The Lord and I have had a grand time here these past 5 days. It’s been a time of reflection on the journey here as well as time given to the life I will start tomorrow when I reach Busia. But more importantly, I’ve just been. Isn’t that a crazy sounding statement, I’ve just been. One day has floated into another and the depth of peace and contentment has been surreal.

I think the year of preparation although so worth it all had taken a toll on me physically and emotionally. It wasn’t until I had been here for a couple of days that I realized just how long it had been since my burdens were light.

It’s been just a little over a year now that I surrendered to serve in full time foreign missions. When the process began as you can imagine I was overwhelmed. Now looking back I can see why. In the past year a lot has happened in my life. This is one of those times I know if God had of shown me the path to get here, I would have turned and ran because I wouldn’t have ever thought myself strong enough to go through the process it took to get here.

Selling my belongings, leaving the security of my job, leaving a great church, and most of all the heartache of leaving my family. Yes, I would say much has gone on in my life in the last year and the Lord knew I needed to just be! Now it makes sense doesn’t it, I’ve just been.

Each day since I’ve been here I kept thinking the Lord was going to show me some great revelation or something, but then I realized He brought me here because I needed time to not only rest, but to be emotionally and physically ready for the changes in my life that will begin tomorrow. No matter the challenges the last year has brought, tomorrow will begin a journey of new challenges that I’ve not yet faced. However, along with those challenges will come incredible blessings.

I’d like to share a very personal challenge in order to share a mighty Praise for my Heavenly Father. I became a full time missionary the first of October, just before my first trip here to Africa. When I returned I was not prepared at all to experience a lack of financial support. I don’t think myself naive, but I sure didn’t have any idea how hard the next few months would be for me.

November and December were toughest. Neither of those months was there sufficient funds to cover what small expenses I still had to live here before leaving full time. When you’ve been on your own as long as I have, it’s not an easy thing to tell others when you have a need. I had always been on the other end of making sure everyone else had what they needed, I truly didn’t know how to ask for help. There were so many people who would have helped me, but I didn’t know how to ask, so I truly struggled to even have enough food or gas. I remember how sad I was when I had to make the decision to stop attending the weekly bible study I had been attending for years, because I just couldn’t afford the gas.

After the beginning of the year the support began to increase and I was so thankful. It still wasn’t where it needed to be for me to fill confident enough to leave for Africa, yet God continued to say press on, don’t  stop. It was an amazing thing because when I needed to buy my airline tickets, the money came in. When I needed to pay for language school the money came in. God was sending it as I needed it, yet there was still nothing left over after I’d paid for tickets and school. In February just before I left enough came in for me to buy what I needed to take and to have the cash I needed to take with me.

I don’t think I will ever forget what it felt like the day before I left when I checked the balance in my accounts. There was $41 in savings and $474 in checking out of which my last couple of bills had to be paid. I remember thinking people would think me absolutely crazy if they had any idea that I am getting on a plane tomorrow and the money is not there for me to live once I get to Busia.

But from the depths of my being, I promise you that I never for once thought about not getting on that plane. God had shown me time and time again that He would provide for me. I wish I could remember where I read this so I could give credit to them, but I read somewhere about a missionary who said why should God give us what we need in the future, why should we worry about what we will need next month or next year. If He is going to provide, there is simply no need in worrying.

I’ve written this very personal message in order to share that I serve a Mighty God who provides for my needs. Yesterday I received an e-mail with the total dollar amount of support that had come in this month and my heart just about stopped from the shock of what I read. More support has come in the past 4 weeks than all the months added together since I have been serving fulltime.

Sweet friends, let this encourage you to not let anything stop you from doing Gods will in your life. I am a better missionary because of the challenges He let me experience. I am better prepared to live on meager means just as those I am here to serve live on. My faith has magnified many times over in the past few months and I wouldn’t change any of the challenges because God knew I needed those lessons that I couldn’t have learned any other way.

Love to all,

Joy Breedlove

Missionary – East Africa