Prayer Requests

Taking a break from my introspective posts to type out a prayer request list for my upcoming missions trip.  In case you didn't know and without getting into too much detail, I'm basically headed to England to do a VBS style program for some kids.

Here's what I'd love prayers about:

1) Safe and happy travels.  I leave July 30 and return Aug 12, plus we'll be travelling around in England some of the time.  First of course we'd like to stay safe, not crash, avoid muggings, etc.  But if I could be so bold as to ask for happy travels, I will :)  I've never flown transatlantic before.  It would be awesome if things went smoothly, we all kept our cool, we didn't get sick during travel, we were able to sleep, we stayed well fed and hydrated, and that our spirits stayed high etc.

2) My physical health.  This is always a huge concern for me when I travel, even within the US.  (In fact, I used to doubt that I'd ever really be able to travel or go on a missions trip because of my issues!  Thankfully God has sustained me in my previous trips and while my body has bent, it has not broken :) )  I don't have the greatest health in the world, and deviating from my normal foods and eating routines tends to wreak havoc on my body at times.  I also worry about not being able to find things to eat and then not feeling well from lack of nutrition.  It will be especially important for me to feel well since the point of my trip is to serve others.  I'm sure I'll also be operating on lack of sleep most days.  I would love to feel supernaturally energized and willing to serve (or at least that God would help me keep a good attitude if I don't!)

3) Emotional/mental health - I am not an entirely emotionally stable person, as is probably evident :)  Sometimes traveling (or just life in general...) puts me in a funk.  I would love to be stable, happy, gracious, and all those other good things.

4) Connections with the kids -and- the adults and opportunities to serve.  I'm not the greatest around new people (shock shock) and I really don't want that to stop me from serving.  I'd love to be able to see the places where I can help out, encourage, listen, etc and then have the courage to do it.  This trip will be an important time for these families and I want to serve them wherever possible.  Pray that I will keep that mindset and open eyes for opportunities.

5) God to work in my life.  I know that going on a missions trip is not about me...  But I also know that God tends to work through these types of trips.  I feel like I'm at a really weird place in life right now, a cross roads of sorts.  I think that there are things that I need to let go of, or at least give to God, changes that I need to make, etc.  Just because of other life circumstances (and my realization that change needs to happen), I think life is going to look a lot different when I get back.  This trip seems to be planned at the opportune moment for me.  I almost feel (or hope!) that God will push some sort of divine reset button.  I'm hoping that when I get back, that I'll be able to transition into what life is going to look like now.  I could get more introspective, but we'll leave it at that.


Thanks to everyone who has prayed/is praying and who supported me!