Bake sale news

A few weeks ago I decided to do a bake sale as a fundraiser to help cover the expenses in Romania this summer. I spent a few hours in my Resident Director's apartment baking last night (thanks, Stacy!), and I kicked off the sale in the dorms tonight. I just finished walking through the halls of Blossom, and the girls were awesome! Everyone was very sweet and supportive. I will be going door to door across campus for the next few days. I'll let you know how it goes!

Has it been enough?

I'm at the crossroads... two weeks until the end of the semester and all of the graduation events, two weeks until I leave for Romania and the actual implementation of the program begins. Lately, I keep asking myself: has it been enough? Have I worked enough, prepared for the program enough, persevered with phone calls, meetings, and personal letters enough? I'm still $4000 away from where I need to be with the program budget, and there is still a lot of research and other preparation work I want to get finished before I leave. I feel like I have worked diligently, but looking back, I can remember instances when I slacked off on preparation and phone calls, didn't pick up extra hours when I could have, stopped for the night when I could have continued working, bought something I didn't need... So it brings me back to my original question: Has it been enough? Is it good enough?
I feel like I'm talking out of both sides of my mouth. On one hand, I talk about how God has been reminding me to "Cease striving and know that [He] is God; [He] will be exalted"... regardless of my efforts. (Psalm 46:10) And on the other hand, I'm filled with doubt, wondering whether my strivings have been good enough. At the moment, I don't feel like they have been.
Maybe this is where faith enters the picture. I've been learning that faith is a choice. I choose to place my faith in God; I choose to surrender my worries and trust Him as my Provider and Friend. Or, I choose to worry and fret about the past I cannot change.
God calls me to obedience, not to self-sufficiency. (How easily I confuse these concepts!) He is "faithful and just and will forgive" my shortcomings, whether they involve slacking off or relying too much on my own efforts. Can I forgive myself and learn to live with the mindset of God as Lord and Provider? He won't force me to rest in Him; it's a choice I have to make for myself.

Fundraising as a blessing

I was able to meet with three different people this weekend to talk about the upcoming trip to Romania. Looking back, I am struck once again by the blessing raising the money has been. I have met so many wonderful people through this process, people I doubt I ever would have met any other way. I've met people with similar passions, and people who get excited merely because my excitement shows! I've been able to listen to their stories, and we have been able to pray for each other. The automatic connection believers have through Christ amazes me. To each of you who has been a part of this journey, thank you for sharing and investing yourself in me. You ARE a blessing!