Time and Treasures and Talents, Oh My!

It's a good thing I like talking.

I've had so many incredible and often surprising opportunities to share with people about going to Africa in the past week. I've stared visiting the life groups of my church, Bay Area Community Church, this week to invite my community to join with me. I have been encouraged and supported in unique ways by each group. Thank you!

In sharing about my heart for this trip, I often talk about my "God box" - how it's so easy for me to try to coneptualize God or try to understand Him from within the box or the compartment I keep Him in. When I traveled to Kenya in 2007, however, the bottom of that box fell out. I was taken back by how BIG God is. I know we sing about it in worship, high-five about it in youth group, and AMEN about it in church... but, I'm talking a BIG, BIG GOD. A God so big that all you can understand is that He is Good. He is Love. And He is SO BIG that all we can really wrap our heads around is He's too big for a box and much too big to wrap our heads around.

An unfathomable good, an unfathomable love, an immeasurable creator that is so completely captivated by the smallest details of your daily life and what makes you you.

While preparing to share with my church members about traveling to Africa, I met with Pastor Steven Yoes to share my heart for the church joining with me for this trip. He responded with a phrase that has resounded in me ever since. He passionately committed to walking with me in this calling and called the church to join with their "time, treasures and talents".

Hmm.

I automatically thought of prayer, blog-checking and such for time, and financial support and brick-buying for treasures... but talents?

Get ready for it. Because the talents are a-flowin'!

I have been awe-struck this week by the ways people have offered support by lending me their talents. God is pulling out all the stops here, people. And we have one creative Savior! I love the ways He has created His body.

A few examples: Bud and Ashley from church have suggested hosting a Mystery Dinner Theater as a fundraiser. (How cool is that?) And Loryn has offered her incredible gift of photography as a gift to families interested in taking Christmas pictures, offering all proceeds to go toward our Africa fund. (YAY!) And a co-worker, Carey, is creating a space for Ten Thousand Homes at her wedding (YES, her wedding!) by making a donation toward my trip in lieu of wedding favors and distributing my blog information.

As His works are coming to fruition, I feel my heart overflowing with gratitude. I was just thinking about the depth and breadth of how this process of sharing, fundraising, and praying together has been such a direct reflection of Christ in my life. I go around talking about bringing Home and Hope - loving, knowing and supporting God's children. And I have never felt more loved, known and supported.

Thank you just isn't big enough to communicate my gratitude. My prayer is that you experience ten-fold the love, support, care, encouragement and hope you have blessed me with.