39 more days....

39 more days until I leave. 39 days. It may seem like a long time, but after waiting over a year, it is not at ALL. I remember thinking last year, "Hey, a year and a month until I leave! Awesome." And now it's one year later, and the days are counting down. The money in my account is rising, the shopping lists are being made, the weather is warming up, and my heart is doing this weird thing where it is excited and anxious all at the same time.

This is going to be a time of preparation. You know 40 Days of Purpose, right? This is my 39 days of purpose. The time I prepare my heart to submit to God and not run all wildly around Staten Island, but run in His freedom, and if that means if my heart runs wildly all around Staten Island, then I will do that. :)
I am going to need a LOT of prayers and a lot of mental help because I am so forgetful. God needs to be the center.
I can't do anything there without God's help. Talking with old friends is hard enough, let alone making new ones with complete strangers and no one to break the awkward up but Jesus. Running up a hill is hard enough, let alone helping to build a house. Sweat is not my friend, let alone building a house in it. I love the happy feels that go with hot weather, but I hate sweat.
I'm an imperfect person, but I hope that through all of these trials God will give me more of a heart like His. I wasn't born with a servant's heart, unfortunately. Sure, some are, but I need some fine tuning, Jesus.

Pride is something I'm fighting against with this, so please pray for whatever on this list applies presently:

• That there are no complications with earning the money/sending it in
• That the ride there and back is safe
• That I stay healthy before during and after the trip
• That I don't hurt myself before during and after the trip
• That I make at least one close friend
• That people are receptive to hearing God's word
• That I get a new revelation of God and His love
• That God will be present on this trip
• That I won't get anxiety
• That pride will melt away
• That I can be an encouragement to the people at Touch the World and beyond
• That my heart will open up more to servanthood

Love you all! I have the introduction edited to IBP (Ice Blue Past) so I will continue on and edit Chapter 1. :)