $10,000 away from that goal and there are (ONLY!) about seven days left for churches, groups and individuals to respond.

(I will not panic. I will not panic.) 

As I think about the last few months, there have been many opportunities for me to panic and somehow, God has provided the calm just as I felt it would overwhelm me. Satan uses my over-planning, over-scheduling and must-have-control desires to make me doubt this decision...almost daily.

But, I think that's typical when we say "YES!" to something big for God that pulls us out of our routine and comfort zones. Satan knows we long for comfort and uses that desire to lull us to sleep, make us complacent. But God knows He can be gloriously revealed when we obediently follow Him out of our comfort zone and allow Him to stretch and refine us for HIS use. 

(I will not panic. I will not panic.) 

I am being stretched and refined each day. Some days, I admit, being stretched and refined is NOT what I'm interested in...I'd prefer the curled-up-on-the-couch-in-my-pjs-with-a-big-bowl-of-ice-cream kind of comfort. Just being real, people. 

But I'm being challenged to let go of my desire to control things and let Him be revealed in a big way through HMM and through my contributions to this ministry. I am being challenged by all the juggling of having multiple jobs and the exhaustion that accompanies late nights to get everything done. I'm being challenged by the conflict I feel because I want to DO more but know I am already stretched (too!) thin. 

So, whether we meet our goal or not, I'm confident He will provide. He's promised that...

"And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19

Therefore, I will not panic. I really will not. Really. 

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." 

Philippians 4:6-7

And I will not understand the peace He will give when I give these last few days of fundraising to him...

What have you said "YES!" to that's stretched you and made you uncomfortable? 

Watch this amazing story of "YES!" by one of my Noonday sisters and swoon over her precious babies from Ethiopia (Get your tissues!)!

Fotolanthropy Film: "Gloriously Ruined" from Fotolanthropy on Vimeo.