How Great is Our God?

About 8 months ago we said "yes" to God and what we felt He wanted us to do with our lives. We started the process to leave our current lives behind and go join our mentors (the Bergs) at Kibogora Hospital in Rwanda, Africa.

We spent the next several months doing research, sending and receiving info to and from references, talking to pastors, and filling out paperwork. Then we waited...

When we received confirmation that we were approved, we were overjoyed. We knew there would be a lot of work to be done, but we felt this was God's first affirmation that He really was calling us to do this.

Once we received approval, there was MUCH more paperwork to fill out. We spent the next few months doing more research, gathering info, compiling a budget, talking to family and friends, talking to pastors, and spending a lot of time talking to God.

Once some of the paperwork was filled out and turned in and our budget was approved, we were finally able to make an official announcement and start raising funds. Our target date was set at April 15th, and it was already mid-December.

So many questions and, admittedly, some doubt... Can we possibly raise $80,000 in 4 short months?

We did some calculations and figured we could raise approximately half of the budget from the sale of our house. I remember telling Stephanie that there is no way we can go in April without selling the house... I could see raising half the budget in 4 months, but thought there was no possibility that we could raise the full budget in that short of time.

We worked very hard on our fundraising efforts through January and February. We did everything from a not-so-successful bake sale in what seemed to be 100 mile/hr wind to a very successful garage sale. We had some amazing supporters help us by donating financially and by donating items for the garage sale. The prayer support was awesome, and could be felt every day!

By the end of February, we had raised around $20,000, which put us right in line with raising half the budget by mid-April. The problem was that the house was seeing no action. We were growing more and more concerned by the day as we only had a couple weeks before we were supposed to pay for our plane tickets, but we still weren't sure if we would make it in time.

Then came March... Beth Palmer graciously put us down as the Mission Moment at our church, and on Sunday, March 2nd we spoke at all 5 services. We were so humbled by the amount of people that stopped by our table after the services. Some gave money, some said they will pray for us, some just wanted to talk, and some even cried tears of joy for us!

A few days later we were amazed by the news we received... The great members of First United Methodist Church collectively donated over $11,000 that one day! There was no doubt that God was a part of this, and this was further affirmation that He wanted us in Rwanda.

Unfortunately, there was still no movement on the house, and, with the deadline to book tickets looming, we were starting to feel a bit of pressure. We were starting to wonder whether or not we would make it in April, or if we would even be there before the church group goes in mid-May. On March 9th I decided to email our travel agent and asked if we could push the date back a bit. She tentatively put us down for a flight on April 23rd. Well, apparently this is when God wanted us there, as many donations started coming in right about that time.

In the first 15 days of March more people had joined our support team and donated more than in January and February combined! By mid-March, we had raised over half our entire budget!

One night around that same time, I sat down and re-examined our budget. We were able to save quite a bit on our plane tickets by going through a travel agency geared specifically towards missionaries. I also put in estimates for funds we were fairly certain we would be able to raise (selling Steph's car, final garage sale, etc.) When I was finished, we were amazed to find out that, after we raised the estimated money, we would be over 80% funded! Wow, God is awesome!

About a week later (on March 17th) we were informed that an individual donated $10,000 towards our ministry... I was speechless and felt like I could collapse. That put us just a few thousand dollars from being fully funded, and we still haven't sold our house.

I submitted the revised budget to our mission agency, and we received approval to purchase plane tickets! The tickets were officially purchased on Friday, and we are set to depart on April 23rd!

Needless to say, this was all God's doing. Stephanie and I are ordinary, every day people. We feel like we are nice people and that we have a great family, but we are 100% convinced that people didn't donate to our cause because of who we are. God placed it on the hearts of all of our supporters, and we are so thankful to Him and to each one of you that prayed for us and/or supported us financially.

We feel God wants us in Rwanda in April. We aren't sure the reason or what he has in store for us, but are very excited to find out!

This whole process has been such a faith building experience for our family. I think Steph and I spent January and February trying to raise the necessary funds ourselves, and we were convinced that we would have to sell our house in order to go. In March, with the deadline looming, we turned it all over to Him, and He raised more in 15 days than we did in 2+ months.

