12 hours.

Tulsa -> Atlanta -> Amsterdam -> Entebbe, Uganda

In just 12 hours Sara and I will be on our way to AFRICA! Just the last few days preparing for our trip have been quite emotional. It's been so amazing to see how everyone has reached out with donations, love and support. Tonight we packed everything up and we are taking around 300 pounds of donations for children and adults who live and work in the villages and orphanages that we are visiting during our stay. I really am blown away by the graciousness in so many peoples hearts as they have been so giving, it truly does not go unnoticed...thank you all.

Sara and I have been bouncing emotions back and forth from one another the last few days. Whether its fear, excitement, hope, strength, anxiety, panic, joy....we have been there for each other and I am so thankful for that. Today has been a lot of joy and a lot of excitement. There were definitely some high kicks involved in us doing our last minute errands tonight and high fives were thrown when we fit nearly all the donations in 4 huge duffel bags. Through the highs and lows...we keep coming back to how God has made it SO clear to each of us that this is exactly where He wants us right now. All of the steps and decisions it has taken for us to be in this place at this time, have been perfectly and divinely planned. It's a beautiful feeling knowing you are making your Father happy by walking forward with the beautiful plans He has created for you.

Sara and I both know that we are about to experience things we have never before. We know this is the chance of a lifetime. We know this is only the beginning of something extremely beautiful and exciting. To know that we are about to partake on this adventure with God is so astonishing...I can't even believe it. I have been praying for strength for what we are going to witness and see in just a short amount of time. I have been rather sheltered my whole life, so I know I am going to have some eye opening, gut wrenching, heart breaking experiences and while I am scared of being in the midst of these circumstances...I am looking forward to it as well.

I couldn't help but think of something Katie Davis wrote in her book "Kisses from Katie"-

" I have learned along my journey that if I really want to follow Jesus, I will go to the hard places. Being a Christ follower means being acquainted with sorrow. We must know sorrow to be able to fully appreciate joy. Joy costs pain, but the pain is worth it. "

Here we go....to experience the suffering to know joy. To meet the poor to know richness. To hug the sick to know love.  I wouldn't have it any other way.