How the journey began...

Why on earth would Amber Mrs. Priss of all people go to Africa? We know her and "adventurous" is NOT how we would describe her. Well, maybe if there was an unbelievable Black Friday deal. She would definitely venture out for one of those. I know YOU are all thinking this about ME! It is okay. I totally understand! I look in the mirror everyday so I am fully aware of who you see. However, little did you or I know, God knew I was slow was working on me slowly. Several years back we read Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren (I recommend it!) in a Bible Study at our church. After working through the book I was left with a little empty spot. I was wondering, "What is my purpose?" Sure, daughter, sister, grand-daughter, best friend, wife and mother were all on my resume but were these things my "Purpose"? Purpose- the #1 reason God put me on this earth? The reason I exist? Well, maybe. Maybe I am a mother because one of my children will do something spectacular that I can't even fathom. Hmm... that would be pretty awesome! I mean Mary did give birth to Jesus Christ. Now realistically I know that my children will never even come close to being Jesus and I am certainly no Mary but hey, you don't have to be Jesus to do something amazing. Sorry I have high aspirations for my children got off on a rant. Simply put...I felt like there was more that I needed to do in this life. That pang remained in me but the timing wasn't quite right. I was clueless about what God wanted me to do, we were ready to expand our family, I was involved in my job, and we were just having fun being a young married couple. All of those things were awesome and God allowed them in our lives at the appropriate time.
I continued on with my conversations with God..."Okay Lord, I want to serve you but don't get to crazy with it. You made me and you know my comfort levels." Then it was..."Look God, I'm still waiting on whatever it is you want me to do. You know I can't exactly read your mind. I'm kinda slow so I am really gonna need you to shout this one out at me. Just don't forget that I can't do x,y and z." And again a year or so later..."Fine! Send me where you want and I will do what you want. I'm ready whenever you are."
A couple of months ago our pastor was doing a series on the Isrealites and their journey to the Promise Land. If you haven't heard a series on this it is a definite MUST! It was all about their lack of FAITH no matter what God provided them with in the desert. They always questioned God, complained, told God what HE needed to do, and even at one point said they were better off as slaves. This sermon was subtle in my heart but it had an incredible purpose! This was the next chapter in God working on little ol' me. I was reminded of everything God has given me. You may not know these things...We almost lost Kate early in my pregnancy because I had a condition that we didn't know about. They actually said she was gone but we had a true miracle when we went back in to "make sure everything was gone" and there she was going strong. When we were ready for another one we begged God for a little boy not just because it would give us "the perfect family". It was because JB and I made a vow to one another and to God that our son would serve HIM and not US because our world needs MEN to be those kinds of leaders. Soon after we found out I was pregnant, we bought a house and then JB lost his job. It was the first time in our married life that we had to handle this kind of situation. I was freaked but JB was calm and WE weathered the storm with our FAITH. JB got a new job and I was still pregnant but on tons of hormones. So many changes were going on in our lives that we decided it would be best for me to stay home the next school year instead of traveling back and forth from McKinney to Sunnyvale everyday. I was so weary of this decision because I just didn't see how the numbers in the check book were going to work out. Once again God provided immensely! JB was suddenly selling more houses than he has ever sold in his small real-estate career. He had side jobs like crazy and I got on as a sub in Sunnyvale. Low and behold in January of 2009 our little man that we had prayed for arrived and life was good. Tight on the wallet but good. Then, I decided it was time to go back to work. Money was slowing down and I really needed a job. The perfect position came open in Sunnyvale...but I didn't get it:(. They did however ask me to come on in a different role where I wouldn't be making my full salary. JB and I spoke about it and we both had peace that I was where I needed to be. I went to training that summer and BAM! I was offered a full time position and I am still here today. GOD IS SOOOO GOOD! All through this time I battled with understanding, patience and I kept asking "WHY?" God kept telling me to just have FAITH. These things were all growing pains that I needed to become who HE needed me to be. HUMBLE and HUMILITY had not been in my vocabulary until then.
So where did all of this lead me? Well, a while back I received an email from my principal that she had forwarded on from Kate's teacher (she is a missionary in Zambia in the summer). It was an opportunity to go to Zambia for 10 days during Thanksgiving break to train the teachers that would be teaching the orphans in the Lifeway Christian Schools in Zambia. I will be honest and tell you that I would not have read this email so promptly and thoroughly if it had not come from my principal. I would probably have just chalked it up to being on some mailing list and put it in the "read later" file on my email. I had actually been thinking of giving up my Thanksgiving already to go serve others in a soup kitchen. I THOUGHT IT BUT GOD THOUGHT IT WAAAAAAY BIGGER! When the opportunity was presented with God's perfect timing, I knew I WAS GOING TO ZAMBIA! I feel so incredibly blessed to have this opportunity and I am so glad that you have chosen to follow me on this journey. Check back tomorrow for an exciting update about how God has blessed me on this journey...