I have learned a lot over the last few months. One thing I learned is that worry is a warning sign that you need to pray. Now, every time I start to get anxious, or start to worry, or start to doubt, or fear creeps in, I just say a prayer and turn it all over to God. You know what? It works!

This is from Macy:

Discourage, doubt, fear. All were present and wearing me down and gnawing on the edges of my heart. I can already hear Jesus, "oh, you of little faith." Yep. Just a few days ago I was sitting on my bed wondering if we were going to make our budget in time. I can bet I was a sight to see... wrestling with my heart. My own desires against the unknown. If only I would've just given up the struggle and trusted God... how much easier that would've been on my worried heart. 

Just like Macy, I encourage anyone that is struggling with something to just turn it all over to God. He is an amazing and powerful God that wants nothing more than for you to be happy. He has worked so awesomely and in so many ways in our lives lately, and I know he will do the same for you.

So, how great is our God? I promise you that if you trust in Him and turn all fears and doubts over to Him you will learn, just like we did, that there is none greater than He!

Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart.
2 Corinthians 2:1

G.O.S.P.E.L.

This is an awesome video from Dare2Share that I thought I would share with everyone. I typed out the lyrics for those that would like to read along. I hope you enjoy this powerful message as much as I do!

It’s the full story of life crushed into 4 minutes. The entirety of humanity in the palm of your hand crushed into one sentence. Listen it's intense, right:

God. Our. Sins. Paying. Everyone. Life. 

The greatest story ever told that’s hardly ever told.

God. 

Yes. God. 

The maker and giver of life
And by life I mean any and all manner and substance
Seen and unseen 
What can and can't be touched 
Thoughts, image, emotions
Love, atoms and oceans 

God

All of it his handy work
One of which is masterpiece
Made so uniquely that angels looked curiously
The one thing in creation that was made with his imagery

The concept so cold
It’s the reason I stay bold
How God breathed into man and he became a living soul

Formed with the intent of being infinitely intimately fond
Creator and creation held in eternal bond
And it was placed in perfect paradise till something went wrong
A species got deceived and started lusting for his job

An odd list of complaints as if the system ain’t working 
And we used that same breath He graciously gave us to curse Him

And that sin seed spread though our souls genome 
And by nature of your nature
Your species
You participated in the mutiny 

Our 

Yes. Our sins. 

It's nature inherited
Lack in the human heart
It was over before it started

Deceived from day one 
And lead away by our own lusts
There’s not a religion in the word 
That doesn't agree that something’s wrong with us. 

The question is, what is it? 
And how do we fix it? 
Are we eternally separated 
From a God that may or may not have existed? 

But that’s another subject. Let’s keep grinding 
Besides, trying to prove God is like defending a lion, homey
It don’t need your help, just unlock the cage 
Let’s move on on how our debt can be paid  

Short and sweet. The problem is Sin. 

Yes. Sin. 

It’s a cancer. An asthma. Choking out our life force
Forcing separation from a perfect and holy God 
And the only way to get back is to get back to perfection

But silly us
Trying to pass the course of life 
Without referring to a syllabus 

This is us:

Heap up your good deeds 
Chant, pray, meditate 
But all of that of course is spraying cologne on a corpse  

Or you could choose to ignore it as if something don’t stink  
It’s like stepping in dog poop and refusing to wipe your shoe 
But all of that ends with how good is good enough 

Take your silly list of good deeds and line them up against perfection
Good luck. That’s life past your pay grade 
The cost of your soul you ain’t gotta big enough piggy bank 

But you can give it a shot 
But I suggest you throw away the list 
Cause even your good acts are an extension of your selfishness 

But here’s where it gets interesting 
I hope your closely listening 
Please don’t get it twisted
It’s what makes our faith unique 

Here’s what God says is Part A of the gospel: 
You can’t fix yourself 
Quit trying it’s impossible

Sin brings death
Give God his breath back
You owe him

Eternally separated
And the only way to fix it is someone die in your place
And that someones gotta be perfect
Or the payment ain’t permanent

So if and when you find the perfect person
Get him or her to willing trade their perfection 
For your sin and death in

Clearly since the only one that can meet God’s criteria is God
God sent himself as Jesus
To pay the cost for us

His righteousness, His death
Functions as payment 

Yes. Payment.

