I do not blog often enough these days, or at least not nearly as often as ideas come to mind to write about but it just doesn't seem like there's ever enough time to actually sit down and type it up. As is usual it is very late and I will need to be up very early in the morning for VBS this week but two things happened this weekend that were just so incredibly special I couldn't let them go without praising God publicly.

The first thing was Saturday when I received an email informing me that a large amount of money had come in for my trip to Paris. At some point I do remember telling someone that I was pretty sure most of it would come in "late" (as in much closer to my time of departure, not actually late as God is NEVER late). The timing was absolutely perfect as I was beginning to be a tad discouraged at what I in my humanity deemed as a lack of attention on God's part. I love to quote Hudson Taylor to myself in these situations "God's will done in God's way will never lack God's supply" but when it all comes down to it that is easier said than believed. It's so precious to me when God chooses to acknowledge my whimpering "but God, I thought You said--" by gently reminding me that He does have a plan and He is working even when I don't always see it.

Then today was Pastor's anniversary and in honor of that we had Dr. Brandon bringing the messages. As if that wasn't special enough after his amazing testimony of how God has spared his life a little longer on this earth, at the end of the day when they were about to leave I felt a tap on my shoulder. "Are you Megan?" Mrs. Brandon has always been such an example to me, and I have always said I want to be like her when I grow up. She is so very beautiful and never seems to age physically as well as having the most wonderfully sweet spirit. I was a bit taken aback that she would remember my name and said "yes". She exclaimed "I just needed to hug your neck!" She remembered me from IMPACT in 2007! It was so very special and sweet to me and such an encouragement although it may not seem like much to anyone else. But she remembered me--and wanted to hug me. She'll probably never know how much that little gesture meant but it really was huge to me, especially following two weeks of some fairly intense personal spiritual warfare. You never know how YOU can have an impact on someone else! If you are prompted to speak to someone or hug them, please do it because all of the mes out there need you to give that little bit of help to keep on keeping on. :) Sometimes God just wants to use you as His way of physically hugging someone.

Time continues to fly as CI and Paris approach. I am more and more excited about both and at the same time nervous. I know the time will pass quickly there but once or twice I've caught myself thinking "why did I agree to go for so long? what am I thinking?". But I know that it's God's will and I am very excited to see what He has in store. Thank you to all of you who are praying for me and my trip. Please don't stop!! :)