Wrote a check with His life 
But at the resurrection we all cheered 
Cause that means the check cleared 

Pierced feet, pierced hands
Blood stained son of man
Fullness, forgiveness 
Free passage into the promise land

That same breath that God breathed into us 
God gave up to redeem us

And anyone and everyone...

And by everyone I mean everyone 

Who puts their faith and trust in Him and Him alone 
Can stand in full confidence of God’s forgiveness 
And here’s what the promise is:

That you are guaranteed full access 
To return to perfect unity
By simply believing in Christ and Christ alone 
You are receiving life 

Yes. Life. 

This is the Gospel. God. Our. Sins. Paying. Everyone. Life.

Why me?

Why am I sitting outside on our perfectly paved rock porch in my chair comfortably overlooking the backyard lake, listening peacefully to the birds flitting in and out of my favorite tree.. while an innocent little boy and girl are looking up at the same sky wondering why they didn't get to eat dinner tonight? Why is my stomach full and with so much more food waiting in the pantry while someone is having to walk 11 miles to get water that isn't even clean? Why can I take a relaxing shower with a turn of a knob while an old man hasn't bathed in a year due to lack of fresh water? How come I, out of all people, live such a material rich life while others don't even have clothes on their backs?

Sometimes I start crying because I am just so fed up and confused at how unfair it is. Why me? I often feel like I should be the one over there (wherever there is) living in extreme poverty. I haven't done a single thing to deserve this... I really haven't. The roles could have easily been reversed. Why did God choose me to be born into such luxury when other children are being born into such helplessness? And here I am, sitting outside the beautiful house I've grown up in with more than I know what to do with.

 It's overwhelming. But I have a choice... I can let my heart break for others while I shovel ice cream into my mouth and go through countless Netflix movies in the comfort of my home... or I can do something. And the reality is, no matter how much I love ice cream and Netflix, only one option is going to make a difference.

So... my family has chosen to follow God.

People ask us all the time "Why are y'all doing this?" But in all honesty, how can we not?

After becoming aware of the facts and having God confirm that, yes, He has prepared us to do something about it, the next step was most certainly to put what He has placed on our hearts into action. I am blown away by the fact that my God, who could do this all by Himself, would choose to let us be a little part of it.

Katie Davis, who is a missionary is Uganda, wrote: "People from my first home say I'm brave. They tell me I'm strong. They pat me on the back and say, 'Way to go. Good job.' But the truth is, I am not really very brave; I am not really very strong; and I am not doing anything spectacular. I am simply doing what God has called me to do as a person who follows Him. He said to feed His sheep and He said to care for the 'least of these', so that's what I'm doing, with the help of a lot of people who make it possible and in the company of those who make my life worth living."

Katie put into words what we have been thinking all along. Yes, we're following Gods will, which just so happens to lead us into Rwanda. No, it's not any more special than what God is calling you to do here in the good ole United States. He broke our hearts on this specific subject because He, being the Divine planner that He is, planned waaay in advance that this was going to be our purpose.

The good news: we're not alone. God's heart breaks at the helplessness of His children. Knowing that God isn't just 'backing us up' on this but completely leading us instead has given us more passion and more heartache and more strength than ever before.

Here are some good quotes/verses that have inspired us to follow our God:

"Break my heart for what breaks yours" - Hosanna (the song)

"I don't always know where this life is going. I can't see the end of the road, but here is the great part: Courage is not about knowing the path. It is about taking the first step. It is about Peter getting out of the boat, stepping out onto the water with complete faith that Jesus will not let him drown." - Katie

"Thankfully, God's plans do not seem to be affected much by my own." - Katie


"From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."- Luke 12:48

"In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” - Acts 20:35

"Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”- Luke 6:38

"My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word." - Psalm 119:28

"But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." - Isiah 40:31

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble." - Psalm 46;1

"Poverty is not an accident. Like slavery and apartheid, it is man made and can be removed by the actions of human beings." - Nelson Mandela


If you haven't read Katie's book, Kisses From Katie, please do! Seriously one of the best books I've ever read... and I love to read! SO eye opening and inspiring.

- Macy :))